O’Neill’s Surf Shop
In 1959 Jack O'Neill came with his family to Santa Cruz and opened his 500 square foot "Surf Shop” at this location, just above Cowell Beach. The Surf Shop was O'Neill's first retail store in Santa Cruz, offering custom built foam surfboards and "thermal barrier” suits, as wetsuits were known at the time.
O'Neill's Surf Shop became a focal point for a tight-knit surfing community. The business grew steadily, earning recognition as a pioneer and leader in the world of surfing. In 1996 O’Neill extended his vision by founding the O’Neill Sea Odyssey, an award-winning ocean education program for kids.
On May 31, 2012, the site of Jack O’Neill’s Santa Cruz Surf Shop was designated by the State of California as a California Point of Historical Interest, recognizing the local origins of an innovative global business as well as a place where parents continue to bring their children for a day at the beach.
“In the beginning the name of the business was just Surf Shop. We were the first to use the name, and later got it registered. Nobody in the world called themselves Surf Shop before us." — Jack O’Neill
Erected 2013 by City of Santa Cruz.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Sports.
Location.
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Sedgwick Lynch House (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Welcome to the Santa Cruz Wharf (about 700 feet away); Sunshine Villa (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Wharf Links Land and Sea (approx. 0.2 miles away); Carmelita Cottages (approx. 0.2 miles away); American Railway Express Agency (approx. ¼ mile away); Rockcrest Iliff House (approx. ¼ mile away); The Cocoanut Grove (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Santa Cruz.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 786 times since then and 92 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 27, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
