The final hurrah for the physical retail store of Third Coast Paddling happens next week, but your kayaking and paddle-boarding opportunities will remain very much alive in Michigan’s Great Southwest thanks to Third Coast Surf Shop and its ancillary adventure sites in the region.
The Third Coast Paddling retail store, located at 241 E. Main Street in downtown Benton Harbor, will hold a store closing sale from 11am to 5pm on Friday, March 23rd; Saturday, March 24th; and Sunday, March 25th, and then it will be closed for good.
The final liquidation sale will feature wholesale pricing on kayaks and stand-up paddleboards from Hobie, Perception, and Wilderness Systems, along with paddles, life jackets, and other accessories. A complete list of available items and pricing can be found on Third Coast Paddling’s Facebook page(https://www.facebook.com/ThirdCoastPaddling/) under the events tab.
Ryan Gerard is President of the Third Coast family of enterprises. He tells us, “In the two years we’ve had the Third Coast Paddling retail store, sales have been solid and continuing to grow,” and adds, “However, we’re excited to simplify and focus on the parts of our business we love the most – the Third Coast Surf Shop brick-and-mortar locations in St. Joseph and New Buffalo, our increasing e-commerce business, and our Third Coast Paddling kayak and paddleboard rental sites.”
Gerard says the Third Coast Paddling staff is looking forward to turning their attention from the retail store to the rental sites in Benton Harbor and New Buffalo, which will re-open in May.
The fresh-water surf specialists says, “Although we’re closing the Third Coast Paddling retail store, we’ll be more active than ever in the local paddling community through our hourly kayak and paddleboard rentals, outings for corporate groups, and special events like the Paw Paw Pub Paddle with North Pier Brewing Company and the Livery.” He adds, “Our crew is already preparing to give our customers a great experience on the water next season.”
The Third Coast Paddling retail store building, located at 241 E. Main Street in Benton Harbor, is available for sale or lease. For more information on those opportunities you can contact Tom Angelo of Coldwell Banker Anchor Real Estate at 269-921-1542.
Third Coast Surf Shop was started by Ryan Gerard in 2005 with a simple mission: to spread the joy of the surfing lifestyle through the Great Lakes and beyond. The first shop opened in New Buffalo in April 2005, followed in April 2011 by the addition of the St Joseph store, which is now Third Coast Surf Shop’s flagship location.
The first surf shop of its kind in the Midwest, Third Coast Surf Shop has been featured in national media, including The CBS Early Show, NBC’s The Today Show, The Weather Channel, Newsweek, The New York Times, and National Public Radio.
Third Coast Surf Shop serves the Great Lakes surfing community with more than 60 in-stock surfboards, wetsuits designed for year-round lake surfing, and accessories, plus services such as surfing lessons, board rentals, and kids’ beach day camps. Customers can also find gear for skateboarding, skimboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, and sandboarding. Along with hard goods, the shops carry clothing and accessories from brands such as Patagonia, Quiksilver, Roxy, TOMS, Vans, Ray-Ban, and Oakley, plus surfing- and Great Lakes-themed merchandise.
For more information about Third Coast Surf Shop, visit www.thirdcoastsurfshop.com or call 269-932-4575.
