Paddle Surf Warehouse, SUP Shop

Written by Michael Roberts

Paddle Surf Warehouse is one of the most iconic sup stores around, with a remarkable commitment to the sport.

Paddle Surf Warehouse (PSW) store in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, California. Photo Courtesy: Michael Roberts

DANA POINT, California – Paddle Surf Warehouse (PSW) is without a doubt one of the most iconic stand up paddle shops around, partly due to its pioneering steps in the early stages of the sport and partly due to its thorough involvement with the stand up paddle community. Below, Michael Roberts, the driving force behind PSW, takes the time to tell us about the background, present, and future of this remarkable store and group of people. (Visit Paddle Surf Warehouse Online.)

Background

1.1. Before SUP

I grew up in Newport surfing all my life. I also raced kayaks and surf skis competitively for over seven years when I was younger. Jim Terrell from Quickblade was my coach and mentor at the Newport Aquatic Center.· Being in the water is my passion and my life and travels have always revolved around it.

My business experience was limited so I relied on the support of a few key people who were close to me. Merging my passion for surfing and being in the water with an actual business where I can provide other Paddle Boarders with the gear and knowledge they seek is what drives me. I live the sport. I am personally invested in every product we carry by making sure that I would want to use it myself. (Join the Gear Talk Group on Supconnect.)

1.2. Why Open

I grew up surfing in Newport but after growing tired of small surf and no swells my friends and I started to look towards something new that would allow us to catch a few more in the water. I knew Paddle surfing was a growing sport but it hadn't yet gained popularity on our local lineup.

When we decided to check it out there wasn't a lot to chose from in shops or online. Eventually I settled on a used board that I found online - a 12 ft. Mickey Munoz. When I started I remember feeling that it was so much more versatile because you can paddle surf in conditions that would be unfavorable for shortboarding. It also turned out to be challenging and fun but I felt limited because there wasn't any local knowledge or inventory in the surf shops in my town. I decided that if I were going to expand my experience and continue to paddle board I would have to educate myself. In the process friends caught on and the fact remained that there wasn't anywhere to buy your gear. That's when the idea to open Paddle Surf Warehouse was born. I started out with a handful of boards and paddles in a small shop in an industrial area in Costa Mesa. As the sport and demand for product grew so did the business and now we carry a wide variety of boards, paddles and gear. We have two locations and an online shop. (Signup to Newsletter.)

Company

2.1. Business Model

The foundation of Paddle Surf Warehouse is built on a genuine lifetime love and respect for the sport of surfing. Our shops are small and we employ people who have firsthand knowledge of the sport. Customer relationships are our number one priority and we have grown together. Our product lines are carefully selected by and for the customers. If we wouldn't paddle surf with it ourselves and be stoked then we won't carry it.


2.2. Stores & Styles

Our first location is near Newport Beach, our hometown in Costa Mesa. Many local surf shops and apparel stores are housed in the area where you get a nice taste of Southern California surf culture. (Visit Paddle Surf Warehouse Online.)

Our second location in Dana Point is right on Pacific Cost Highway (PCH) and a stone's throw from popular spots like Doheny and Dog Patch.

Our stores offer a comfortable environment for customers to come in, check out hot new products, hear about happenings and just talk surf. You can always expect a good experience, quality product and consistency all around. (Join the Gear Talk Group on Supconnect.)

Past/Present/Future

3.1. Experience So Far

Full of Ups and Downs based on trial and error. Arriving at a quality lineup of paddle surfing products has required us to take some hits because of all the risks involved in getting to know a newer sport. As paddle boarding has grown so many new companies have emerged and arriving at a spot where we feel we are carrying the top of line products at competitive pricing with awesome customer service has been a learning curve for sure. In addition the market only continues to change keeping us on our toes as to what will happen next. So we continue to get out there in the water and welcome feedback. It's this constant awareness that the industry is always evolving that gives Paddle Surf Warehouse an edge.


3.2. Looking Forward

Our focus remains on the evolution of the growing sport of Paddle Boarding. With so many newly discovered avenues the possibilities seem endless and our online shop continues to grow. We are currently revamping our website to reflect these changes and to offer our customers an even better shopping experience. For now with our shops we chose to continue serving the communities in which we live and surf in. When I sell you a board and you see me out in the water there is certain personal quality that you can't get just anywhere. (Visit Paddle Surf Warehouse Online.)

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