Current Cronulla Surf Shops are...
Now Closed Permanently: Opened August 2015
Members of the Board
97A Gerrale Street, Cronulla
M: 0437 799 412
Rip Curl
55 Cronulla Street, Cronulla
Ph: 9527 6635
Website: Click Here
Cronulla Original Clothing & Surf Co
71-73 Cronulla St, Cronulla
Ph: 9523 0433
Website: Facebook
Triple Bull Surf & Snow
23 Kingsway, Cronulla
Ph: 9544 0354
Website: Click Here
Emerald Surf City Now Closed Permanently:
Now Closed Permanently: Opened August 2015
Members of the Board
97A Gerrale Street, Cronulla
M: 0437 799 412
Rip Curl
55 Cronulla Street, Cronulla
Ph: 9527 6635
Website: Click Here
Cronulla Original Clothing & Surf Co
71-73 Cronulla St, Cronulla
Ph: 9523 0433
Website: Facebook
Triple Bull Surf & Snow
23 Kingsway, Cronulla
Ph: 9544 0354
Website: Click Here
Emerald Surf City Now Closed Permanently:
7/2-8 Surf Road, Cronulla
Ph: 9527 4149
Specialist Body Board Shop
Cronulla Surf Design *Closed late 2015 - Now a Quiksilver Store
8 Cronulla Street, Cronulla
Ph: 9544 0433
Pure Sea Surf Shop *Closed early 2016
108 Cronulla Street, Cronulla
Ph: 9523 8664
Was owned and operated by Richard O'Sullivan
*New Surf Shop
Opened November 2010 / *Closed early 2011
Matt Hurworth Surfboards
Shop 12, Royal Surf Arcade
Surf Road, Cronulla
************************************************************************
Some of the older Cronulla Surf Shops were...
Emerald Surf Shop
The very first and original Emerald Surf Shop was located at 12 Laycock Avenue in Cronulla. [opposite Munro Park]. It was first established as a surf shop, then owned and operated by Steve Griffiths of Emerald Surfboards which were manufactured surfboards in their factory on Taren Point Road, Taren Point. Steve's wife at the time, Sue Griffiths, was the retail Shop Manager.
Prior to becoming a Surf Shop it was an art gallery. Emerald Surfboards moved out in 1982 when Steve Griffiths re-located himself, his surfboard business and his family to Queensland's Sunshine Coast. 35 years later, in 2016 Steve Griffiths is still building surfboards at his Black Widow Surfboards factory in Warana, he still resides on the Sunshine Coast.
When Emerald Surfboards moved out of the Laycock Avenue retail location in 1982, the Steve Core Surf Shop moved in. Incidentally, the building, called Malton Chambers, was owned in those days by NRL super coach and another famous Cronulla resident, the late Jack Gibson.
In mid 1985, the Steve Core Surf Shop went slightly upmarket and moved into Cronulla's main street at 108 Cronulla Street - which was formerly The Sharks Video Store. The Surf Shop changed its trading name to Steve Core's Reach The Beach - because with expansion, additional sister shops opened in the brand new Westfield Eastgardens in October 1987 and and in expanded Westfield Hurstvile in 1988.
Steve Core sold all of his surf shop interests in 1993 and in early 2016, the 108 Cronulla Street the Surf Shop Pure Sea closed its doors after being a surf shop for 30-years.
RTL Surf Shop
RTL Surf Shop was the Cronulla retail outlet for Force 9 Surfboards of Taren Point. The RTL shop was located at 140 Cronulla Street, Cronulla [directly opposite the Cronulla Railway Station]. It opened it doors in 1983.
RTL stood for Rip, Tear & Lacerate [an old surf saying from the seventies]. The RTL shop closed it doors in 1985 and subsequently became a Florist Shop.
Force 9 started manufacturing surfboards in Taren Point in 1981. Jim Lucas was the founder and in 2016 is still the owner of Force 9 Surfboards.
In 2021, the old RTL shop location, 140 Cronulla Street, now houses the Lodown Skateboard Shop.
Steve Core's 'Reach The Beach'
When the office space in behind our shop became vacant, we leased the space and knocked down the wood framed partition walls to double the size of the shop. Hence the ad above from Tracks stating; "We are now Cronulla's biggest Surf Shop". At the time we were.
