Ho’okupu Surf & Art Gallery + Online store

Ho’okupu in Lawson Street Byron bay is a unique experience that all who love the surfing and coastal lifestyle need to visit at least once. In these days of mass produced pop out boards and clothing it’s refreshing to find a surf shop that’s devoted to the love and culture of surfing and the coastal lifestyle. I mean let’s get real here folks we all know what’s happened to so many modern surf shops these days. They seem to be more like giant clothing warehouses popped out of the modern surf shop mould. You find similar clothes, wetsuits and a smattering of boards imported from Taiwan or wherever in so many of these (from the mould) surf shops. Ho’okupu is most definitely not one of those places.

When you stroll into Ho’okupu you enter a parallel universe where surf shops exist to entertain you with beautiful art work, stunning photography and prints. A place where they have surfboards that have been hand shaped and glassed by master craftsmen and rare, high quality apparel and wetsuits. You can actually get clothing here where you can look mighty smooth, yet don’t have to look like another surf shop fashion victim. There’s DVD’s both well known and some quite hard to find, stickers, prints, groovy bits of surfing memorabilia, coastal style home wares for up on the mantel piece. But above all these joyous quality surf culture goodies is this; when you pop into Ho’okupu you’ll find service.

Ho’okupu is a family owned and operated business. The proprietors are Christine Campeau and her partner of ten years Josh Wheatley; these two live and breathe Ho’okupu. Josh tends to be more the public Face of the company while Christine spends most of her time doing that behind the scenes work. Those long and often thankless hours needed to keep the foundations of any good business sound and solid. Josh is long time surf and coastal culture aficionado, and a pretty damned good surfer as well. The folks at Ho’okupu in Byron are also experienced surfers and they fully understand the required passion for this business. There’s Christine and Josh a few days a week each of course. Plus Sandy, an accomplished local surfer in her own right, and Damian another local surfer and published photographer. These guys all understand the passion for the quality of product you find in Ho’okupu. There’s more to the Ho’okupu story than the shop, sure the shop is a joy to visit. But Ho’okupu is also a printing business and an online shopping portal which is available to you 24/7 anywhere in the world. Not only can you buy online all that’s in the shop but you can also order prints and artwork as well.

Ho’okupu is all about a sense of spirit, Aloha if you will. It’s a business dedicated to originality, quality, beauty and coastal culture. You’ll find boards shaped by Donald Takyama and Dick Van Straalen. Clothing by Deus Ex Machina and Hinanno Tahiti to mention just a few, there’s also Honolua, Golden Breed, and Morning of the earth. They have wetsuits from Nine Plus and Imperial, fins by Penne and much, much more. You’ll find photography from David Pu’u, Damian Watts, Jonathon Ware, Hilton Dawe and the surfing historical work of John Pennings. Then there’s the joyously funky artwork of BomBay Tokay and Glen Martin to name but a few.

The simple fact is this; whether you drop into Ho’okupu or browse around the website. If you’re like me, and just love the coastal lifestyle and culture. Then you’ll probably find yourself still in the store or website hours later. Chances are you won’t be able walk out without making a purchase. I’ve been enjoying Ho’okopu for years. I continue to give them my patronage, quite simply because it’s an interesting and enjoyable place to shop. I’m a bloke that’s very fond of originality, quality, style and most of all good service. These are qualities I always find as I enter Ho’okupu In Byron Bay Today.

Simple Pleasures Discount: Just quote the current IBBT Code to receive %10 off all purchases in Ho’okupu including new surfboards and wetsuits. Or place the code in the comments section when placing an order online with the Ho’okupu online store and you’ll receive a free gift with your order.

Ho’okupu Contacts:

Phone 61 2 66858861

Click here for e-mail

http://hookupusurf.com/