Why would anyone think I m not se

Through the seemingly centuries that I have been involved in surfing and the surfing industry, I have done many things. Aside from being a professional surfer and all the blah that goes along with that, I have also done 4 ; many other duties, will have designed surfboards, surf wear and wetsuits along with formulating my own blends of surfboard wax and, more recently, Cork s Paradise Blend Coffee. I spent 10 years as advertising director at Surfer Magazine as well as being a contributing writer on and off since the 1960s. Plus there was co-founding and starting our local Corky Carroll Surf School along with my pal and partner, Rick Walker. But one thing I have never done, and get asked about often, is own and operate my own surf shop. I have managed a few: CORKY CARROLL FOR THE REGISTER Hobies in Dana Point, Windansea on Main Street in Huntington as well as the longboard store at Huntington Surf & Sport. So why have I never opened my own? The fact is, I almost did. I had everything in line to open Cor Surf Center right here in downtown Huntington Beach back in the mid-1990s. I had been managing the Windansea shop on the corner one block up on Main Street. In the few years that I was in charge, I more than tripled the stores gross income. Then the owner, a dude named Jack Tin, decided he wanted to move the business to San Diego. Why, I have no idea. He had a great location, and the shop was kicking butt. But he did. I had mentioned to the owner of the building that, in the event Jack ever decided to leave, I would like to be first in line to take over or obtain a new lease. We had an understanding on that. So, when Jack informed me he was moving I contacted the owner of the building and told him that I would be ready to take over the building the day that Jack left. He seemed fine with that. So f went out and started putting together some startup money and arranging for what brands I would carry, etc. etc. I wanted to have as little down time as possible while I was redoing the shop and getting my own signs up. Then one day the owner of the building came in as said that he had decided to split the shop in two, and in one side his son was going to open a Limpys or Lumpies , Somekind of sandwich shop. I was not real stoked about that but figured that even with half the space I could still do very well there. I asked him for the corner half, and he told me he would get back to me. A bit later he got back to me to tell me he had not made a decision on which half it would be what but that he was doubling the rent on what Jack Flynn had paid for either half. Once again I was not real stoked, but STILL felt I would be OK with that. Then Jack moved and I did not hear anything. I put in calls but got no answers. I was all ready to go and was just waiting on getting a lease and keys. Until one day-when I was walking past and saw an Intent to do business sign in the window. WHAT WAS THIS? When I finally reached to owner, he acted totally surprised and said that he rention was, Oh, we really didn t think you were serious. Didn t think I was serious? After I had agreed to only get half the space? After I had agreed to pay twice the rent for half the space? How freaking serious did it take? So that is why I never opened my own surf shop. Also another really good lesson in getting things INWRITING. Corky Carroll is a three-time international professional surfing champion and fivetime