If you've ever thought about owning your own business, then you understand the hardest part is figuring out what void needs to be filled and then capitalizing on it. In the case of Swell Stuff it's about location, community involvement, and knowing that no one likes a ripped wetsuit in the dead of winter! In the heart of Leucadia sits a homegrown surf shop where everything inside is local and community based. Started by Lisa Hetman 3 years ago, it was a long and winding road to get the idea to fruition. Lisa grew up in Minnesota and then worked in the fashion industry in New York City. Deciding the rat race wasn't for her, she moved out west to San Francisco so she could combine her love of surfing and fashion. By chance, she followed a friend to Leucadia and decided north county was the place to settle down. It took awhile to get the exact location she wanted at 1114 North Coast Highway 101 in Leucadia but it's paid off as Lisa can bike to work and has a studio in back where she makes various products for her shop like beanies, board bags, and the Cinch Sac- a unique wetsuit bag and changing mat.
Up front is where you can drop off your wetsuit to get repaired in just a few short days. Lisa's commitment to quality and customer service has earned her loyal customers from San Diego to San Francisco. Yes, San Fran- you can actually ship her suits to be fixed if you can't stop by and drop them off. Amazingly, Lisa's most popular marketing techniques are word of mouth referrals and people coming across the shop on the internet. If you Google 'wetsuit repair' Swell Stuff is the 4th name you'll find. Not bad for a little shop out of funky Leucadia. Lisa has two employees, Denise and Ale, who help run the shop as well organize community gatherings during the Leucadia Nights and LeucadiART Walk events as well as their own 'board swaps'. So if you're tired of having your wetsuit trickle in water during those cold early morning winter sessions, make sure to stop by Swell Stuff, get your suit fixed, grab some goods, and talk a little surf while your at it with Lisa and the crew.
