We got the chance to chat with Kayla, the co-owner of WSMS, a surf shop located here in town!

WSMS Surf Stop, Where Salt Meets Soul, small surf boutique located in St. Augustine Beach- we joked we were too small to be a Surf "Shop" when we were first opening and that we were more of a "Stop" in and the name just stuck. We have over 20-30 local artists. We have a vintage/second hand nook in the back of our space.

You can support our business person at the WSMS Surf Stop or online - also via social media on Instagram and Facebook

WSMS_SoftOpen_April5th2019_ToriRayPhotography_16 copy 2.jpg

“Our mission is to design, develop, serve and inspire our community through our unique products. We hope to show all the many ways we have to access our oceans’ existence. As a brand, we strive to celebrate the soulful appreciation of surfing and the community it represents. To share the stoke while promoting whatever vessel it may take to have a more connected experience.

We seek to celebrate our community as well as the individual, showing surfing as the purest way to connect to nature and utilizing this as an outlet for self-expression. Our core values support the idea that community promotes unity and we aim to inspire the next generation of surfers and soul searchers.
”

WSMS_SoftOpen_April5th2019_ToriRayPhotography_22 (2).jpg

Tell us about yourself! What made you want to start your business?

We are a tight-knit surf family- our Dad has worked in the surf industry as a sales rep our whole lives and introduced us to this awesome world and culture. The shop and brand is a childhood dream come true for my brother and me. When asked in kindergarten what I wanted to do when I grew up, I got up and told my class that I was moving to St. Augustine- going to Flagler College- and opening a surf shop :) I have always dreamed of creating a space that not only supports our local community and creatives but helps preserve (and revive) the soul of the surf culture. My brother has always wanted to create a brand and surf programs to help nurture the groms/youth of tomorrow. We are owner-operated and love every minute of it.

Tell us about your space!

Our shop is located in St. Augustine beach on the corner of F street. Every day is a new and unique day for us! Sometimes we get all our awesome local regulars in, sometimes we get to meet all sorts of new visitors and our favorite part of our day is getting to hear everyone's unique stories. For me, I get to wear all sorts of hats in one day including- store manager, customer service, merchandiser, graphic designer, social media, buyer, accounts payable, and HR.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since starting Where Salt Meets Soul?

People over profit and balance! Also, being a family business brings its own set of challenges- but at the end of the day our family always comes first and we’ve figured out what works best for us as partners.

What kind of challenges have you had to overcome as a small business owner? How has COVID-19 affected your business?

The main challenge we have had being a small business is finding enough time to do it all while keeping a good business/personal life balance. We still struggle with that daily because we are truly owner operated. We hope to add more team members as we grow to help elevate some of that.

Covid has definitely been a struggle- we were closed for about 3 months March-end of May. But! It made us come together as a family, put our heads together, and just adjust. We offered curbside pickup and free local delivery Monday-Friday and the local community really showed up for us- we felt the love and support every day. When we re-opened we had to be very strict about touching and trying on, but over the last few months, we have found ways to help keep our space safe and clean but also allow our customers to fully enjoy and explore what we have to offer.

Covid has also made it very challenging to get physical goods- the surf industry as a whole has been impacted hard. Hard goods like surfboard materials, leashes, and pads to softgoods like tee and sweatshirt blanks have been challenging to find. But even though it's been challenging to be a small business in the time of Covid, it has also been a blessing we are as small as we are because it's allowed us to get creative and not be worried about not paying or furloughing employees and we can make the quick adjustments we need daily.

What are your goals for the new year?

We have dreams of expansion and hope this year will bring new opportunities for our sweet little stop. We are also super excited to be apart of the OCLU and STAUG Boardriders clubs as well as helping start a local non-profit (One Wave at a Time) that will aim to help bring the joy of surfing to under-resourced and underprivileged kids.

What are you inspired by lately?

Our STA community and all the incredible local creatives that reside here.

Any advice for people looking to start their own business?

First figure our what you’re passionate about, then read “You are a Badass” by Jen Sincero and go for it! Start small within your community.

What is your creative process? Do you start with an idea in mind? Do things happen more organically?

For our WSMS clothing, we hand draw all designs first and then I’ll turn it into a vectored design for screen-printing. We decide on all designs as a team- usually hopped up on Kookabura coffee. For board designs, Alec and our dad will design the boards and get a demo shaped (we work with 2 super rad shapers, Ken White Locally and Bruce Ragan out of Cocoa Beach). They will test the boards during a swell or 2 and make the tweaks necessary. Some designs take over a year to perfect! We currently offer a handful of our private label models.