Reimagining Your Time in Ocean City, MD
If I were making a movie about surfing and business and needed an actor to play the main role Brendan X. Hanley would be straight out of central casting. Yet he is "REEL" and a great guy to boot. As the youngest of five brothers, Brendan grew up fending for himself surfing and working in surf shops where he began his entrepreneurial endeavors. By the late 1980s after graduating from the University of Maryland, and playing pro lacrosse, Brendan teamed up with Bill Dreibelbis of Quiet Storm fame. Brendan then went on to work for companies like Redsand, Billabong, and Von Zipper. In 2012, Brendan began working for Under Armour and reached the rank of global general manager for outdoor sales. In 2018, Brendan ventured into the world of outdoor angler clothing and opened his business and worldwide headquarters, Pure Lure Reel Fishing Gear, in Ocean City, MD. Brendan talks about what makes him successful and how Pure Lure is so different. To hear Brendan's resume you would think that I would be interviewing a suit and tie, who is a titan of industry. In fact Brendan is entirely different. He conducted the entire interview in board shorts and without shoes due to a tropical storm flooding the first floor of his shop. Brendan took great pride in giving me the tour of Pure Lure's HQS including ambitious plans to kit out the roof of his new building complete with a 20 foot long bar bought from the old Captain Galley restaurant Here family and friends can just hang after a tough day's work. The roof of the building is fitting for Brendan as he ventures into his newest venture. From his perch he his able to see Ocean City as he has always seen it, on top. The fishing boats flying the Pure Lure flag across the street from his office only further show us how Brendan's newest adventure is already successful and full steam ahead. andcre·a·tiv·i·ty /ˌkrēāˈtivədē/ noun
The creative adult is the child who survived and nowhere was this more obvious then when Brendan recounted his story of Mr. Von Zipper to start his second business, a sunglasses company. Von Zipper was dreamed up by Brendan and his buddies while sitting on the back of a boat (possibly drinking something). Brendan told the story of how his friends created a whole back story of Mr. Von Zipper, a vaudeville character with his own personal entourage long before Dos Equis created their own Dos Equis Man. The concept was so popular that he was invited to showcase his sunglasses at a trade show where Brendan actually brought the Von Zipper character to life by hiring the grandfather of an OC friend to play the role of Von Zipper. To finalize the illusion of the "importance" of Mr. Von Zipper, Brendan hired four burly bodyguards to "protect" Von Zipper at the show. It was a huge hit. A Family Affair While Pure Lure Reel Fishing Gear is a reflection of Brendan's own unique personality and creativity, he admits openly that he could have never made the jump from Under Armour without his wife's and family's support. Brendan's wife and three adult sons all have some role in Pure Lure, from working in the showroom to managing the warehouse. Brendan also employs various other local Ocean City residents who have worked with him over the years. A Man of Faith While Brendan and I spoke at length on a variety of subjects, Brendan seemed to enjoy most when he talked about his church in Salisbury, MD and giving the opportunity to take kids fishing for the first time. Please see the video interview here. Brendan Talks Business Me and Brendan spoke at length about Pure Lure and what distinguishes his outerwear from other's. He talks about his new lady angler line, how his product is tested right here in Ocean City, and how he plans to build his brand in the future. Please check out all of our videos on Brendan or please just stop by and see him at his world headquarters at 12808 Harbor Road, Ocean City, MD (across the water from Sunset Marina and close to Harborside Bar). He is always welcoming and he or his family members will greet you in their showroom. Brendan talks about his board shorts, tees, and uniqueness of his designs Brendan talks about his current and future lady angler series Brendan talks about his 2020 professional goals 2020/2021 Goals and Aspirations. Brendan talks about his relationship with Bass Pro Shops Brendan talks testing environment and how he gets his products tested right here in Ocean City Brendan talks about Ocean City White Marlin Tournament Pure Lure Reel Fishing Gear Owner Talks About What Makes Him Successful Brendan Hanley of Pure Lure Reel Fishing Talks About Things You Didn't Know about West Ocean City, MD
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorsOur staff of writers have over 200 years combined experience experiencing Ocean City first hand. Archives |