Shark’s Trail Leads to Largest Surf Shop

Forget California. As far as the East Coast rank and file are concerned, the last word in surfwear comes from Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach, Fla. And this season, even Californians may have to admit that the East Coasters beat us to the punch.

Ron Jon, which is about 50 miles due east of Disney World, has become the largest surf shop in the world, primarily because it plasters its smiling shark mascot on 100 billboards along the 1,000-mile stretch of Interstate 95 that links the northeast to Orlando, Miami and the Keys. By the time travelers hit the Sunshine State, even the most land-locked have gotten the message.

Since Ron Jon opened in 1963, it has grown from a small storefront to a 38,000-square-foot extravaganza. Although there are glass elevators, indoor waterfalls, a restaurant and two-story-tall ficus trees, the architectural details tend to be obscured by the nonstop clutter of T-shirts, shorts, bikinis, wet suits, surfboards, jet skis, sunglasses, shoes, skateboards, suntan lotion and beach paraphernalia.

The tourists account for approximately 90% of the shop’s business but the locals, who are hard-core surfers, set the prevailing styles. This winter, they have bypassed the neons, opting instead for Gotcha surfwear’s new “Guatas”--Guatemalan-inspired print shorts, bags and accessories--complemented by a solid or relatively conservative Quicksilver or O’Neill top and a pair of Oakley sunglasses. The clothes come from California, but the collections seem to be catching on in Cocoa Beach first.

Reversing the usual West-to-East movement of beach fashion, the Floridians’ more immediate acceptance of the Guata “ethnic” look may be due to their familiarity with Latin America. Florida surfers spend their vacations looking for waves in the Pacific. Hawaii and, in particular, Central America are the most popular destinations. Along the way, says one Ron Jon employee, they pick up fashion ideas--”a bit of this and a bit of that.”

Florida’s dedicated surfers also keep in touch with California trends, through personal experience and the surfing magazines.

The only aspect of California style that doesn’t translate as well in the East is our “locals only” attitude. Most of the popular surf shops here don’t advertise on a grand scale. You have to hear about them by word-of-mouth. Ron Jon, however, parades a shark up and down 1,000 miles of freeway in an effort to lure tourists.