Ultra religion is usually created.

There are some old companies that still want Mann to pay for the inventory he ordered. lol

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I was right.

I try to support the locally-owned, mom-and-pop surf shops.

How many are left in Brevard County, and where do I find them?

Are there actually any shapers or surfers running any of these brick-and-mortar shops, not just shaping/glassing bays with some accessories lying around?


I don't know Mike Mann at all other than from a chance meeting where I bought a board from him that was unique enough I wouldn't have found it anyplace else in Brevard.

I'm not there often, but I have also found some decent Christmas gifts (surf-related, not clothing) at his shop.

The place was barely even a surf shop in its last years as Crawford's, and since Spectrum and Alekai (and numerous others) in that area have closed, it serves a need.


As for Balsa Bill... I don't know him well, but he's shaped some beautiful boards made out of that weird material... "Koa wood" or whatever it's called.

I've also bought wax, leashes, surf DVDs, as well as Hawaiian-made clothing and ukeleles and unique Christmas gifts at his shop. I used to see him on Facebook every now and then, with pics posted of him surfing the South Shore on his annual trip to Hawaii. His shop also serves a need, since RC's/Tres Lunas and AOE have closed, and MTB is mostly overpriced clothing and not-so-unique boards. (I still get skateboard stuff there, and check out a wetsuit twice every decade or so.) But BB's and LH typically have the more unique stuff you don't find at every other surf clothing store, and they're far from being a Ron Jon's. The former Quiet Flight shops have some nice stuff, but are no longer mom-and-pop (--> Catalyst).

In the central beaches, the only other shop I can think of is Another Ride, and most people would probably paint the owner with the same "sales-ey" label as the others.

I'll buy stuff at Ricky's Factory when he has the open house once per year, but that's about how often I get to Rockledge anyway, so not on my radar most of the time.

I guess it takes some kind of business sense to make a living off the surf industry and keep a brick-and-mortar store open, and a few people here just have sour grapes or too much sand in their vag. Get over it and be grateful for what you have.

Small local shops? Neilson is still in Cocoa Beach. Last I knew, Noah was running it and Tom shaping again. Ocean Sports World, also CCB, has a shaping bay right in the shop that Stu Sharpe worked from. I believe Pat Mulhern is the M in MTB, Indiatlantic. Just a couple I can think of probably more.

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add a signature since I'm here in profile anyway

I can't remember if Pat or Donnie was the original M in MTB, but I think it's been Gail(?) for the last 20 years or so. Forgot about OSW. Met Roy a long time ago -- is he still running it? I remember Tom "retiring" and closing the shop a while back, then resuming some shaping, but I haven't been to the shop since it reopened. My bad. Thanks for the list -- sadly small for this area. I've had nothing but positive interactions w/ Balsa Bill at his shop; never been to his church or Bible study. I forgot about Shagg's as another one that bit the dust in Indi.

Groove tube was a cool shop with Dave the drummer from NSD. Goods didnt last long after that, Alekai with Doug, Core surf north with Dennis has always been cool to me but dont go that north too often. Roy is a great guy at OSW. Kelly at another ride has sold plenty of my boards since alot of scams and bs selling thru craigs you lose a few bucks but dont have to deal with idiots. Never been in the Sebastian surf and sport since grand opening but seems empty every time I go by there. Fun waves yesterday and today. Waiting on low get it if you can.

Balsa Bill's Hawaiian shirts, made in Hawaii, come in just a few patterns and colors, and they're expensive (like the big-name brands that often as not are made in Asia), but quality of cloth and workmanship is fine. I was surprised to see Tom Neilson come out of retirement so fast.

Donnie is the M in MTB.

Dick C shaped many of our boards in the room next to the store--shaped while we watched!

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Romans 8;18-32 John 3;16-18

Joe you've clearly been wronged somewhere along the line. Sorry for you because you're carrying some negative energy. All sports sales are selling a lifestyle. Even Patagonia has been called out for not being the environmentalist they market themselves to be. Kudo's to those that can create a brand, protect the brand and feed their family. If someone has you convinced they are more "true surfer" than everybody else - their marketing is just more effective with you. In full disclosure I have bought boards from both LH and Bill as well as a number of local shapers on both coasts and overseas. Working directly with a shaper, like BB, has been my best experience. I bought my board from Bill over 15 years ago. I still ride it and I still have it on my wall when I am not riding it. And although my trips to his shop are fewer and farther apart when I do drop by he still takes time to talk story with me. As far as people's personal life and shortcomings - I can only judge how people treat me and my family and Bill has always been straight up with me.

