Freeline Surf Shop

Surf shops have always been important components of any surf town worth its salt. Equal parts clubhouse and supply depot, they’ve long served as hubs for local surf populations allowing them to continue the ride, long after stepping out of the sea. Most surf shops began as a means for die-hard surfers to permanently shuck the restraints of traditional labor, opened not only to profit from a community’s collective obsession with riding waves, but to also create an environment focused on surfing, and surfing alone, every day, from Open to Close.

If you surf, you know what a local surf shop is like. It’s a place where you could pop in to buy a bar of wax before a session only to be held hostage for two hours talking about sandbar conditions and fin design with the sales clerk who always sits on a stool back by the used boards who may, or may not, actually work there. Where you could sell that urine-stained wetsuit or water-logged used board on consignment, without having to look into the eyes of the poor schmuck who paid good money for your sullied goods. And, importantly, it’s an important source of local knowledge, a referral base, eager to connect you with any number of local shapers eager to meet over a beer to discuss the dimensions of your next board.

Sadly, as the surf industry  grew, the majority of profits at surf shops began to flow out of the community, into the hands of soulless corporate behemoths, bypassing local families and craftsmen. This trend bled much of the magic out  of the local surf shop, yet there are still a few “core” shops hanging on without sacrificing their history or their character. Enter Freeline Surf Shop.

Owner John Mel was born and raised in South Bay, Los Angeles. He got his start shaping surfboards at the Gordon & Smith factory in San Diego, eventually taking his talents to the islands for a stint producing boards on the North Shore of Oahu. Eventually, he made his way to Santa Cruz, where he opened Freeline Design in 1969, with his wife Kim. The original shop was located in the building occupied currently by Blown Out Surf Shack on 41st avenue. A short time later, it relocated a  stone’s throw away to it’s current home on 41st Avenue. It was here that John sold his own shapes as well as other hard goods, including wetsuits.

That same year, baby Pete came into this world. Spending so much of his formative years inside Freeline Surf Shop, it’s a wonder Pete’s first word wasn’t “barrel”

“I knew nothing other than the shop,” recalls Pete of his first memories of Freeline.

“Our home was our business. Retail was our front living room, which included my crib, and our kitchen was part of the manufacturing of surfboards ‘cause it was one of the cleaner rooms. I literally grew up in foam dust, acetone, and resin.”

As a youngster whose parents owned a surf shop, Pete had access to all the gear, as well as access to all the highly sought secret intel, such as the exact location of that secret sandbar that had been going off all week. This grooming set him up for success as a professional surfer. The timing was perfect, as when he came of age, the idea and practicality of becoming a professional surfer in Santa Cruz was becoming less of a pure pipe dream than in years past.

As his surfing chops were refined, the idea of making a living shredding waves began to make more and more sense to the gifted regular footer. He came up with a crew of highly talented groms who coalesced into a single Santa Cruz surfing superpower—kids like Adam Replogle and Darryl “Flea” Virostko, just to name a few. They had it all- airs,radical turns, big waves, barrels- you name it. It wasn’t long before he and his posse were getting paid to surf in competitions and exotic locales all over the world.

Their pied piper was photographer filmmaker and surf/skate pioneer Tony Roberts, who brought all sides of town together in the name of “getting the shot”, forming intense, but mostly friendly, rivalries that brought the level of progressive surfing through the roof. Pete starred in a number of Robert’s successful VHS releases, such as Mental Surfing and Players. When he wasn’t chasing clips up North or at Steamer Lane, Pete could be found hunting sandbars close to home in Aptos, better known as “The Beaches”, with his childhood friends, known collectively as the “South Siders”. With Pete as their ringleader, it was only natural that Freeline would choose to actively sponsor and support the other talented surfers in the region. Thus, Freeline Design was woven into the fabric of surfing in Aptos.

“There weren’t many surfers in that time frame from my High School,” reflects Pete.

“There were basically three surfers at Aptos High; myself, Dave Aronavici, and Joey DiSimone. There were some older guys who had already finished High School; James Crush, Jerry Murphy, Mike Lucas- there was a full crew of good surfers that all surfed in that region who really pushed each other and that was built upon as time progressed. That’s where my family lived, so it was natural that we ended up sponsoring a ton of guys from the South Side.”

Freeline holds a special place in my heart, as John Mel was one of my first employers. Previously, I’d made a pitiful attempt at being a paper boy, however, I was too tiny to manage all my neighbors’ newspapers, causing me to constantly tip over on my bike, leaving me teary-eyed and frustrated. Mr. Mel paid me five dollars store credit an hour, in exchange for rinsing the awful smelling rental suits in the back of the shop. It wasn’t glamorous, but I loved it. I even got a sweet discount, as well as free stickers and a t-shirt from time-to-time. Most importantly, I was part of the Freeline family!

At that point in his career, Pete was already a seasoned big wave surfer and handsomely paid professional surfer. He was basically a God to me, and I would stutter and stammer nervously anytime he came into the shop. He was so gnarly back then! As things like this happen, my employment morphed into a sponsorship. As my own surfing skills blossomed, Freeline added me to their stacked team and linked me up with company reps who secured me sponsors such as Gotcha and Body Glove.

I was so proud to be a part of that crew of phenomenal Freeline surfers from all over town, including guys such as Ryan Augenstein and Mike Golder. John also paid for my competition entry fees and doled out bonuses if I placed in the finals. As a surf shop owner, he had the connections and means to do this for many local surfers who came up in the late 80’s and 90’s, especially from Aptos. I’m sure they all look back on these days with as much affection as I do. John helped pay for my first plane ticket to Hawaii at age fifteen and Pete was there to pick me up from the airport.

Fast forward twenty-five years, and Freeline Design is still going strong. After an illustrious professional surfing career, as well as being one of the pioneers surfing the massive waves at Mavericks in Half Moon Bay, Pete has taken over most of the day-to-day operations at the shop, and now has his son’s Anthony and John involved. While young John is focusing on his promising professional surfing career, older brother Anthony has stepped up his role as shop Manager and Online Sales guru. He feels honored and privileged to carry on the Freeline tradition.

“My goal is to do whatever I can do to support this business,” he says.

“Some of my first memories of being in the shop are running and hiding around the nooks and crannies in the wetsuit rack. I learned how to do my first ollie in the store and how to take heckles from the older guys. I’m so grateful and want to help make sure that this place is always here. I’m really excited for the future of this store.”

For Pete Mel, being able to pass on the Freeline Design surf shop legacy to his sons means the world.

“I never wanted to push this business on to them, just to offer the opportunity to them if it was something they wanted to be a part of. There was no question whether or not I’d be carrying the tradition forward, and I told them from the beginning that they could follow in my footsteps, should they choose to. Surfing is our life, and it keeps us grounded, and this business is a big part of that.”

To learn more about Freeline Surf Shop, or buy some of their original merchandise, be sure to visit their website, www.freelinesurf.com

Also, check out their Instagram page, @freelinesurf