Ron Jon Surf Shop: History, Locations & World’s Largest Store

Pull up to any beach town from Long Beach Island to Cocoa Beach and someone will point you toward the same neon sign. Ron Jon Surf Shop has been a fixture of American surf culture since 1959—not just a store, but a destination that generations of beachgoers have treated as part of the vacation. Whether you’re hunting for boardshorts, a shaka-sign mug, or just want to wander through what claims to be the world’s largest surf shop, the question most visitors ask is simple: what’s the story behind this place?

Founded: 1959 · Founder: Ron DiMenna · Flagship Size: 52,000 sq ft · Original Location: Ship Bottom, New Jersey · Biggest Store: Cocoa Beach, Florida

Ron Jon Surf Shop spans multiple states and international locations, with the key facts summarized below.

Why is Ron Jon Surf Shop so famous?

Ron Jon Surf Shop earned its reputation the old-fashioned way: showing up, staying open, and becoming part of the beach town fabric. What started as a young surf enthusiast selling boards from his father’s grocery store grew into a name that appears in surf movies, vacation itineraries, and roadside photos from Maine to Mexico.

Founder story

Ron DiMenna was a 19-year-old with a surfboard and a vision in 1959 when he started selling surfboards out of his father’s grocery store on Long Beach Island, New Jersey. He wasn’t content to simply ride the waves — he wanted to bring surfing to the masses. According to Ron Jon Surf Shop Official History, that entrepreneurial spark set the foundation for what would become an empire.

Growth milestones

By 1961, DiMenna opened what the company calls its “Original” store on Long Beach Island. The timing coincided perfectly with the surf culture boom of the 1960s, fueled by films like Gidget and The Endless Summer. As American Surf Magazine notes, the expansion to Cocoa Beach in 1963 rode that wave of popularity directly into Florida’s growing beach scene.

Cultural icon status

The Ron Jon logo has remained virtually unchanged since it was crafted over 65 years ago and is recognized worldwide. The company’s official history describes the brand as “family-friendly” and “a must-stop for beach vacations for generations.” The shaka sign — 🤙 — has become synonymous with the laid-back surf lifestyle that Ron Jon embodies.

The implication: Ron Jon’s fame isn’t manufactured through marketing budgets. It accumulated store by store, vacation by vacation, across six decades of beach culture.

Where is the biggest Ron Jon Surf Shop located?

The flagship in Cocoa Beach, Florida holds the title of the world’s largest surf shop, and it’s not close. Spanning over 52,000 square feet across more than two acres, the store at 4151 North Atlantic Avenue sits just a block from the beach and operates 365 days a year.

Cocoa Beach flagship details

The official Ron Jon store page describes the Cocoa Beach location as “One Of A Kind” — a label the company has used for over 50 years. The store encompasses surfwear, boardshorts, bikinis, tees, flip-flops, and just about any beach gear a tourist or local might need. It’s the kind of place where you can easily spend an hour wandering the aisles.

Other key locations

According to Wikipedia, Ron Jon Surf Shop operates 13 stores nationwide as of recent records. Florida dominates the network, with locations in Orlando, Pensacola, Key West, Fort Myers, Panama City Beach, and Clearwater Beach. Beyond Florida, stores operate in Orange Beach, Alabama; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Long Beach Island, New Jersey; and Ocean City, Maryland.

Florida dominance

The company’s headquarters sit in Cocoa Beach, and the expansion strategy clearly prioritized the Sunshine State. Ron Jon Surf Shop Official traces this Florida focus back to the 1963 flagship opening, noting that expansion occurred along the East Coast from New Jersey down through the Florida Keys and Panhandle.

What this means: The Cocoa Beach store isn’t just the biggest — it’s the anchor of a Florida-first strategy that has made the brand as associated with Central Florida beach vacations as Mickey Mouse.

Who is Ron Jon from Surf Shop?

Ron Jon isn’t a stage name or marketing creation — it’s the actual last name of the founder, Ron DiMenna. The “Jon” comes from a long-standing nickname that stuck. According to Ron Jon Surf Shop Official History, DiMenna founded the company in 1959 at age 19, driven by pure passion for surfing rather than business ambition.

Ron DiMenna background

Born and raised near Long Beach Island, New Jersey, DiMenna was a young surf enthusiast who saw an opportunity when surfing was still a niche hobby in the United States. Rather than waiting for surf culture to come to him, he brought surfboards to his father’s grocery store customers and built a business from there.

