Swampscott shop aims to provide total surf experience

SWAMPSCOTT – Surf?s up in Swampscott with a shop dedicated to the surfer lifestyle opening in the next few weeks at 140 Humphrey St., across from King?s Beach.Tim Oviatt, the owner of the Ocean House Surf Shop, said he is trying to provide the entire surf experience year-round, with surfboards and stand up paddleboards available for rent or purchase, and gear such as rash guards, wet suits, beach apparel and bathing suits in-stock.Oviatt said he hopes to bring light to the New England surf scene with this shop, which he says is still very much an underground culture in Massachusetts.?People don?t realize there is surf culture here,” he said. “A lot of New Englanders don?t think this would be a surf location, especially in Massachusetts because there are a lot of hidden surf spots up and down the coast. My goal is to bring that to light that you can actually surf here.”Keeping in the surf lifestyle, the surf shop will have an accompanying Ocean House Cafe, where wave riders can fuel up on organic, locally grown meals loosely based on the Paleo Diet, which focuses on whole foods. Jake Neubacher, who will run the cafe, said the philosophy will be to make the food “as healthy as possible,” with the menu changing in accordance with the local farm production. He said fruit, salads and sandwiches will make up the bulk of the menu.Neubacher said all the packages, from the to-go containers to the coffee cups, will be biodegradable to make it a zero-waste cafe. “Customers will have a clear conscience knowing they are not contributing to any real waste production,” he said.The cafe will also have an espresso bar with seven to 10 drippers and “latte art,” with flowers and other designs drawn in the foam in the drinks.In addition to the merchandise and cafe, Oviatt said the shop will be holding yoga and Pilates classes on King?s Beach and Fisherman?s Beach, and hosting road races. He added that the town has been very supportive in allowing boards to be rented out right from the stand, with hourly, half-day and day-long rates.Oviatt also owns Paddleboard New England in Beverly, but he said the store?s hard-to-spot harbor location will pale in comparison to the high foot-traffic location of 140 Humphrey St. “This new place is a whole other world with brand new construction, huge new windows, and it?s right across from the surfing beach. It?s a night and day difference with the views alone at this place, with the Boston city skyline and the sunset.”Oviatt is hoping to open the shop by the second week in February, with the cafe opening a few weeks later.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].