It was spring of 1989 when George Karamitos set to open the first Maui Nix Surf Shop location in the heart of Daytona Beach. The area had yet to see a Surf Shop of this magnitude and George was determined to build an experience for his future customers. He spent the entire year planning to open Maui Nix Surf Shop with his father, Nick and uncle, Peter.
At this time, Daytona Beach had grown to become a booming spring break capital and college students from around the country were showing up by the car full. George had very little experience with operating a fully functional retail store and was charting into unknown territory. He was driven by one thing and one thing only, to provide the local surf scene with a store that had everything they needed in one place. At that time there were no shops that would match the selection and size of the Original Location.
The “Big Store” opened on April 8, 1989 with George and a couple mangers working 7 days a week. When asked about the first year of business he responded, “ It was new, strange and scary and I relied on the local surf scene and friends to keep things running smooth.” Recently celebrating 25 years of business, Maui Nix is proud to still be family owned and operated. “This journey would never have been possible without the help of our loyal and local customer base. We have also been blessed to have the backing of some of the biggest brands in surfing and skateboarding.” explains George.
Maui Nix Surf Shops has a rich history in its local community hosting many events through the years such as our Annual Summer Surf Classes and sponsoring many local surfers and skaters. Through the years we have employed many local surfers including longtime local and General Manager, Bryan Smith. Bryan has grown up surfing Main Street pier and the local inlets. Through the years we have had appearances from pro surfers like Sunny Garcia, Mick Fanning, Bruce Irons, and many more. We would really love to say thank you to our dedicated employees and wonderful supporters who have been the foundation of Maui Nix Surf Shops here in Daytona Beach, FL.
Check out some of our original photos below for a perfect 1989 throwback.
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