Ownership history

Michele Goodwin currently serves as president of Ron Jon Surf Shop, according to Wikipedia. The company maintains family ties, though precise current ownership details beyond the DiMenna family aren’t fully disclosed in public records.

Surf shop originator role

DiMenna’s contribution extended beyond selling boards. He helped legitimize surf retail in an era when surf culture was still fighting for mainstream acceptance. The company describes him as “a young surf enthusiast who was not content to simply ride the waves” — and that restlessness drove everything that followed.

The catch: DiMenna’s low public profile means most of the human story behind the brand comes from company materials and third-party accounts rather than extensive direct interviews.

Is Ron Jon Surf Shop closing permanently?

Recent closures have sparked concern among loyal customers, but the situation is more nuanced than a chain-wide collapse. Several individual locations have shut down, but the company continues operating locations across multiple states.

Ocean City announcement

The Ocean City, Maryland location closed after three years of operation, which some sources interpreted as a sign of broader trouble. However, this appears to be an isolated business decision rather than part of a systematic withdrawal.

2026 store closures context

Historical closures include the Orange, California store (closed early 2009) and the Sawgrass Mills, Sunrise, Florida location (closed 2019), per Wikipedia. These closures follow a pattern of evaluating underperforming locations rather than a panicked retreat.

Ongoing operations

The official website continues to list multiple active stores across Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, New Jersey, and Maryland. Ron Jon Surf Shop Official positions the company as an “active beach lifestyle provider” with no indication of scaling back core operations.

The pattern: Ron Jon has closed individual stores over the years while maintaining its core East Coast presence. Each closure reflects market-by-market performance, not an existential crisis.

What is the history of Ron Jon Surf Shop?

The arc of Ron Jon Surf Shop tracks almost perfectly with the mainstreaming of American surfing. From a teenager’s side-hustle in 1959 to a globally recognized brand, the company’s history mirrors surf culture’s journey from fringe sport to vacation staple.

1959 origins

It started in Ship Bottom, New Jersey, when 19-year-old Ron DiMenna began selling surfboards from his father’s grocery store on Long Beach Island. The official company history describes him as “a young surf enthusiast who was not content to simply ride the waves.” Within two years, he opened the “Original” store on Long Beach Island in 1961.

Expansion timeline

The Cocoa Beach move in 1963 proved transformative. As Florida’s beach culture expanded through the 1960s and 1970s, Ron Jon positioned itself at the epicenter. Ron Jon Surf Shop Official traces how the company grew from a single shop to a multi-state chain, with stores following vacationers along the East Coast.

Surf culture ties

The shaka sign (🤙) has become the company’s unofficial mascot — a gesture of relaxed greeting that perfectly captures the brand’s beach-bum positioning. The logo’s consistency over 65+ years reflects surf culture’s love of authenticity and visual tradition.

The trade-off: As the brand grew more commercial, some surf purists may have viewed it as more tourist destination than surf shop. But for millions of families, that accessibility is exactly the point.

Timeline

Key milestones in Ron Jon Surf Shop’s growth from a New Jersey surf shack to global surf retail destination.

Confirmed vs. Unclear

What people are saying

Ron DiMenna founded the now famous Ron Jon Surf Shop over 65 years ago in 1959. A young surf enthusiast who was not content to simply ride the waves.

— Ron Jon Surf Shop Official History

With more than 60 years of excellence, Ron Jon Surf Shop truly is a one-of-a-kind — and something every surfer and tourist alike should experience.

— American Surf Magazine

The story of Ron Jon Surf Shop began in 1959 when a young surf enthusiast in Long Beach Island, New Jersey named Ron DiMenna wanted to bring his passion for surfing to the masses.

— Surf Culture Documentary

Summary

Ron Jon Surf Shop built its name on persistence, timing, and becoming synonymous with the American beach vacation. From a 19-year-old’s surfboard side-hustle in 1959 to the world’s largest surf shop in Cocoa Beach, the company’s story tracks closely with surf culture’s rise from fringe sport to mainstream lifestyle. Recent store closures in Orange, California and Sawgrass Mills, Florida reflect normal retail churn rather than systemic decline. For travelers heading to Florida’s Space Coast, the Cocoa Beach flagship at 52,000 square feet remains a destination in its own right — part surf shop, part beach town institution.

Related reading: Tampa locations · store locator

Frequently asked questions