Sleeping Bear Surf updates look, holds same dedication to the water

By Ross Boissoneau

Sun contributor

When Sleeping Bear Surf opened its doors in Empire in 2004 (then called Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak), it was billed as the state’s first surf shop. Today it still stakes its claim as the state’s only full-service surf shop, serving as a hub for Great Lakes surfing and general water merriment, with sales, rentals and classes.

And with a 20-plus year history, manager Ella Skrocki decided it was time for a reset. “As I choose the state of evolution, it felt like I needed some new energy,” she says.

The family’s story and that of the surf shop started decades ago. Skrocki’s grandparents, Jack and Muzzy Lewis, had a cottage on the shore of Lake Michigan at the base of the dune. It was grandfathered in when the National Park was created. “It’s an incredible gift,” Skrocki says.

They spent summers there but lived downstate. Skrocki, the oldest of three, and her parents spent her first few years in Chelsea. Her mom and dad, Beryl and Frank, looked into ways to relocate to the area. “They tried to figure out how the heck to get back up to their parents.”

It was the birth of her sister Annabel that catalyzed their dream. “When my sister was born, our house was too small. We had to move,” she explains. So, with the decision made to move, her mom Beryl decided they should share their love of Lake Michigan – by opening a freshwater a surf shop.

A crazy idea? No crazier than also deciding to build a new home at the same time. They ended up finishing construction on their Empire home and opening Sleeping Bear Surf and Kayak the same day.

Back then, the idea of a business catering to water-lovers was not far-fetched. But a surf shop? Turns out they knew what they were doing. They were amazed, not at the fact the business was successful, but that nobody else had thought of it.

“My parents were flabbergasted (when) they were the only ones out enjoying the lake,” says Skrocki. “We needed to share.” That philosophy encapsulates the goal of the business. “The mission of the shop is to connect all people with the lake.”

Skrocki’s mother Beryl passed away in October 2022. She was known as the heart of the surf shop. When asked how the family is continuing Beryl’s legacy, Ella says her mother is completely irreplaceable. “When she passed our foundation was rocked. She was the foundation, the heart and soul. My sister and I worked with her, kept the business alive.”

When Annabel left for the West Coast, it was up to Ella to keep the shop running. And after 22 years of operation, she felt it was time for a reset. “I lost my dog in March – additional loss on top of pre-existing grief,” she says.

To embrace the changes, she opted for a new color scheme and focused on their own curated goods, as well as rentals, lessons, classes and camps. New this, new that, but still with the same goal: to help people get in and enjoy the water. “It felt symbolic like cutting one’s hair,” she says of the renovation. “It’s a fresh start.”

She brightened the interior with a coat of white paint, added new product lines and discontinued some old ones. Spaces were opened up, but it’s still a collection of smaller spaces, all the better to explore in.

“I’m putting my twist on the business,” she says. “We’ve had so many renditions of the shop. We’re moving into lifestyle clothing, bringing in more apparel.” That includes their own curated products. “People want to represent what we stand for. We’ve had a ton of fun curating our goods.”

Limited edition shirts, hoodies and pants, hats and blankets, tumblers and playing cards and skateboards are among the many items on display. Oh, don’t forget the stand-up paddleboards, foils, surfboards, sarongs, prints – it’s a lengthy list. And the new displays, art and airiness of the store make it more inviting than ever.

Though Ella is now the only Skrocki on site, Sleeping Bear Surf is still a family business. Since her father Frank’s retirement from the world of environmental treatment, he has helped with accounting and bookkeeping. “He’s still the primary owner. I’m the owner in training,” Skrocki says with a laugh.

While the shop’s new look is indeed brighter and lighter, its core business remains service, both from a retail aspect and offering lessons and classes. “We wanted to make the retail space a launching place for our offerings,” Skrocki says. That includes surf classes and the Junior Waterman Camp.

The store is open 11-7 Monday through Saturday and 12 to 3 Sundays. “We’re bringing back Sundays for the first time in six years,” she says. The in-store crew is lean – just Skrocki and two employees, Kelly Andrus and Nick Schneider. Others assist with the classes.

Though she’s been gone four years, Beryl’s influence remains. Among the many photos displayed in the shop are several of her smiling while cavorting in or near the water. Her elder daughter is determined to carry on and share the family’s love of life and the lakes with others, one board and one swimsuit at a time.