The Family Vans

It’s Open season at Vans.

This past weekend kicked off the Vans US Open of Surfing in nearby Huntington Beach.

With it, Vans is not just celebrating their sixth year of title-sponsoring this major surf competition and action-sports festival, but it also marks their first full year since moving Vans HQ to our beloved Costa Mesa.

I Heart Costa Mesa sat down with Kristy Van Doren, Vans Senior Director of North America Brand Marketing – and granddaughter of Founder, Paul Van Doren – to talk US Open, the company’s ‘checkered’ past, and why the move to Costa Mesa made all the sense in her world for this iconic, Southern California brand.

Grand Van: Kristy Van Doren – Granddaughter of Vans Founder, Paul Van Doren – at Vans HQ in Costa Mesa.

“I’m the third generation of the Van Doren family,” began Kristy Van Doren from a spacious conference room at Vans Headquarters on the corner of Hyland and South Coast Drive. “In 1964, my grandfather moved from Boston to Costa Mesa and he started Vans in 1966. The first Vans retail store was here in Costa Mesa, off Newport Boulevard.”

Over three generations, the Vans brand grew far and wide and eventually became a globally-recognized, action-sports and apparel icon. But despite the huge success, Van Doren maintains her family never forgot their Costa Mesa roots.

“51 years later, and we’re back,” said Van Doren. “When my dad [Steve Van Doren], came to view this property for the first time, he laughed and said, ‘Hey, my junior high school is right down the street!’ He grew up here. He went to TeWinkle Middle School. My parents both went to Estancia High School and got married right after they graduated.

“Moving Vans to Costa Mesa feels like coming home for my family. This location, the move, it’s all a major step up for us. We bought these 14 acres of land, so there’s lots of room for us to grow into the future. We’re invested.

“I can’t tell you what that means to us, the sense of pride we have about it. After 51 years in operation, we finally have a place to call our own, and it’s Costa Mesa.”

Corporate… Or Collegiate? The Vibe At Vans Corporate HQ Is Fresh, Active and Full of Amenities.

14 acres covers a lot of ground in a city as cozy as ours, and the Vans crew is making full use of theirs.

The vibe at HQ reads more ‘college campus’ than ‘corporate office’ – with amenities like a staffed coffee bar, yoga room, gym, quad-like courtyard, rooftop BBQ and a hangout room equipped for both billiards and band practice – and that seems to promote productivity just fine.

On the day of our visit, staffers lingered intently over laptops, both indoors and out, cementing the collegiate effect.

While the employee perks are nice, at the end of the day it’s still all about the shoes at Vans.

“My grandfather just wanted to sell his own shoes however he could make that happen,” said Van Doren. “Vans was doing customization before it was even a thing. He set the tone for what Vans has become, today.

“Back when my grandfather opened, people would come in looking for specific colors or patterns. He’d say, ‘You know what? Go buy a yard of fabric in the color you like and bring it to me. I’ll make your shoes, I’ll make you happy.’ He’d take the fabric back into the factory and make the shoes. In a day or two you could come pick them up. Your own special pair of Vans.

“One time I asked my grandfather, ‘What’s the wildest pair of shoes you ever made?’ He told me about a customer who was getting divorced. It was ugly and she was not happy about it. So she brought in a mink stole given to her by the soon-to-be ex-husband and said, ‘Make these into shoes for the bottoms of my feet. That way, I will always have him right where he belongs.”

Mink revenge sneakers aside, Van Doren says most customers have fond memories of the milestones and moments they’ve shared with different pairs of shoes.

“They’ll say to me, ‘Oh I remember the pair I wore to prom, the ones I got the day I got my first skateboard, the custom Vans we made for cheer squad,’ stuff like that,” said Van Doren. “I tell my grandfather, ‘Do you even realize what these shoes mean? How many people get excited about the memory of a shoe?’

“There’s something about Vans that are so iconic across generations. They’re easy to wear and appeal to everyone. My great-grandfather can wear Vans and my preschooler can wear them, too. I hear from friends with high-schoolers and they say to me, ‘You must be doing something right because my daughter’s whole class is still wearing Vans.’

“My grandfather thinks it’s the shoes. I think it’s the authenticity. We’re not full of shit and people like that.”

Those Kicks Tho: The Events, The Collabs, The Brand… In The End It All Comes Back To The Shoe.

While Van Doren’s grandfather may be all about the shoes, her dad, Steve Van Doren, is all about people.

“My dad’s philosophy is that everyone is a VIP,” said Van Doren. “He loves to barbecue and he barbecued over nine straight days at our last US Open. It’s just who he is. He’s inclusive and wants people to feel included, to feel a part of it. ”

You can catch Steve Van Doren working the grill at this year’s Open, too – it’s one tradition that doesn’t show signs of fading anytime soon.

“Events are just kind of in our blood,” said Kristy Van Doren. “I’m deeply involved in the event side – everything from a small, grassroots, pop-up event all the way up to the Warped Tour or US Open. Events are my wheelhouse.”

If events are Van Doren’s wheelhouse, she’s definitely on point. The Vans US Open of Surfing is less of an event and more of a vibrant (if temporary) city that springs up, each summer, on the sandy shoreline of downtown Huntington Beach.

“We take an empty beach and build a city-sized festival,” said Van Doren. “For nine days, we create a living, breathing experience around the surf competition. We build a bowl. We build a full-on store. We’ve got movies and meet-and-greets with the athletes.

“You’ve got your music. You’ve got your art. You’ve got your action sports. It’s a place where we can showcase three sports all in one place. Partnering with the US Open of Surfing was huge for us.

“I want to invite people to come and visit us. Check out our beautiful merchandise. Come get some free stuff. Check out the surfing, the BMX riders, the skateboarding. It’s amazing!”

Family, Fun and Bona Fides – At The Heart Of Vans’ Iconic Brand. (Costa Mesa, California)

When she’s not spearheading events for Vans, chances are good you’ll catch Van Doren around the neighborhood.

“I have to give a special shout out to Nick’s Pizza, that’s my place,” said Van Doren. “We love going across the street to SOCO. We love the law school next door. Our neighbors are great.”

Van Doren’s obvious enthusiasm for all aspects of the city – including our local pizza – is as infectious as it is inspiring.

“Costa Mesa is such a good fit for Vans,” said Van Doren. “We’re close to the beach and the surf culture. We’re in the mecca of skateboarding. We’ve got BMX and all the rest. It’s all here or near to here.”

“To say we’re excited to be here is an understatement,” she concluded with an expansive wave of her hand. “Costa Mesa is our perfect match.” ♥

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