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Fortunately, PacSun was broadening its customer base at about the same time. Before, its clothes had a punkish surf-skate attitude that appealed mainly to teenage boys--an image the company reinforced by, among other marketing moves, sponsoring the X Games. But in 2001 Weaver took some tentative steps into the girls' market. Customer response was strong, helping pull the chain out of its mild slump. Weaver today attributes much of the past year's success to the purchasing instincts of girls, who, unlike boys, buy not just a single item of clothing but an outfit with a belt, bag, hat, earrings and any other accessories for which they can find space on their body. Weaver has dropped the X Games sponsorship and now devotes almost all his $10 million annual advertising budget to magazines like CosmoGirl. As long as the stores aren't too feminine, he says, boys don't seem to mind. Sales to girls account for 48% of total purchases, a portion Weaver expects to climb to 50% in the next few months.
PacSun isn't finished with expansion. Weaver says the company is looking at possible acquisitions, although he plans to stay squarely in the teen market. For as fickle as teenagers can be, they can also be charmingly oblivious to events that suppress the purchasing appetites of other consumers. Teens "are CNN-proof," he says. "Sept. 11 and a day or two after were clearly brutal, but within four or five days, business came back." For teens, the sun rarely sets. --With reporting by Paige Bowers/Atlanta, Esther Chapman/Omaha, Harlene Ellin/Chicago and Adam Pitluk/Dallas