Nichols Surf Shop

Serving New Smyrna Beach Surfers

since 1969

THE FOUNDERS

Dan & Dave Nichols

Founded in 1969 by brothers Dan & Dave Nichols, Nichols Surf Shop has been in New Smyrna Beach since 1974.

Nichols is New Smyrna’s oldest Surf Shop, with the original  building, when Nichols was located on Flagler Ave,  being a historical landmark, originally built in 1910.

After working at Nichols for over 16 years, present owner, Chuck Carter, took over the shop in 1996.

Dave Nichols

Dave was raised in Titusville, Florida on the Nichols’ Chicken Farm & Florida Fruit Stand. The second oldest of 4 brothers, and growing up in the Florida lifestyle, Dave had to get into the ocean and start surfing.

After years of driving up to New Smyrna Beach to surf, and to deliver surfboards that his brother Dan had been making since the 60’s,  the brothers decided to open Nichols’ Surf Shop on Flagler Ave. They lived in the backroom of the shop, with daily access to the waves. This backroom was a popular crash pad for other surfers in NSB.

Dave Nichols has always been an innovator in the Surf Industry. As a “Water Man”; Surfing, Wind-Surfing, Flying Stunt Kites, Sand Sailing, Hobie Cat Sailing, Frisbee champ, etc. Dave was fully living the Ocean Life.

He was the first to start a Surf School in NSB, running the City Rec Center “Summer Surf Program”.

Dave has been immersed in the surfing world and has seen ther evolution of surf boards and surf life.

Dan Nichols

Making his first surfboards at the family Chicken Farm, you could get a feather in your glass job on your surf board.

In the 70’s Dan began putting a Buffalo Head  Nickels under the fiberglass of each surfboard he made.

Dan moved to Hawaii in 1974 to make Boards with some of his shaping heros. He was also in search of the perfect wave. He also found, in Hawaii, his perfect woman, and married her. Lucky for him, she was also a nurse, if he got hurt on the big waves.

Like his brother Dave, Dan has many interests. He has owned a Coffee Plantation, he is a Plumber, he manufactures Surfboards & Bodyboards, and now he is raising Bees for Honey!