Piping Hot wetsuits had their NSW distribution office located in Cronulla in those days and introduced the 'smoothie' steamer in the mid-eighties. We carried a huge selection of their steamers and always did well retailing their product because we could just walk up the road to grab stock as we required it.
After 3 years in the Laycock Avenue location, we made what was then, a brave move from the quite Laycock Avenue location and lower rent, to the higher rent precinct of Cronulla's main street. This came about in mid-1985. There were two other surf shops in Cronulla Street at that time; the Jim Banks Surf Shop and the Force 9 owned RTL Surf Shop.
Mark Aprilovic's Cronulla Surf Design was still located in the Beach Park Arcade. With our move into Cronulla's main street and into what was the old Shark's Video store, we changed the trading name to Steve Core's 'Reach The Beach'.
I expanded to two stores when I became an original tenant of Westfield Eastgardens which was a greenfield site and the centre was devloped and opened in October 1987. Then we went to three stores, when Westfield doubled the size of it Hurstville Centre - I opened another Reach The Beach store in Hurstville in 1988.
I sold my interest to all my 'Reach The Beach' stores in mid-1993 to The Original Cronulla Surf Co. My old location; the 108 Cronulla Street site, remained a Surf Shop until early 2016 when the Pure Sea Surf Shop - owned and operated by Richard O'Sullivan closed its doors. Pure Sea kept the same land-line phone number that I inherited from the old Emerald Surfboards shop in Laycock Avenue: 9523-8664.
Max Garling's Ocean Surf Shop
In the '70s - located at 122 Cronulla Street. Sold surfboards & clothing in a small and compact retail location.
Max later morphed the shop into the iconic Benz Bikini Shop in the '80s - which was famous not only for it's awesome bikinis - but for the gorgeous young ladies that worked in the shop.
In 2016 Max Garling still lives in the Cronulla area
Photo Left: This is a full page ad from Surfing World magazine for Max's Ocean Surf Shop. I shot the ad photos. The location was Darook Park in Cronulla's Gunnamatta Bay.
Cronulla Surf Design
2nd location: 19 Beach Park Avenue, Cronulla
Even older Surf Shops in Cronulla were...
The Cronulla Surfboarder
In the mid-'60s - located at 99 Gerrale Street
Possibly was Cronulla's first retail Surf Shop.
[opposite Cronulla RSL] now the Little Italy Restaurant.
Commonly just called the 'Cronulla stor-a board'
A Stor-a-board was where you could store your surfboard for .60¢ per week or $2.00 per month [1966 rates]. Was open from 6:00am to 6:00pm - 7 days per week. Established and run by Cronulla identity and surfer, Alex McDonald. Alex was one of Cronulla's surfing administrators and worked on the early Bobby Brown contests in the late sixties. He was the administrative force behind the once powerful St George Boardriders Club. One of Alex's major triumphs was the organisation of the first ever professional surfing event, the Forresters Beach Invitational on the Central Coast in 1970. At the age of 56, Alex was tragically killed in an explosion at the Shell Oil refinery in Kurnell in 1980.
Gordon Woods Surf Shop
In the '60s - located in the Beach Park Arcade [adjacent to Munro Park]
Run by big Darryl Eastlake [of Channel 9 sports-casting fame]
Big Darryl did the first radio Southside surf reports live from this shop for Surfing World magazine publisher, Bob Evans, on Sydney's 2UW on the AM band [before we even had FM radio].
