The extreme sports store Tillys is noteworthy because it’s both specialized and unspecialized at the same time. It’s specialized because it sells clothing and equipment for extreme sports like surfing, motocross, snowboarding, and skateboarding. But unlike some of its competitors, it doesn’t just sell clothing that’s designed for one extreme sport. For example, a surf shop will typically sell clothing like board shorts and swim trunks but might not sell insulated jackets for snowboarders. Here are some other stores that are similar to Tillys.
Quiksilver
If you’d like to buy products like board shorts, swim trunks, or casual shirts, you can visit the surf shop Quiksilver. It also sells surfboards and wax as well as clothing. This store is more specialized than Tillys and its main focus is surfing. Additionally, Quiksilver is a popular surf brand in its own right. While Tillys does have a few private-label brands of its own, many shoppers go there for clothing made by other well-known extreme sports brands.
Surfers can visit either Quiksilver or Tillys to pick up clothing and surfboards so the main reason to go to Quiksilver would be to purchase branded products like shorts and shirts that display its logo. It’s a popular fashion brand in Southern California.
Pacsun
This California lifestyle brand was originally called Pacific Sunwear and has shortened its name to Pacsun. It sells clothing for surfers and skaters and its merchandise also includes sunglasses, shoes, and other accessories. Like Tillys, Pacsun also sells lots of clothing and accessories made by other extreme sports brands and fashion brands. In fact, you can even buy Quiksilver’s branded products there.
Pacsun and Tillys carry many similar products so either store will have lots of fashionable clothing for outdoor activities in Southern California.
Billabong
The Australian surf brand Billabong makes clothing for surfers and also operates its own surf shops as well. Like Quiksilver, it appeals to many shoppers who are specifically looking for branded clothing. You can also buy Billabong clothing at other stores such as Pacsun and Tillys, but if you’re a fan of this brand you might want to visit its stores. Billabong doesn’t just make fashionable clothing, it also makes products specifically designed for surfers such as wetsuits.
Again, you can buy Billabong clothing at Tillys stores and that might be the most accessible way to shop for Billabong clothing in person because Tillys has lots of stores in Southern California. Billabong only has a few stores in my area and some of them have limited operating hours as well.
Zumiez
You can buy skateboards and skateboard parts as well as clothing and shoes at Zumiez. It’s a skate shop that you’ll see at a lot of Southern California malls. Like many of the stores that compete with Tillys, Zumiez is focused on a single sport so it’s a more specialized store. Another thing to know about Zumiez is that its employees can also help you pick out the right parts for your skateboard. This store isn’t just a fashion retailer and many of its employees are skaters themselves. Zumiez could also be considered a streetwear store as well as an extreme sports store.
Again, while Tillys sells clothing for skaters as well as skateboards, it also sells clothing and equipment for several other outdoor sports as well. Its stores are also larger than Zumies stores and other skate shops.
Skechers
The shoe store Skechers stocks many shoes that are designed for outdoor sports. While Skechers has a reputation for manufacturing comfortable shoes now, the brand was once very popular with skaters and you can still buy skate shoes as well as shoes for other sports like golf and basketball from this company. Skechers is also both a manufacturer and a retailer so if you don’t live near one of its outlet stores you might also see its shoes at skate shops or independently operated shoe stores.
Other skate shops may also sell skateboards, inline skates, and other supplies but as far as I know Sketchers just sells shoes.
Hollister
Another popular clothing store that’s focused on the California lifestyle, Hollister has a surfing theme and you can buy fashionable clothing there. Like its parent company Abercrombie & Finch, this store is highly focused on fashion so it’s different from specialized surf shops that primarily cater to surfers and sell surfboards, wet suits, and other equipment as well as clothing. You could think of this store as being inspired by surfers.
Many shoppers still visit surf and skate shops, including Tillys, to buy clothing to wear around town even if they’re not actively surfing or skating because they like the style associated with these sports. But like surf shops, Tillys also sells other specialized equipment for surfers such as surfboards.