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Business & Tech

Lineup Changes for Sporting Goods Shops on Grant Avenue

Battens and Boards is having a closing sale while All Season Soccer moves into a prime location. Also, Novato is represented with recognized business leaders under age 40.

After a three-year run on Grant Avenue, the owners of  have decided to call it quits and are having a major sale of their inventory and fixtures.

According to co-owner Lauren Tom, she and her father Ted have decided to close the business after more than 55 years in the county, with stops in Sausalito, Northgate mall and downtown San Rafael.

The skateboard, ski & snowboard shop had its start on the ski slopes. “My dad bought the business from a guy on a ski chair lift in the late '70s,” Lauren Tom said.

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The company is selling out its inventory including all boards and sports apparel for everyone in the family — that includes flip-flops, watches and sunglasses. Now’s the time to get some good deals for graduation gifts, birthdays and early holiday shopping.

The business has negotiated to stay in its location until the end of June.

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As her next step, Lauren Tom will be moving to a position as a volunteer coordinator for Shukuru, a nonprofit that helps girls in Tanzania earn and save money for their secondary schooling.

“We’re launching a pilot program to help girls, empowering them with their own skills,” she said. “It’s an innovative, new approach.”

She said that a $65 donation matches a girl’s earnings for one year of high school. Click on the website for details.

All Season Soccer Scores a New Location

A new location in the “kid-row” section of Grant Avenue was an easy decision for Peter Serchia, owner of — this year’s winner of our

The new spot is at 869 Grant Ave. and is conveniently located next to and in the same block as and family-friendly .

It’s not only a bigger location with more foot-traffic, but the shop was formerly the boutique and came with some excellent lighting. It was a turnkey move.

“It was all done,” Serchia said. “We changed out some fixtures and added our signature color paint.”

The expanded floor space and lighting showcase the soccer-related apparel and equipment, including the new store-within-a-store for Puma products.

Novato Represented in 40-Under-40 Winners

The North Bay Business Journal will host a reception May 2 for the winners of its sixth annual “40 Under 40,” recognizing young business professionals who have demonstrated leadership in their industries.

Novato is well-represented on that prestigious list of young talent that is featured in a special annual edition of the Journal.

Aleisha Dobbins, Ph.D., 39, is a senior manager of clinical training and quality at BioMarin Pharmaceutical. Dobbins is already serving as a mentor for fellows in the industry, helping them transition from doctoral students to professionals.

Eric Lucan, 30, is a director of customer relationship marketing for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants.  But he is best known locally as the youngest person elected to the Novato City Council, to which he was voted last year. He names Marin County Supervisor Judy Arnold as his mentor/admired business person.

Edward Rosa, 39 is the technology advisor for Insight Computing in Novato and founder Shed Light Technology in San Francisco. Insight provides IT planning, design, execution and security for its clients. Shed Light uses visual and oral presentation tools to help juries stay focused during trial, along with computer forensics and e-discovery.

All 40 winners will be honored by the North Bay Business Journal at a reception at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek in Santa Rosa.

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