Key Takeaways:
- Brands supported Surf Shop Day with creative campaigns, retailer incentives, and community-focused promotions.
- The activations highlighted independent surf shops as essential cultural hubs and commercial anchors in surf retail.
- The event continues to expand globally under SIMA while staying rooted in local shop loyalty and grassroots participation.
Surf shops across the U.S. and other countries marked Surf Shop Day on May 16 with a surge of brand support, in-store events and community-driven activations that underscored the enduring cultural and commercial role of independent surf retail.
From coast to coast, brands and shop owners alike leaned into the day with campaigns built around loyalty, creativity and a shared belief that local surf shops remain the backbone of the industry.
Roark: Raised by Surf Shops
Roark anchored its Surf Shop Day campaign around a simple but resonant idea: the surf shops that shaped its riders and team members deserve public recognition.
The brand released a video montage featuring professional surfers, ambassadors, and others identifying the shops that “raised” them. Surfer Koa Smith said he was raised by Hanalei Surf Company. Ambassador Max Beach credited Laguna Surf & Sport. Lucas Godfrey pointed to Waialua Surf Shop on the North Shore of Oahu. Roark sales leader Drew Dolkas cited Surfside Sports in Costa Mesa.
The video included appearances from employees and/or owners at B.C. Surf & Sport, Proof Lab, Jack’s and others.
The campaign closed with the tagline: “Raised by Surf Shops. Happy International Surf Shop Day.”
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Jetty: 20% Back to Retailers
Jetty took a direct financial approach to the day. Cory Higgins of Jetty announced that on May 16 the brand would return 20% of all Jetty sales made through surf shops back to those retailers.
“Go to your local surf shop and buy Jetty all day long,” Higgins said. “20% of their Jetty sales, we kick back to them in a credit for a future order.”
Higgins added a call for consumers to request the brand at shops that don’t yet carry it. “If they don’t have it, make sure you tell them to order it,” he said. “Go local. Buy at surf shops. Support the community.”
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Birdwell Britches: The Golden Birdie Treasure Hunt
Birdwell Britches staged a one-day treasure hunt at select surf shops across the country, hiding a “Golden Birdie” at each participating location. The first customer to find it at each store walked away with a free pair of Birdwell britches.
Participating shops included McKevlin’s Surf Shop in Folly Beach, S.C.; Nomad Surf Shop in Boynton Beach, Fla.; Surfer Supplies in Ocean City, N.J.; Ventura Surf Shop in Ventura, Calif.; Bing Surfboards in Encinitas, Calif.; and Hi-Tech on Maui, Hawaii. The brand asked winners to photograph their prize and tag @birdwellbeachbritches using #goldenbirdie.
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Instinct: The Official T-Shirt Partner
Instinct served as the official T-shirt partner for Surf Shop Day 2026. The brand developed an exclusive collection centered on a “Support Your Local Surf Shop” design, featuring a custom coastal illustration intended to capture surf culture and the importance of local retail.
The lineup included premium tees and a hat. Instinct made the collection available to surf shops with extra margin built in for retailers, giving shops a unified product to sell and celebrate with on the day.
Vissla: Tagging the Legends
Vissla marked the day with a video montage featuring a range of well-known shops, including Hi-Tech, T&C, Frog House, and Hansen’s. The brand paired the footage with a message directed at its audience.
“Most of us cut our teeth sweeping the floors and folding tees at our local shop,” the brand said. “Slinging wax and zoning out on our favorite surf videos on repeat. Without ’em, we’d be lost. Tag your favorite shop in the comments and spread the love. Happy Surf Shop Day to all the legends out there.”
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Building the Revolution: A Global Reminder
Mike Vavak of Building the Revolution, who founded Surf Shop Day, used the occasion to address surf fans everywhere. “Head on down to your surf shop, celebrate with them, buy a new shop T, buy your favorite brand, buy a new surfboard,” Vavak said. “May 16, celebrate the shops that created the industry. Support your local surf shop every day.”
The Shops Speak
Shop owners also weighed in on the significance of the day.
At Icons of Surf in San Clemente, staff reflected in an Instagram video on a day that brought steady foot traffic despite logistical challenges.
“Thank you guys all for showing up and showing out on Surf Shop Day,” the shop said. “It really means a lot. So many of you took your time to actually come into the shop. Even though we didn’t have power for half the day, the town was crazy, traffic’s nuts, and it was nonstop all day long.”
Brian Farias of Farias Surf & Sport, speaking alongside his son Micah, offered a broader reflection on what the day means for shops like his on Long Beach Island, N.J. He gave shoutouts to shops including Nomad in Florida, WRV in Virginia Beach, Malibu’s in Ocean City, Heritage in Jersey, Bunger on Long Island, and Proof Lab out West.
“We take pride in servicing Long Beach Island here,” Farias said. “There’s a long history of great surf shops, from Koseff’s to Freedom to Surf Unlimited. And we’re really stoked to carry on the tradition now because it’s really important down here. It’s a lifestyle we live, and we hope that when you walk into our shops, you see it and you feel the passion we have for it.”
Brandon Richards of Val Surf Shop also reflected on the meaning of Surf Shop Day and the role independent retailers play in the broader surf community.
Val Surf, one of the longest-running surf shops in Southern California, has long served as a gathering point for local surfers and a connection point between brands and consumers at the grassroots level.
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Saltwater Wine: Rewarding Loyalty in Australia
Surf Shop Day has spread to other countries, including in Australia. Key industry account Saltwater Wine, for example, ran a loyalty-driven giveaway tied to Surf Shop Day, offering customers the chance to win a $250 gift card and a Saltwater Wine prize pack. Entry required being a loyalty member and shopping in-store on May 16.
Surf Shop Day: More to Come
Surf Shop Day began with a simple idea from founder Mike Vavak, who was inspired during a casual conversation to create a surf culture counterpart to Record Store Day. The concept was designed to spotlight independent surf shops as the heart of local surf communities. First launched on May 18, 2019, the event was initially called Board Shop Day before quickly being renamed Surf Shop Day.
From the beginning, Surf Shop Day has been about more than retail. It was created to recognize surf shops as community gathering places, culture carriers, and launchpads for careers within the industry. Held each year on the third Saturday in May, the day has become an unofficial kickoff to summer and a reminder for surfers and brands alike to support the independent shops that help sustain the spirit and infrastructure of surf culture.
In 2023, Vavak handed the initiative to the Surf Industry Members Association (SIMA) to help broaden its reach and impact. Under SIMA’s leadership, Surf Shop Day has expanded while remaining true to Vavak’s original vision. SIMA has positioned it as an open, global initiative, while partnering with groups such as EuroSIMA and the Australian Surf Industry Association to grow participation and reinforce the importance of shopping local within the worldwide surf community.
“Surf Shop Day keeps gaining momentum every year, and it’s inspiring to see brands, surf shops, sales reps, athletes, and consumers all rally around this special day,” SIMA Executive Director Vipe Desai told SESO on Sunday, one day after the event.
“Surf Shop Day has become an important initiative driven by SIMA members to highlight the special relationship between brands and retailers,” Desai added. “We’ll continue working to amplify this campaign, bring the industry together, and create more awareness for specialty surf retailers.”
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