Step into Harbour Surfboards and you step into surfing history, from the classic surfboards hanging from the ceiling to the photos of the store’s humble beginnings that decorate the walls mixed with black-and-white images from the Harbour surf team’s golden era which included such greats as Jock Sutherland, Richard Chew and Corky Carroll.
Behind a narrow hallway lies the store’s beating heart, the shaping room, where the legacy and the significance of the handmade surfboard is kept alive. Handmade isn’t just a notable attribute for the prestigious Harbour surfboard, it’s a philosophy—one that founder Rich Harbour, now retired, has long believed in since the time he crafted his first board at age 16.
Celebrating its 60-year anniversary, the store, located on Main St. in Seal Beach, still attracts loyal fans and surf aficionados from around the world seeking to buy hand-shaped boards and gear with the classic Harbour Surfboards pyramid logo dating back to its inception. It’s not unusual for regulars to refer to the shop as their “church,” one so revered that it is the subject of an upcoming documentary, “The Harbour Chronicles.”
The fact that each Harbour surfboard is hand-shaped speaks to a commitment Harbour made to his fellow surfers in 1959. It was that year when a prized surfboard of his was stolen from his parents’ garage, forcing him to shape a replacement. That board turned out so well that soon other surfers were requesting their own. There were so many requests that Harbour had to transform his parent’s garage into a shaping room.
It wasn’t long until Harbour’s boards were gracing the pages of Surfer Magazine underneath the feet of some of the era’s most respected surfers and helping to change the history of surfing in Southern California with his exclusive designs and competitive teams.
History was shaped here.
It still is.
Over the past 60 years, the store has developed deep roots into the community as well as the sport. The brand is so widely acclaimed and respected that its logo is globally recognizable.
With his commitment to surf culture, Rich Harbour believed every surfboard should be hand-shaped in-house. “We feel it is important to be as authentic as possible to the craft of making surfboards,” said Melissa Hennessy, Harbour’s daughter. “We don’t want to mass produce our boards.”
Harbour Surfboards has withstood the changing times of the surf industry and been involved in every era of its evolution. From heavyweight longboards that surfaced during the initial surf craze of the ’60s, to rocket quick and agile shortboards that took over the sport in the 70s, right down to the mixture of today’s designs. Known for their durability and sleek Southern California design, Harbour surfboards range in price from $700 to $5,000, depending on the customization preferences.
“When I was 14-years-old, I was hanging around and surfing in contests,” said shaper Kurt Augsburger. “At 15, I started boxing boards for shipping, that was my first job here. Then I worked my way up, including sweeping the floor.” Now 66 years-old, Augsburger, who started shaping at 20, dedicates his time to shaping Harbour’s surfboard designs three days out of the week and has no plans to stop. “You get dusty, you don’t get a lot of accolades. Most of us do it because we love it. Not for the money. It’s a lifestyle.”
Nestled on Main St. in Seal Beach, Harbour Surfboards has handcrafted more than 32,000 surfboards in-house, some of which have graced the cover of Surfer Magazine alongside some of the biggest names in the surf industry.
Harbour is more than a shop, it’s a home, always welcoming people to stop by throughout the day, the majority being those in some way associated to Rich Harbour’s surf team or shop since its opening. “It’s also a clubhouse here,” said Melissa Hennessy, Rich Harbour’s daughter who now oversees the store’s operations from the same surf memorabilia covered office that her father once did. “We have people all day long coming in and out. That’s what’s really special about this place.”
Celebrating 60 years of success, Harbour Surfboards is praised for its contribution to the sport and long-lasting boards. Surfers like Trevor Downs have celebrated the brand with an annual Harbour Day for the past 17 years. The day takes place every November, welcoming all Harbour Surfboard owners to celebrate the shop for a beach day filled with prizes, food and, of course, surfing.
Harbour Surfboards is located at 329 Main St., Seal Beach. For more information, click here.