by Ali Murtaza
Photo by Briana Diamond
Topanga's Old Center plaza sees more change as Will Wicks
starts his own surf shop.
First shop on the left, two doors down
from recent pop-up art shop, ART, Will Wicks' So What Surf n' Skate Shop opened
its doors with a promising new line for those who would rather pick up a board
locally and support local commerce than drive miles to find other products.
"This shop is for people who need
last-minute accessories for the beach but would rather not travel to the Valley
or deep into Malibu," says Wicks. Since opening, he has seen his vision
fulfilled, adding that he has been embraced by most of the local surfing
community.
"Our boards have been a success,
another step in making Topanga a surf city once again," he says. He looks
up to Paul Lovas' Topanga Beach
Experience calling it "the surf hangout, groovy place to be away from
LA."
So runs the motto of the new space that
carries wetsuits for men, women and children, as well as custom hand-shaped
surfboards with skateboards and rental gear for those caught without a board or
for people wanting to learn surfing.
Ever since he first started to ride
waves in 2002, he has dreamed of opening a surf shop. He now stands in the
reality of that dream, 10 years in the making, and could not be prouder, except
for the fact that he'll be a parent come next Christmas with Bekah Bourget, a
local fashion designer and owner of Indio Eight boutique.
The name came about through something
he has long held within his heart, a philosophy on life and surfing: "’So
what?’ is a great thing to say when faced with life's challenges whether it's
riding a big wave or dealing with people," he says. He pauses and
reflects, then comes back with a smile and explanation: “Don’t take things so
seriously, have fun, live life, for it can all be gone in a second.”
The casual laid-back approach to life
that Wicks promotes is not only a staple of the California surf culture, but a
cry of Topangans tracing back over years of the lifestyle.
He says that he has heard countless
locals thank him for not having to drive miles out of the Canyon and feels that
customers like these will be essential to him in the coming months and years.
Though he is a Topangan, some of Wicks'
skills can be traced back to West Hills, where his mentor, Glen Kennedy, makes
his own surfboards. He is grateful to have learned what he did with Glen and
his family, not only for the skills that they helped him hone, but also the way
of life, deep-rooted philosophies that passed from one surfboard maker to
another.
When asked about the surf culture in
Topanga, Wicks states, "The surf culture in Topanga is as free as the
ocean," describing the calm he feels when surrounded by the waves and the same
calm that he senses in the other Topangans and surfers.
"Some surfers only go out when the
surf is big and good," he says. “Others surf almost everyday rain, shine,
swell or no swell. There is the older generation, their offspring and the
offsprings’ offspring. There are visitors who want to experience the amazing
point break. All these are the people that Wicks admires and wants to
accommodate. Yes, it is about Topanga, but it is more about the love of surfing
and beyond that, the sea itself.
Wicks has seen more than Topangans
around his shop lately including Malibu residents, commuters and even visitors
from other countries. Advertising has garnered more interest, he says, “and
shows we're not just some scrappy town; we actually have culture and roots that
are pretty cool.
The business is still growing but his
philosophy dictates that he not worry about it. Spoken like a true surfer, he
simply says, "I'm just taking it day by day," and as if to test him,
his road-side sign was recently bashed to pieces. He didn't go into a rage.
Rather, he laughed it off with his friends while making a new sign, but he
would like to know who the vandals are who didn't have the courage to confront
him. Such shenanigans don't deter him because he feels that he has the support
of the community.
He tries to express his gratitude but
is reluctant to try to name everyone — there are simply too many. In general,
he thanks the Canyon and all its residents who have supported him through this
endeavor and who have appreciated his hand-made boards.
Two people he did name, however, were
Jeff Hull and Jerry from Ventura showing him the ins and outs to completing
surfboards at production value and good quality.
For everything else, he only needs his
planer and sure-form, an experienced eye for symmetry that he has acquired over
the years, lots of elbow grease and even more patience.
So What Surf n' Skate Shop is located
at the Old Topanga Town Center, 115 South Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga, CA
90290; (310) 455-0101; shop@sowhatsurf.com.
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