Windensea Sea Surf Shop
In the '70s - was located down near Cronulla Golf Club at 57 Elouera Road
Owned & run by big Gary Brosner
Late in the '70s, Gary retired to Qld's Gold Coast
Windensea also manufactured surfing accessories
Leg ropes, board -covers, wax, etc
This site later became the Triple Bull Surf Shop
Saltwater Surf Shop
In the '70s - located in an old converted Church on The Kingsway
[next door to the Cronulla Police Station]
Owned & Run by Dennis Kitchener
Dennis now runs a Golf driving range down south
Saltwater also manufactured surfing accessories
Leg ropes, board -covers, wax, etc
They sponsored WSL Cronulla semi-local - Peter Townend [1976 World Champion]
Gordon & Smith Surf Shop
In the '70s - located at 9-11 The Kingsway, Cronulla
Retail outlet for G&S factory on Captain Cook Drive in Caringbah
At one time operated and run by Surf Photographer Peter Simons
Peter also ran the G&S Bulli surf shop in the mid-seventies
Peter Simons has resided in Mollymook for the last 20 years
In their hey-days G&S also had company owned and run their own retail surf shops in Bulli, Bondi, Parramatta & Liverpool
G&S Australia still available at: Gordon and Smith Surfboards
Shark Island Surf Shop
In the mid to late '80s - Beach Park Arcade
Jim Banks Surf Shop
Opened March 1982
Location: 88 Cronulla Street
Owned & Operated by Cronulla-based Pro Surfer, Jim Banks
Jim imported back unique items from his world Pro Tour travels for his shop
Aloha Surf Shop
In the 2000s - located on Cronulla Street
Former Pro Surfer Gary Green was the Retail Manager
Gary Green is now the Retail showroom Manager at Jackson Surfboards in Caringbah
Aloha still available - check their website at: Aloha Surfboards
Unknown name [?]
Surf Shop
Endeavour Arcade
The Kingsway, Cronulla
Short-lived; closed mid '79.
Steve Core
Ph: 9527 4149
Specialist Body Board Shop
Cronulla Surf Design *Closed late 2015 - Now a Quiksilver Store
8 Cronulla Street, Cronulla
Ph: 9544 0433
Pure Sea Surf Shop *Closed early 2016
108 Cronulla Street, Cronulla
Ph: 9523 8664
Was owned and operated by Richard O'Sullivan
*
Opened November 2010 / *Closed early 2011
Matt Hurworth Surfboards
Shop 12, Royal Surf Arcade
Surf Road, Cronulla
************************************************************************
Some of the older Cronulla Surf Shops were...
Emerald Surf Shop
The very first and original Emerald Surf Shop was located at 12 Laycock Avenue in Cronulla. [opposite Munro Park]. It was first established as a surf shop, then owned and operated by Steve Griffiths of Emerald Surfboards which were manufactured surfboards in their factory on Taren Point Road, Taren Point. Steve's wife at the time, Sue Griffiths, was the retail Shop Manager.
Prior to becoming a Surf Shop it was an art gallery. Emerald Surfboards moved out in 1982 when Steve Griffiths re-located himself, his surfboard business and his family to Queensland's Sunshine Coast. 35 years later, in 2016 Steve Griffiths is still building surfboards at his Black Widow Surfboards factory in Warana, he still resides on the Sunshine Coast.
When Emerald Surfboards moved out of the Laycock Avenue retail location in 1982, the Steve Core Surf Shop moved in. Incidentally, the building, called Malton Chambers, was owned in those days by NRL super coach and another famous Cronulla resident, the late Jack Gibson.
In mid 1985, the Steve Core Surf Shop went slightly upmarket and moved into Cronulla's main street at 108 Cronulla Street - which was formerly The Sharks Video Store. The Surf Shop changed its trading name to Steve Core's Reach The Beach - because with expansion, additional sister shops opened in the brand new Westfield Eastgardens in October 1987 and and in expanded Westfield Hurstvile in 1988.
Steve Core sold all of his surf shop interests in 1993 and in early 2016, the 108 Cronulla Street the Surf Shop Pure Sea closed its doors after being a surf shop for 30-years.
RTL Surf Shop
 |
| The facade of the RTL Surf Shop just after is closed it doors in 1985 |
RTL stood for Rip, Tear & Lacerate [an old surf saying from the seventies]. The RTL shop closed it doors in 1985 and subsequently became a Florist Shop.
Force 9 started manufacturing surfboards in Taren Point in 1981. Jim Lucas was the founder and in 2016 is still the owner of Force 9 Surfboards.
In 2021, the old RTL shop location, 140 Cronulla Street, now houses the Lodown Skateboard Shop.
Steve Core's 'Reach The Beach'
 |
| Ad from Tracks Magazine SEP '83 'bitsa' page. |
In 1982, I moved into 12 Laycock Avenue when the Emerald Surf Shop moved out after Steve Griffiths decided to sell his business and relocate to Queensland. Owned and operated by myself; Steve Core - the store originally traded as Steve Core's Surf Shop.
