- May 9, 2024
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After more than 30 years of business, the Salty Dog Surf Shop has relocated north.
BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER
The Salty Dog Surf Shop was once a few miles down the road, at 2429 N. Atlantic Ave., in Daytona Beach. But after its lease expired and manager David LaMotte said negotiations with the landlord hit an impasse, the store looked elsewhere for the first time in 30 years, finding its new home in Ormond Beach.
The store opened its new location, in the Granada Plaza shopping center, at the corner of Granada Boulevard and State Road A1A, last month. The counters, the dressing rooms and some leftover merchandise were brought along. Everything else was replaced.
There are still two Salty Dog locations in Daytona Beach, as well as one in Panama City.
But the idea of moving still concerned LaMotte. He was established on Atlantic Avenue, and a shift away from that base could hurt his business.
“I’m still concerned about it,” he said. “We know we will lose some of the tourist business right off the bat.”
While LaMotte said the previous location could have been described as a tourist shop that happened to sell surfboards, he sees his new spot more as a surf shop for locals.
The new focus will include more surfboards, in addition to stand-up paddleboards and boogie boards, surf lessons and rentals.
Despite being roughly the same size, the shop, because of its setup, also allows LaMotte to keep more things in stock — like skateboards. Whereas the Daytona store didn't have room for skateboards, the Ormond shop has a whole corner rack of them.
The goal, LaMotte says, is to rely less on sporadic bursts of tourist business. He's wants to make the Salty Dog more consistent, less reliant on T-shirt sales, the place locals go year-round for surfing equipment and accessories.
The shop also sells watches, sandals, other clothes and even a Salty Dog-branded barbecue sauce.
By spring break, LaMotte hopes for the store to be fully stocked and set up.
After working at the Daytona surf shop 30 years, LaMotte is looking at the move as a new but exciting challenge. Even though Bike Week slowed business, he says it was busier in his new location than it was in the old.
“It’s different,” he said. “It’ll be a learning experience for me.”
