Morgan Smith is a 19-year-old Newhaven resident who opened Surf n Skate in West Quay, Newhaven last year. The store is the only surf and skate shop in a ten-mile radius and is located right next to the skate park. The Newhaven Pump Track which was designed by the London 2012 Olympic BMX track, opened in July 2019 and has proved popular with skaters in the area.
We asked Morgan some questions to give us some insight into her business:
Tell us about your business and what you sell:
We are a family run business. Our passion is surfing and skating so we thought combining both could be an asset to not only surfers and skaters but to the whole community in Newhaven.
Why did you decide to open a shop?
Being around surfers and skaters a lot of the time, we always discussed how hard it is to buy anything related to surfing or skating, whether it was wax or skating hardware, because you would have to go all the way to Brighton or Eastbourne. I just felt that having something in the middle could be really beneficial.
What do you love about where you’re based? Any hidden gems that visitors should try?
We love being based along the harbour, not only is the view from the shop amazing but we are right opposite the skatepark and the amazing pump track.
What are your best sellers/favourite products in the shop at the moment?
Our Hueys Choice surf wax (from Australia) and The Drawing Boards’ decks (another local business from Brighton) have been flying off the shelf. Additionally, our t-shirts and hoodies always do really well.
Do you have any future plans for the business?
We plan on continuing to work as hard as we can to provide for the surfers and skaters of Sussex.
Surf n Skate is open seven days a week, 12-5pm on weekdays, 10am-6pm on Saturdays, and 12-3pm on Sundays. For more information visit the Surf n Skate Facebook page.