Surf Shop Day came from a casual chat between Mike Vavak, founder of Building The Revolution, and a friend. The two started brainstorming about a surf alternative to Record Store Day to spotlight the local surf shops that are central to the culture. And just like that, Surf Shop Day began to take form.
The inaugural celebration kicked off on May 18, 2019. Initially named Board Shop Day, it was quickly changed to Surf Shop Day.
Now, Surf Shop Day is celebrated every year on the third Saturday in May. It’s unofficially seen as the start of summer; a perfect time for surfers to stop by their local shops, pick up gear, and get hyped for the season ahead.
From the outset, the goal has been straightforward: support the indie surf shops that contribute to the local surf scene. We view shops as more than just retail spaces. They’re community hubs, career-launching pads, and protectors of surf culture. The day of celebration also invites brands to join in and get creative in how they want to show their support.
Where Surf Shop Day Stands Today
In 2023, Mike passed the torch to the Surf Industry Members Association (SIMA) to help expand the initiative. Vipe Desai, SIMA’s executive director and a former surf shop owner himself, stepped in to take charge. Mike is still deeply involved with the roll out of Surf Shop Day, ensuring the origin of his idea remains intact and continues to grow.
At SIMA, one of our goals is to find ways to bring the surf community closer together. As the landscape evolves, we believe it’s crucial to highlight where it all began for many of us: the local surf shop. And we didn’t want to limit this to just the U.S. Surf shops exist wherever there are waves. That’s why we’re stoked to collaborate with EuroSIMA and the Australian Surf Industry Association to take this initiative global.
We also wanted to keep Surf Shop Day as an “open source” initiative, meaning it’s free to participate and you don’t have to be a SIMA member to join in. This is an open invitation for everyone to express what Surf Shop Day means to them, their business, their products and most importantly, their retail partners. We’re aiming for something similar to how Small Business Saturday works, but by surfers, for surfers.
Each year, our goal is to amplify the message around this special day, not just for brands and shop owners, but for surfers as well. It’s a fantastic reminder of where that stoke started, and to always shop local.
This year, we’ve encouraged even more shops to get involved, with some putting stickers in their windows to let customers know something exciting is happening. Plus, brands like Instinct and Jetty are stepping up with limited edition shirts, adding some extra margin to support their retail partners.
We’re also encouraging brand leaders to get out there, visit shops, snap some photos, and spread the love on social media. It’s a simple way to spotlight the people and places that keep the surf industry thriving.
In moments like the one the industry finds itself in, uniting the tribe has never been more important and Surf Shop Day is just another way to bring the industry together.
Even though Surf Shop Day is right around the corner on May 17th, it’s never too late to get involved! Reach out to vipe@surfindustry.org if you have any questions or check out Surf Shop Day for updates and photos from participating retailers.