Piping Hot wetsuits had their NSW distribution office located in Cronulla in those days and introduced the 'smoothie' steamer in the mid-eighties. We carried a huge selection of their steamers and always did well retailing their product because we could just walk up the road to grab stock as we required it.
After 3 years in the Laycock Avenue location, we made what was then, a brave move from the quite Laycock Avenue location and lower rent, to the higher rent precinct of Cronulla's main street. This came about in mid-1985. There were two other surf shops in Cronulla Street at that time; the Jim Banks Surf Shop and the Force 9 owned RTL Surf Shop.
 |
| Reach the Beach, Cronulla. 1986 photo from the PT Collection |
I expanded to two stores when I became an original tenant of Westfield Eastgardens which was a greenfield site and the centre was devloped and opened in October 1987. Then we went to three stores, when Westfield doubled the size of it Hurstville Centre - I opened another Reach The Beach store in Hurstville in 1988.
I sold my interest to all my 'Reach The Beach' stores in mid-1993 to The Original Cronulla Surf Co. My old location; the 108 Cronulla Street site, remained a Surf Shop until early 2016 when the Pure Sea Surf Shop - owned and operated by Richard O'Sullivan closed its doors. Pure Sea kept the same land-line phone number that I inherited from the old Emerald Surfboards shop in Laycock Avenue: 9523-8664.
Max Garling's Ocean Surf Shop
 |
| Ocean Surf Shop ad from Surfing World magazine. Ad Photos by Steve Core |
Max later morphed the shop into the iconic Benz Bikini Shop in the '80s - which was famous not only for it's awesome bikinis - but for the gorgeous young ladies that worked in the shop.
In 2016 Max Garling still lives in the Cronulla area
Photo Left: This is a full page ad from Surfing World magazine for Max's Ocean Surf Shop. I shot the ad photos. The location was Darook Park in Cronulla's Gunnamatta Bay.
The male model is Peter 'PT' Townend and I have long forgotten the young lady's name. The brown board in the photo is a Bob Cooper from Coffs Harbour, one of the many brands that Max retailed - which also included the innovative designs of Dick Van Straalen's 'Spirit of the Sea' label.
Max also retailed Gordon & Smith Surfboards and PT would often do Thursday night in-store appearances and info sessions on behalf of G&S. I would tag along as a company representative too.
In 2021 Max Garling is still a resident of Cronulla, in The Shire and can be often spotted in and around Cronulla's beaches.
In 2021 Max Garling is still a resident of Cronulla, in The Shire and can be often spotted in and around Cronulla's beaches.
Cronulla Surf Design
Founded by Mark Aprilovic
Marked started out as an exclusive dealer for Nat Young Surf Designs
1st location: Cnr Ocean Grove Avenue & Cronulla Street, Cronulla2nd location: 19 Beach Park Avenue, Cronulla
3rd location: 8 Cronulla Street, Cronulla - current location
Mark sold his interests Cronulla Surf Design in 2010 to concentrate on his Surf School business. Mark started coaching in 1981, and founded the Cronulla Surf School in 1994.
Even older Surf Shops in Cronulla were...
Dee Why Surf Shop
In the '60s - located on Gerrale Street opposite Cronulla Beach Park
Part of the Dee Why Surf Shop chain
Shop Manager for a long time was Darryl Sykes - a tall, long-haired, ex-Kiwi knee-boarder that surfed Cronulla Point. Also shaped at McGrigor Surfboards in Brookvale.
The shop retailed the exquisite Midget Farrelly Surfboards
At one stage the Dee Why Surf Shop Cronulla sold more denim jeans than other retail clothing store in The ShireThe Cronulla Surfboarder
In the mid-'60s - located at 99 Gerrale Street
Possibly was Cronulla's first retail Surf Shop.
[opposite Cronulla RSL] now the Little Italy Restaurant.
Commonly just called the 'Cronulla stor-a board'
A Stor-a-board was where you could store your surfboard for .60¢ per week or $2.00 per month [1966 rates]. Was open from 6:00am to 6:00pm - 7 days per week. Established and run by Cronulla identity and surfer, Alex McDonald. Alex was one of Cronulla's surfing administrators and worked on the early Bobby Brown contests in the late sixties. He was the administrative force behind the once powerful St George Boardriders Club. One of Alex's major triumphs was the organisation of the first ever professional surfing event, the Forresters Beach Invitational on the Central Coast in 1970. At the age of 56, Alex was tragically killed in an explosion at the Shell Oil refinery in Kurnell in 1980.
