Half the seashells Haney imports are sold in California, he said, and the rest are shipped to stores in Hawaii, Florida and other coastal states.Įrica Bender, 18, said she visited the store often to buy inexpensive and unique gifts. Lisa helps make the ornaments and other craft items sold in the shop. Daughters Meghan, 11, and Madison, 6, like bear and snowman ornaments, and his wife, Lisa, 41, likes angels.īut seashells are the family business. In fact, nobody in his family collects shells, Haney said. "They eat the meat and send us the shells," said Haney, who, despite his trade, is more partial to collecting Santa Claus figurines. They are cleaned in chlorine, packed and shipped here, he said.
Haney imports his shells mainly from Asia. She was picking out tiny pearly shells to make necklaces and bracelets for Christmas gifts. "It's really cool, because you can't find some of these things on this side of the ocean," said Jessica Miller, 48, of West Covina. Grandparents bring grandchildren to explore the shop, and crafts enthusiasts search for raw materials. The store is a tourist attraction but also popular with locals. Inside, cramped aisles are lined with bins of sugar starfish from Baja California and green sea urchins from the Philippines. The front is blue, with fish and corals, giving it an aquarium look. The Seal Beach store is about 100 yards from the shore. Haney's business has expanded to a shop on Balboa Island and a wholesale warehouse in Huntington Beach, the city where he lives. Haney bought Condo's store and renamed it the California Seashell Co. The two began a partnership and started importing shells from Asia. Condo's Rock and Shell Shop had been on Seal Beach's Main Street since the 1950s. In 1982, he met Larry Condo, another shell trader. Haney eventually expanded to two booths at the swap meet. When the partner fell ill two years later, Haney bought the business for $1,500, he said. He and a business partner shared a booth at the Orange County Swap Meet in Costa Mesa. Haney was 14 when he first learned about the commercial potential of seashells. It's a memory of their vacation," said Haney, 44. "We thought it was a good idea, because tourists want to take home an ornament from the town they're visiting. They adorn mirrors, necklaces, picture frames, wind chimes and other craft items.
The store carries more than 400 types of seashells from all over the world. Haney owns Seal Beach's California Seashell Co., one of the oldest shops on Main Street. If you can hold it up to your ear and hear the ocean, most likely John Haney has it. He Sells Seashells at the Seashore John Haney got into the business as a teen, and now has two shops offering tourist souvenirs and materials for craft projects.ĭecember 19, 2005|Mai Tran | LA Times Staff Writer