RVCA’s Global Marketing Director Skye McRae sent me some photographs from RVCA’s “Family Tree” art show in San Francisco.

The show and party were held in RVCA’s art gallery and retail store, VASF Gallery on the corner of Haight and Ashbury. It’s RVCA’s first retail store, and the company is the latest manufacturer to venture into the retail world. Quiksilver, Billabong, Volcom, Rip Curl and Burton all have stand alone stores.

RVCA says local retailers are supportive of the store. But industry-wide, manufacturers’ stores in general are a controversial issue with retailers who carry the manufacturers’ clothes. Many feel that they have supported the manufacturers for years and now those same companies are competing with them. Manufacturers, however, believe opening their own stores is the best way to showcase the breadth of their brands.

I have some more in-depth questions about RVCA out to owner Pat Tenore. Hopefully, I’ll get them answered soon and I’ll post them when I do.