The Northern Light surfshop in Bodega, CA has got to be one of the most soulful sights on this coast. At one time a popular town-brothel, this eclectic building has been serving the Northern California surfing community with all of its water-related needs for over 25 years now! Whereas many surfshops specialize in clothing retail while lacking on surf gear, the Northern Light shop does not. Sure, they have a great variety of clothing, jewelry, books, DVDs, and sunglasses, but what makes this shop so great is its dedication to surfing. This shop is tailor-made for surfing addicts like you and me!
Owner, Nick Marlow, decided to open the shop at age 18 – at that time the shop was only 200 square feet. Since then Nick has pushed out the walls, expanding the space and adding the best team members to the shop. Shop manager, Sarah Molica, has got to be one of the sweetest souls in this state – if you’re having a bad day and don’t need any surf gear, just go in the shop and talk to Sarah – her vibrant personality is infectious. You're welcome.
As a local surfer, I think the best thing about this shop is Ed Barbera. If you’re unfamiliar with Ed, allow me to introduce him to you. Mr. Barbera is a master craftsman of the art known as surfboard shaping. His resume includes shaping for labels such as Town and Country, Dick Brewer, Al Merrick, and Bryne to name a few – Ed has a history of shaping boards for many of the world’s greatest surfers, such as Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, and Tom Curren. Since January 2007, Ed Barbera has been shaping boards under the Northern Light label. Guess What! You can get a custom crafted stick from this master-shaper for an excellent price! Just contact the shop for questions or to place an order.
(707) 876-3032 or check out their website at www.northernlightsurf.com
