Rick’s Surf Shop - East Islip, NY.
I can still remember when it felt like we were on our way to becoming a full-fledged surf and skate shop. Somehow, Rick managed to convince Billabong to open us up as an account. It must be said that this was not the Billabong we all know today. This was the exotic Australian surf brand making the best stuff I had ever seen—color-blocked sweats and corduroy jackets that were the stuff of dreams for a suburban kid dreaming of faraway surf spots and cute girls on the beach. We had something no one else had. And at the time, that was the point. The coolest things were found in independent shops, often surf and skate shops. Bigger chains and the internet were not even a thought at the time. Mom-and-pop shops were the center of the world for new ideas.
“The coolest things were found in independent shops, often surf and skate shops. Bigger chains and the internet were not even a thought at the time. Mom-and-pop shops were the center of the world for new ideas.”
Rick has since left this earth, but not a day goes by that I don’t think about him and his dedication to independence and to youth. He was a great man who, for a little while, lived a dream, and, lucky for me, allowed me to go along for the ride.
There aren’t enough mom-and-pop shops left. Big business, department stores, and shops like PacSun—originally Pacific Sunwear in the '80s—have run many independent shops out of town, but nothing is permanent, and we’re dedicated to supporting the local shops that exist within communities and care about the people around them. There are still some out there. Find them and support them.
Humble Beginnings
A few words on the mom-and-pop experience from our co-founder, Brendon Babenzien
My story started at Rick’s when I was 13. A few of my brother’s friends, Kirk and Greg, worked there, and they decided I was the next generation. They recommended me to Rick, and once he gave the OK, they showed me the ropes. At that stage, the shop was essentially a card shop selling greeting cards, cigarettes, and magazines. We had two aisles of skate and surf stuff at the back of the shop. Slowly, over time, the surf and skate items started taking over. It must be said that all of this was originally prompted by some of the local kids several years prior. Ronnie Croteau, the local hero bodyboarder and eventually a lifeguard who made sure we didn’t die on Fire Island as kids, and Glenn Graham were the original skate kids in the late '70s and early '80s who pushed Rick to sell some skate stuff. None of this would have been possible without them pushing Rick into the surf and skate business, so in many ways, I owe my entire career to a couple of local East Islip guys who just wanted skateboards.
Rick, of Rick’s Surf Shop - East Islip, NY.
Not long after we got Billabong, other brands started calling, and we needed to move to expand and turn the shop into one of the greatest on the entire East Coast. A few miles away, an old funeral home that was previously just an old house became available, and we moved in. It was certainly a strange idea, but within a week, you would never have guessed that any amount of sadness had ever existed in that location. It became a place of joy and excitement. Surf and skate exploded both culturally and, by extension, as a business. I was in absolute heaven—working in a shop, being paid to hang out in the coolest place in town, meeting the best people, and choosing the clothes, skateboards, wetsuits, and surfboards that would define the local surf and skate culture. You could not ask for a better job as a teenager on Long Island. Eight years and a host of friends came through and worked at the shop. We spent birthdays, holidays, and Friday night happy hours there. We learned a lot about people and the world outside of our little town. We heard great music and generally had the best time ever. That’s what a great shop can do. Trying to capture that energy is what inspires us at Noah. We’ll forever think of our business as a mom-and-pop shop.
Water Brothers Surf Shop - Newport, RI
Humble Beginnings
A few words on the mom-and-pop experience from our founder, Brendon Babenzien
My story started at Rick’s when I was 13. A few of my brother’s friends, Kirk and Greg, worked there, and they decided I was the next generation. They recommended me to Rick, and once he gave the OK, they showed me the ropes. At that stage, the shop was essentially a card shop selling greeting cards, cigarettes, and magazines. We had two aisles of skate and surf stuff at the back of the shop. Slowly, over time, the surf and skate items started taking over. It must be said that all of this was originally prompted by some of the local kids several years prior. Ronnie Croteau, the local hero bodyboarder and eventually a lifeguard who made sure we didn’t die on Fire Island as kids, and Glenn Graham were the original skate kids in the late '70s and early '80s who pushed Rick to sell some skate stuff. None of this would have been possible without them pushing Rick into the surf and skate business, so in many ways, I owe my entire career to a couple of local East Islip guys who just wanted skateboards.
Rick’s Surf Shop - East Islip, NY.
I can still remember when it felt like we were on our way to becoming a full-fledged surf and skate shop. Somehow, Rick managed to convince Billabong to open us up as an account. It must be said that this was not the Billabong we all know today. This was the exotic Australian surf brand making the best stuff I had ever seen—color-blocked sweats and corduroy jackets that were the stuff of dreams for a suburban kid dreaming of faraway surf spots and cute girls on the beach. We had something no one else had. And at the time, that was the point. The coolest things were found in independent shops, often surf and skate shops. Bigger chains and the internet were not even a thought at the time. Mom-and-pop shops were the center of the world for new ideas.
Rick, of Rick’s Surf Shop - East Islip, NY.
Not long after we got Billabong, other brands started calling, and we needed to move to expand and turn the shop into one of the greatest on the entire East Coast. A few miles away, an old funeral home that was previously just an old house became available, and we moved in. It was certainly a strange idea, but within a week, you would never have guessed that any amount of sadness had ever existed in that location. It became a place of joy and excitement. Surf and skate exploded both culturally and, by extension, as a business. I was in absolute heaven—working in a shop, being paid to hang out in the coolest place in town, meeting the best people, and choosing the clothes, skateboards, wetsuits, and surfboards that would define the local surf and skate culture. You could not ask for a better job as a teenager on Long Island. Eight years and a host of friends came through and worked at the shop. We spent birthdays, holidays, and Friday night happy hours there. We learned a lot about people and the world outside of our little town. We heard great music and generally had the best time ever. That’s what a great shop can do. Trying to capture that energy is what inspires us at Noah. We’ll forever think of our business as a mom-and-pop shop.
“The coolest things were found in independent shops, often surf and skate shops. Bigger chains and the internet were not even a thought at the time. Mom-and-pop shops were the center of the world for new ideas.”
Water Brothers Surf Shop - Newport, RI
Rick has since left this earth, but not a day goes by that I don’t think about him and his dedication to independence and to youth. He was a great man who, for a little while, lived a dream, and, lucky for me, allowed me to go along for the ride.
There aren’t enough mom-and-pop shops left. Big business, department stores, and shops like PacSun—originally Pacific Sunwear in the '80s—have run many independent shops out of town, but nothing is permanent, and we’re dedicated to supporting the local shops that exist within communities and care about the people around them. There are still some out there. Find them and support them.
