Today we’d like to introduce you to Tricia Pan.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Tricia. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in Pawtucket RI, an outskirt of Providence, to two awesome hard working parents. My mother Jane worked as a phlebotomist while my father Peter ran a surf shop and sidelined as a freelance graphic designer. My brother Ted and I were lucky to enjoy the comfort and the company of our grandparents while our parents taught us the value of a strong work ethic.
Throughout our childhood, we were exposed to surfing and skateboarding as opposed to more regular sports like baseball and soccer. My brother became an avid skateboarder, while I picked up surfing. Through much of my childhood and adolescence, I spent as much time as I could at the beach. I competed in surfing contests with my father and eventually ended up helping him run the local branch of the non-profit organization, the Eastern Surfing Association.
My father, Peter (and his partner David Levy) ran a pretty successful shop, The Watershed, and growing up I taught surf lessons and learn to surf clinics, sometimes worked in the shop, had several other jobs, and completed a bachelors degree at the University of Rhode Island.
In 2001, after 26 years in business, the Watershed closed its doors for good. At this time, my father, brother, and I saw an opportunity. That same year my father secured a small location in Narragansett close to the beach and my brother and I opened a small hole in the wall surf/skate shop we called “Gansett Juice.” After a couple of years my brother became disenchanted with the day to day business and opted out, my dad slipped in to fill his shoes, while I remained committed and always behind the counter.
He and I changed the name to Narragansett Surf & Skate, as we were sick of constantly being asked for juice, and here we are today. There is nothing I enjoy more than getting people started in surfing or skateboarding. They are some of the rare sports that not only can be learned by anyone but have a community built around them. This little shop is open not to make millions of dollars but enhance our community through sport.
Has it been a smooth road?
No road to happiness is ever smooth, nor should it be. Retail is never easy, especially in today’s internet centered world. There have been more than one occasion where our little slice of heaven has been threatened with failure but I firmly believe it is our attitude that has kept our doors open. We did not open to make a million bucks, but several hundred smiles will do.
I have always been willing to forgo my pay so that the shop can sponsor an event or to get much-needed gear. I am lucky enough to work with my family, and to make others feel like part of the pack. There have been and will be, people in my life who will never understand this, but money isn’t everything.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Narragansett Surf & Skate – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Narragansett Surf & Skate is a small core surf shop nestled in New England. We primarily sell hard goods such as surfboards, skateboards and skateboard accessories, and wetsuits. We also carry some apparel and other beach necessities. The shop, in conjunction with the Peter Pan Surfing Academy, is known for teaching surf lessons and running camps. We pride ourselves in getting people started in the sport and making it a fun and safe environment.
Surf shops like ours are a dying breed. The “Juice” as we still call it, is small, often messy, smells of neoprene and surf wax, and is often populated with a random group of kids slightly stinky from the skatepark or fresh off the beach. Home. It is more than a shop. It is a safe haven for those of us who don’t belong in the Gap, or who would give our last penny for that “one more wave.” Surfing, like skateboarding, is more than a sport. It is an addiction. Good waves can make you late to your own wedding! What we provide is more than a T-shirt but a place where anyone can feel like they belong. So, we can be a bit intimidating when you first walk through the door, but once in, you are hard pressed to leave.
I feel the greatest pride when I drop by the skatepark and see the majority of the kids riding our decks, or the stoke in their eyes when we drop a new graphics. I will also never tire of seeing people who I might have taught to surf ages ago bringing their families in to teach their kids. Generations! The Juice has been making memories for 18 years now, we’ve gained- we’ve lost, but through it all, we have created a little-warped family. We are there for each other, and I look forward to 18 more.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
The shop is located a stone’s throw from the Ocean. It is lovely to look down the street and to see the deep blue right there. Summer and winter are very different as it is a seasonal town, but we keep our doors open all year. During summer months parking can be a bit of a nightmare, and Narragansett Town Beach charges for individual admission, but is has a designated surfing area and easy to learn on waves. Overall, it is a great place to be.
Pricing:
- Surf lesson prices: $60 for a single private, $50 per person for two, $45 per person for three or more. Includes wetsuits and surfboards for the duration of the lesson.
- Daily surfboard rental $30
- Shop skate deck $45 with grip
Contact Info:
- Address: 74 Narragansett Avenue Narragansett RI 02882
- Website: narragansettsurfandskate.com
- Phone: 401-789-7890
- Email: panrules@gmail.com
- Instagram: @narragansettsurfandskate
- Facebook: @narragansettsurfandskate
Image Credit:
Edward Acker, Corey Grayhorse, and Joe McGovern. Peter Pan, Evan Mansolillo, Cara Sammartino, Suze Colt, Ted Pan, Paul & Peter Biron
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
