Temperatures down but surf's up
As the days creep further into the winter season, more and more businesses are closing up until warmer weather approaches, including local surf shops. This may come as a surprise, considering the fact that surfing has become one of the more common year-round recreations for coastal Delaware.
Bethany Surf Shop’s warehouse location off Route 26 has been doing booming business. Both it and the boardwalk location are on winter hiatus now, with surfers heading to Fenwick Island Surf Shop and K-Coast for their needs.Bethany Surf Shop, along the Bethany Beach boardwalk, and Fenwick Island Surf Shop, on Coastal Highway, are two of the only tax-free businesses south of Dewey Beach where surfers can purchase boards, wetsuits and equipment. Though Fenwick Island Surf Shop is open on weekends through February before they return to their daily schedule in March, the Bethany Surf Shop closed for the winter season on New Year’s Day.
Dave Jurusik has been working for Bethany Surf Shop for eight years now. “We were open on weekends through the winter last year,” he noted, “but we’re closing until around Easter this year.”
Jurusik said that the surf shop definitely sees their regulars each season. “There are a lot of guys that come here on a regular basis. Some of them were bummed to hear we’re closing, but there are other places to go.”
The surf shop just ended its fourth year at their boardwalk location, though the Bethany Surf Shop name has been around for 26 years. Their new warehouse, located down Route 26, has been a huge hit over the past few years. “We run a lot of discounts there,” Jurusik said. “It’s like an outlet store. We did a lot of business there this year, even though it’s only open during the summer months.”
With a two-week trip to Florida coming up with some surfing buddies and visit next month to the Costa Rican shores, Jurusik plans on keeping his skills sharp and his board in check. “A lot of guys talk about heading down to Costa Rica. It’ll be a good time. I can’t wait to get out there.”
Fenwick Island Surf Shop owner Ken Roughton has been running his business for 24 years now.
“You get to know the surfers in the area really quick. There are still a number of guys that come by even in the winter.” Even though his shop is only open Saturdays and Sundays for the next two months, Roughton said he’s never without things to keep him occupied.
“During the winter, I do a lot of sales rep stuff and work around my house,” Roughton said. “There’s always something to do.” He also spends time playing percussion and providing back-up vocals for local band, Randy Lee Ashcraft and the Salt Water Cowboys. When time allows, he said he still likes to grab his board and catch some waves.
“The guys who tend to go out in the winter months are definitely more hardcore,” said Roughton. “You don’t find too many beginners surfing during this time. It’s hard enough for the guys learning to get out there, let alone having the cold water rushing over you.”
He said he does see a lot of beginners come to his shop in the summer looking for lessons and advice. “I send them to Brett Buchler, who runs ‘Surf Sessions’ right down the road.”
Buchler, a Selbyville Middle School teacher, has been running one of the East Coasts only surf camps for nearly two decades.
“You typically see a different brand of surfers in the winter time,” said K-Coast Surf Shop owner Chris Shanahan. “Though, with our mild winter, we are seeing a wide variety of skill levels heading out now. A lot of people have been anticipating the cold weather, but it’s been a weird winter so far with the warm weather.”
The K-Coast name, now synonymous with Ocean City, has been frequented by area surfers since their start more than 18 years ago. Shanahan said the surfing scene has grown since their shop’s debut in Ocean City.
“There’s been a lot of media exposure over the years, and surfing has really caught on. It’s become a market for families,” he noted. “It is turning into a tradition. People are starting at really young ages, and it’s becoming something that parents can now share with their kids.”
Shanahan said daily store hours year-round definitely keep him busy, but there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with running the business. “We’re only closed on two days the whole year,” he said, “Thanksgiving and Christmas.”
“There’s a lot of stuff to take care of, though. I’ll be heading down to Florida for a trade show circuit. We’ll be scoping out the new trends for the summer. It’s a lot of hard work,” Shanahan said.
Despite the demanding schedule, Shanahan still said he will manage to hit the beach to catch waves whenever he can. “I’m 42 and I still go out. I’ll be doing this as long as I can.”
