How is working in a wave pool surf shop different from beach surf shops? You sell more surf park branded merchandise, more surf wax and have a higher through put of customers. Freya Morris of The Wave in Bristol explains.

For three years Freya Morris has been acting retail manager and buyer at the surf shop for The Wave in Bristol. She occupies a truly unique position in the surf industry—she is not only responsible for curating an exciting selection of surf gear but also for shaping the retail experience. As one of the few individuals in the world who holds such a specialized role, Freya offers invaluable insights into the intricacies of buying at an inland surf shop for a diverse clientele. Join us as she shares her journey, the challenges and rewards of her position, and what makes working at a wave pool such an extraordinary experience.

How long have you been here?
I’ve been here for about two and a half, nearly three years. I started at the start of the season a few years ago in March 2021, and then yeah, been here ever since.

What is your job here? What do you do?
I’m the retail manager and buyer. I also work as a duty manager alongside that.

Can you explain each of those job titles?
Yeah. So in the retail role, I’m in charge of the retail space both in the store and next door in the boardroom. I do all the buying there with suppliers, including all of our own branded stuff. I sort that out now. So anything with the wave logo on it goes through me. I work with different suppliers and designers, and I collaborate with graphic designers to create new collections and things like that. I’m also in charge of all the staff uniforms.

How does that work?
We normally just stick with the normal Wave logo, Wavemaker, and then we do like coats, fleeces, jackets, that kind of thing. I also handle the wetsuits for the surf operations next door, along with boots, gloves, and hardware.

Is this something you learned to do here or did you have previous experience?
Previously, I worked for a clothing company where I handled production, specifically embroidery and printing for apparel. I did that for about two years after university, then started as a retail assistant here. I did that for a year and a bit before taking on the role of retail manager.

So you’ve been doing the retail manager role for two seasons now?
Yes, this is my second season, and I’ve been learning a lot.

What brought your attention to The Wave?
I’m from Bristol anyway, so I live around here. I really like surfing, and I thought it looked like a really cool place to work. I had only been here a few times, and when I saw a retail job open, I applied because I had done retail work growing up. I got the job, and I love the atmosphere here. It’s almost like being by the sea, but you’re not quite by the sea, and you get to go in for work every day.

How do you find items to carry, and do you get samples?
We normally go and see the brands, and they’ll show us everything they have. Sometimes they visit us and bring their products. They give us fins to test for the boardroom so customers can try those out as well. A lot of different brands want to be here because it’s quite a unique space being a surf shop in Bristol. There aren’t really any other surf shops here, although Rip Curl just opened another location.

So what typically sells well in a surf shop?
It depends on the time of year. In the summer season, because the water temperature fluctuates so quickly, wetsuits and board shorts do well. People often get caught out with the water being warmer than they expect. In the summer, we sell a lot of sun cream, board shorts, swimwear, sunglasses, and lots of our own branded items. In the winter, anything to keep you warm sells best, like beanies, socks, jumpers, hoodies, and gloves. We also sell a lot of surf skates, which people love because the area is perfect for it.

What has surprised you and sold better than you anticipated?
I was really surprised by how well wax sells. It’s not a small investment, but I’m constantly having to restock it, which is great. People love The Wave branded stuff and want to take a piece of our wave pool home with them. That’s one of my best sellers all the time.

Looking forward, are there certain brands you want to see in the shop?
Yes, there are certain brands like Sunbum and Pearl that I think would be great to have.

How did you approach that? Did someone come to you?
Some of them were here before I started, like Rip Curl, who partnered with us from the beginning. They help us with all of our wetsuits and rash guards. I think they’re a quintessential surf brand, so it was a no-brainer to have them as a partner.

The Wave started the Little Rippers program. Can you tell me about that?
Yes! The Frankie the Frog mascot is in the works. It’s been designed and is just waiting to get signed off for print. We’re working out the cost of those t-shirts for the kids and whether we’ll do t-shirts and hoodies or just t-shirts. It’s my dream to have a live character and a day job dressing like that.

That would be fun! So you work with one of your wave makers, Ella, on that?
Yes, she’s a lifeguard here and a coach, and she designed Frankie the Frog for us. She also designed all of our Sister Session merchandise. It’s nice to use our wave makers to help design things.

Before we close out, how is buying for a shop at a surf park different from a beach shop or your previous retail experience?
I think the number of customers we get through is quite high compared to a surf shop by the beach. We cater to a wide variety of people, not just surfers. We get families having a day out, people meeting for coffee, and of course, our surf customers. It’s important to make sure we cater to everyone who comes through the door.

Is there anything you wish someone would have told you when you started? Something that would have helped?
Always have plenty of wax on hand! I keep wondering if I can keep enough of it stocked. I wish someone had told me to order it way in advance. Also, surfers can sometimes be willing to spend a lot, but they can also be quite stingy with their spending. It’s important to have the right price ranges.