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# The rack is the thing
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-rack-is-the-thing/
- Published: 2006-07-27T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T19:06:16.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Business, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

With summer and the travel season in high gear, Rack Solid is a new business in Santa Monica whose sole function is to offer and service recreational automobile roof and hitch racks. The service provides mobility for those wishing to travel with skis, bikes or other recreational equipment.

Rack Solid fills a niche in the outdoor recreational market, providing an extensive inventory of automobile roof and hitch racks, company representatives said. Rack Solid provides installations to the customer, often within an hour of purchase. One of the difficulties for not only the consumer, but the industry, has been the variety of vehicles available on the market. With the advent of doors and rooflines which have become increasingly aerodynamic now almost every vehicle requires a specific design. Rack Solid enters the picture by having on hand the vast majority of equipment necessary to not only fit the rack to a specific vehicle, but to carry a variety of recreational gear, including surfboards, bikes, skis, snowboards, fishing gear, boats, and camping gear, company representatives said.

One of the company’s founders is Peter McGee, who has authored books on kayaking the coastal waters of British Columbia, scouted locations in greater Los Angeles for over a year, deciding on a site at 3127 Lincoln Blvd. for its proximity to the beach, bike path, and communities known for active lifestyles. Co-founder Bill Runyon, a three-time bronze medalist in the Southern California District Cycling Championships and avid skier, helped McGee to open the store in early April. In May, John Bullion, who has extensive retail experience in the industry was offered a partnership, and now manages the business. Shutters at the thought: Hotel taps new director

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 27, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/072706.pdf?ref=smdp.com)