Gordon Woods Surf Shop
In the '60s - located in the Beach Park Arcade [adjacent to Munro Park]
Run by big Darryl Eastlake [of Channel 9 sports-casting fame]
Big Darryl did the first radio Southside surf reports live from this shop for Surfing World magazine publisher, Bob Evans, on Sydney's 2UW on the AM band [before we even had FM radio].
Windensea Sea Surf Shop
In the '70s - was located down near Cronulla Golf Club at 57 Elouera Road
Owned & run by big Gary Brosner
Late in the '70s, Gary retired to Qld's Gold Coast
Windensea also manufactured surfing accessories
Leg ropes, board -covers, wax, etc
This site later became the Triple Bull Surf Shop
Saltwater Surf Shop
In the '70s - located in an old converted Church on The Kingsway
[next door to the Cronulla Police Station]
Owned & Run by Dennis Kitchener
Dennis now runs a Golf driving range down south
Saltwater also manufactured surfing accessories
Leg ropes, board -covers, wax, etc
They sponsored WSL Cronulla semi-local - Peter Townend [1976 World Champion]
Gordon & Smith Surf Shop
In the '70s - located at 9-11 The Kingsway, Cronulla
Retail outlet for G&S factory on Captain Cook Drive in Caringbah
At one time operated and run by Surf Photographer Peter Simons
Peter also ran the G&S Bulli surf shop in the mid-seventies
Peter Simons has resided in Mollymook for the last 20 years
In their hey-days G&S also had company owned and run their own retail surf shops in Bulli, Bondi, Parramatta & Liverpool
G&S Australia still available at: Gordon and Smith Surfboards
Shark Island Surf Shop
In the mid to late '80s - Beach Park Arcade
Owned by Cronulla Point surfer- the late Geoff Solness
Retail outlet for Geoff's Shark Island Design Surfboards
Emerald Body Board Shop #1
The original Emerald Body Board Shop
In the '80s - was located in the Beach Park Arcade
One of the first people to see the coming advance of body board era
Owned by Arnold & Kathy CohenOne of the first people to see the coming advance of body board era
Jim Banks Surf Shop
Opened March 1982
Location: 88 Cronulla Street
Owned & Operated by Cronulla-based Pro Surfer, Jim Banks
Jim imported back unique items from his world Pro Tour travels for his shop
He was the first to retail the very hip Stussy branded clothes
When Jim moved out - his old shop became the Hazards Bikini Boutique
Still regarded a one-time, true, born and bred Cronulla legend, Jim Banks lives on the far North Coast where these days he makes high-end custom surfboards & guitars and custom amps for guitars. Jim still consistently travels the world in search of perfect barrels in remote and exotic locations.
To check Jim's website click here: Jim Banks SurfAloha Surf Shop
In the 2000s - located on Cronulla Street
Former Pro Surfer Gary Green was the Retail Manager
Gary Green is now the Retail showroom Manager at Jackson Surfboards in Caringbah
Aloha still available - check their website at: Aloha Surfboards
Unknown name [?]
Surf Shop
Endeavour Arcade
The Kingsway, Cronulla
Short-lived; closed mid '79.
Cronulla Surf Shop
7 Beach Park Avenue, Cronulla
From Ace Surfboards ad in Surfing World magazine 1971
Run by Wes King from about '70 to '76.
*************************************************************************
Cronulla Surf Shop Information wanted:
Did you work in one of these shops? Where you a regular customer at one of the shops. Can you contribute some information or do you have some old stories, memories or history for us that you would like to share? If anyone has more Cronulla surf shop information or stories - I would love to hear from you. Any photos to accompany the info would also be greatly appreciated.
7 Beach Park Avenue, Cronulla
From Ace Surfboards ad in Surfing World magazine 1971
Run by Wes King from about '70 to '76.
*************************************************************************
Cronulla Surf Shop Information wanted:
Did you work in one of these shops? Where you a regular customer at one of the shops. Can you contribute some information or do you have some old stories, memories or history for us that you would like to share? If anyone has more Cronulla surf shop information or stories - I would love to hear from you. Any photos to accompany the info would also be greatly appreciated.
Steve Core
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