Graig MantleThere’s a new surf shop in town and it’s worth checking out even if you’re not into surfing. San Luis Surf Co., also known as SLO Surf, has moved in on the corner of Morro and Higuera streets.
Co-owners Anthony Randazzo Jr., Tim Cowan and Nate Ditmore are not strangers to the business or culture of surfing. Randazzo, 33, of Atascadero, has been surfing for 22 years and got into retail with the aspiration to “share the stoke” with anyone he comes across.
The shop, like its owners, has a very local feel. “We wanted to get back to the roots of local surfing,” said Randazzo, who graduated from Cal Poly and started his own board bag company, Perfect Conditions, 10 years ago. Ditmore and Randazzo teamed up six years ago to start the Morro Bay Surf Co., and San Luis Surf Co. is their newest venture.
“We strive to be involved in the community,” Randazzo said. “We run camps, we have special needs surf camps, we sponsor junior guards, everything we can.”
The final player is “surf retail legend” Tim Cowan, who managed Wavelengths in Morro Bay for 20 years before teaming up as co-owner of San Luis Surf Co.
Randazzo, Ditmore and Cowan feel that they can offer unique retail service because they all grew up in the area. “Between the three of us, we know everyone in the area, we know the buying patterns, we know the waves,” Randazzo said.
The shop carries 200 of the best surf board brands as well as name-brand quality equipment. They also have an impressive selection of sunglasses and sandals as well as plenty of clothing to browse through. Monitors on the walls play surf videos and the vibe is eccentric beach-chic.
High school senior Ryan Corriber, 17, was visiting San Luis Obispo for the weekend to check out Cal Poly. The surfing scene is imperative to Ryan’s university choice, and he visited several surf shops in downtown San Luis Obispo to get a feel for it.
“SLO Surf was awesome, the guys were really helpful,” said Corriber, who has been surfing since he was 9 years old. “They were telling me stuff about the waves here and where I should go out.”
The owners believe that personalized service is important, no matter what the customer is shopping for. “We are service-oriented, whether it’s for a T-shirt or a surfboard. We feel that that’s lacking so much in retail,” Randazzo said.
In an effort to deviate from the mainstream surf scene, San Luis Surf Co. carries more local merchandise as well as “edgier” products than competitors. Some of their clothing has locally designed silk-screening and they carry KR surfboards, shaped locally. However, they also carry well-known brands such as Rusty and Lost.
“The Central Coast has some of the most consistent waves in the world,” said Randazzo, who lived in Hawaii for three years and appreciates Central Coast surfing even more because of it.
San Luis Surf Co. is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.
They stay open until 9 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. When checking it out, come prepared with any questions you might have because they’ll be answered by some of the most educated and enthusiastic locals in the business.