This is Daydream Surf Shop, a Feature by Nobody Surf
Shop history
My wife and I started Daydream in 2016 in a scrappy warehouse with a fraction of the funding necessary for undertaking such a project. With luck and the support of friends, we were able to slowly grow our community into what it is today. We've always focused on what we are passionate about: getting people into the ocean and using nature as a source of therapy that can take us back to simpler times and allow for deep connections on a human level. We wanted to create a holistic experience, a space where you could come meet up with friends for a coffee before your morning surf, discuss what boards to pick out from our demo program (the Daydream Research Center), and go get some waves... what could be a better way to start your day? We love surfing and we want to guide folks in their journey as they experience the healing properties that the ocean has to offer.
Shop concepts and values
Our shop's mission is to build community. This may sound short but really take in what it means. What does it mean to you? How can you build community in micro-interactions with people around you? It is the difference between greeting a stranger vs ignoring them... It is making the choice to be positive and uplifting towards yourself and others. It is being outgoing. Our vision is to connect nature enthusiasts globally. Our core values are:
Mindful - We are grounded, intentional, and non-judgmental in all that we do.
Inclusive - Not being something for everyone, but being something for anyone.
Approachable - We are engaging, cheerful, positive, confident, and empathetic in all interactions.
Excellence - We are driven, progressive, consistent, and knowledgeable. Innovation - Pushing the boundaries of our industries in meaningful ways.
Sustainability - Creating long-term careers for passionate people and a sustainable lifestyle locally and globally.
Education - Sharing the knowledge that we have with others and elevating people’s perceptions.
Beautiful - We believe in embedding our values through a design-forward approach.
What do you like about where the shop is located?
Daydream is located in many people's routes between where they live and Newport's beaches. This makes it a central meeting hub before and after surfing. We are also in an industrial part of town which makes us a destination shop. Because of this, we don't really have any customers that walk into our shop on a whim; they normally hear about us and are able to do a little research on our shop beforehand.
There aren't a lot of neighboring shops but rather marine and auto shops. One block away from us is Production Ave., where Quiksilver got started. Also down the block are RVCA and Volcom who have always been at the intersection of Costa Mesa's Westside and Newport's industrial district. We also had Banks Journal move into our old warehouse so we have some friendly faces from the surf industry nearby.
We have watched a lot of cool cats setting up art studios and creative spaces within a block of Daydream, I can name a dozen off the top of my head. This has added a really fresh, raw, creative energy to the neighborhood. All of these folks are busting their asses in creative ways to make ends meet with creative endeavors whether that's screen printing, painting, shaping surfboards, building photography studios, setting up creative agencies, graphic design, animation... you name it, these kids are doing it!
A few blocks from Daydream is our wine bar, Semi Tropic Wines. This makes for a really fun extension of Daydream's community. We have a lot of friends that we'll often see in Daydream on a daily basis as well as Semi Tropic Wines on a nightly basis. Sadly, wine is much more expensive than coffee so most people can't stretch their dollar as far at the wine bar as they can at Daydream but nevertheless there seems to always be friendly and familiar faces from Daydream at Semi Tropic Wines. Daydream is kind of the morning bar while Semi is the evening bar.
Which surf spot do you recommend near the shop?
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Read the rest of the interview here!
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