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Even a blind hog finds an occasional acorn

Joe, wasn't the original Longboard House in Cocoa Beach?

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I was right.

Cole - Yes it was, next to or close to Mai Tiki at the very beginning of the long boards coming back. He had a bunch of pretty historic boards in his (small) show room. The guy got set up by a "friend". (The story was the owner didn't even deal, but had a "friend", who had been busted and was seeking a deal, who talked him into getting a couple of pounds for him." Some friend.) The owner lost his shop; don't know if he went to prison. I asked Mike when he opened if they were connected. He told me he knew nothing about the other shop.

Thanks garcia, that's what I thought. I recall some of the players in that set up. Dirty stuff.



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I was right.

Colester : Garcia is indeed correct on the location of the ORIGINAL LBH in C.B. , which was owned and operated by my dear friend Randy Thomas . Randy was an old school Florida Native who grew up in Winter Park . His wife was a senior executive at Disney World . They owned a canal front home off of Minuteman , which became a haven for the local hardcore surf scene . Many an evening spent drinking beer , smoking weed , talking story and fishing off of the dock . Now Randy has been dead for over 20 years now , so lets set the story straight ---- he was indeed a MAJOR distributor and outlaw character of a rare breed and he made no bones or excuses for that fact. I even created and named a new strain in his honor .

Edited: 03/10/2024 at 03:27 AM by JOESTRUMMER

RE: RobdaSlob " Joe you've clearly been wronged somewhere along the line. Sorry for you because you're carrying some negative energy " ----As I stated in my original post , that was merely a very strong personal opinion from past dealings with both said individuals , I can smell Bull Shit a mile a way and they both give off that kind of a vibe . I am glad you have had positive interaction with Bill , but I shall stand well clear of the man .

Thanks for the correction, JS. I only had it 2nd (or15th) hand, but that was the story I heard. I had just committed to longboarding full time when he opened the shop and thought, "Wow! What a cool shop, lots of boards from my youth here." I grew up in the 60s and we all began on longboards (Atlantic, Monkey Wards, Koval, etc), went to shortboards, back to a Dewey Weber Feather on small stuff in '75 and then full time to longboards after a trip to Hawaii in March '83. They blew my mind with what they were doing on double overhead+ Hanalei Bay. I came back, put my shortboard in the racks and went back to LBs full time and never looked back. As somebody in Longboard Magazine said, "The difference between longboarding and shortboarding is that when you eat it on a shortboard, you come up pissed off; when you eat it on a longboard, you come up laughing." True then, true now (at least for me). I'm just sorry everybody else caught on. I loved sitting outside, waiting for "the one" alone.

Brother G : Aside of the vintage boards displayed at the shop ( Randy had a significant collection of " Greg Noll / Miki Dora Black Cat models " ,) --- of which I consistently gave him grief over , as they are the most " Shit Turd " boards you can possibly collect .He also had two barns stuffed with vintage boards over in Winter Park . I purchased several Morey Pope / John Peck Penatrators from him over the years ( If you have never ridden a vintage John Peck Penatrator-- they were the the ULTRA Cadillac and supreme Nose Riders of the day ),.--- simply ( and very casually ) walk up to the nose , plant your toes over and switch over to " Cruise Control " ( a TRUE finer line can not be had) -but the highlight of his collection was Dick Catris Waimea Gun , shaped by none other then Dick Brewer , 10 " 4 and rail thin triple stringer toothpick . Offered him $2,000.00 in 1994 and was promptly shot down .------ Still wondering what became of it ? It must still be out there some wheres ?

Edited: 03/10/2024 at 01:15 PM by JOESTRUMMER

BG: Hanalei Bay is such a great wave , Brother Titus always ruling the day ! (PS : You made the proper decision to modify your equipment ----very smart choice , indeed ! )

Wasn't there a dust-up in the early 2000's over counter fit black cats?

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Even a blind hog finds an occasional acorn

Yes indeed there was ,but a little earlier time frame ( mid to late 1990s , when the collector market was in full swing ) Greg himself got involved to call Bull Shit on the knock offs .

JS - Funny you mention the Black Cats. If I recall, he had two in the shop and they were two of only three of the boards I specifically remember, the other being a hot curl board that looked ancient. I just remember the overall feeling of being overwhelmed. Still got my DW Feather and a Hanson Cardiff (shaped and signed by Mike Doyle) as wall-hangers. Lots and lots of memories there.