By TIFFANY MONTGOMERY

Atwater General Manager Greg Osthus gives us an emerging brand perspective in our “Looking back and ahead” series today. Atwater won Breakthrough Brand of the Year at the SIMA Image Awards this year.

Greg describes the impact of so many stores closing this year and why Atwater is focused on 2011.
What’s the biggest impact the recession has had on the industry this year, both with regard to business impact and the industry’s psyche?

1. Number of lost doors to sell to

2. Credit
Do you think those changes will be long lasting?

I do think we are in a slow recovery. We lost as an industry four years of growth in a single year. I am having one rep cover Santa Barbara to San Diego because of the shrinkage of accounts.

Housing will be slow to come back, which also impacts our customer. People are fearful for their jobs and rightly so.

I think we can come back, but it is a five-year plan.
What is your business prediction for the industry for 2010?

2010 will have a little more carnage in the first quarter with business trying to hang on from 2009. We have stopped the free fall from 2009, but still expect a flat year. Unemployment is too high. We will see some momentum in 2011.

Atwater’s mantra: “Get to 2011 and it’s going to be heaven.”