History of Sunshine House Surf Shop

One of the longest conflicts in American history, the Vietnam war was in full force by the mid-1960s. Many young men and women saw their friends and family being drafted to fight a war in a foreign land. Anti-war protests raged all across our country. Surfing became a way to rebel against the US establishment and the war.

When surfing first came to Maryland there weren’t any surf shops. Many surfers had to build and shape their own boards. Jimmy Finigan and C.V. Roberts saw a need and turned their passion for surfing into a business. They first opened Bethesda Surf Shop at 7700 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD. The shop would later move to Cordell Ave.

Surfing was synonymous with counterculture and rebellion in the 1960s and 1970s. The Vietnam war was raging, and many surfers joined anti-war protests in Maryland and around the country. As the shop continues to grow, Finigan and Roberts open Enterprise II Surf Shop at 406 S Philadelphia Ave, Ocean City, MD.
According to an article on gooceancity.guide, surfing was a problem for many locals. “Despite surfing’s growth in popularity, not everyone in Ocean City embraced the surfing culture and lifestyle. Surfers were generally looked at as “hippies” and unproductive members of society, creating some tension between them and city officials and local business owners

Finigan and Roberts open the first Sunshine House Surf Shop on 63rd St and Coastal Hwy, Ocean City, MD. As the shop continues to grow, it becomes a cornerstone of the local surfing community and an important part of Ocean City, MD’s history. Many local surfers and skaters were drawn to the shop, and it became one of the coolest local hang-outs in downtown Ocean City.

In the 1970s, surfing and skating became a cultural touchstone for many who wanted to rebel against the establishment. Sunshine House Surf Shop became known for it’s iconic “Surf Warrior” long-sleeved T-Shirts. Every cool kid in Ocean City wanted one of these mythical shirts.

Tensions between local surfers and city officials were high, and the Sunshine House represented a respite for many local kids. As the business grew, the shop became infamous for its “Surf Naked” shirts, which were actually banned in some schools.

The shop continued to grow in popularity during the 70s, 80s, and 90s, so Sunshine House opened shops in Gaithersburg, Glen Burnie and Fairfax, Virginia.

The US enters the Gulf War in Saudi Arabia. Surfing and Skateboarding were still highly popular when Jimmy Finigan sold the Sunshine House, Ocean City, to the owners of the Kite Loft. Not much is known about the shop during this time.

(approx.) – Much to the dismay of the local Ocean City, MD community and surfers everywhere, the Sunshine House was closed. To this day, locals remember Sunshine House with fondness and a sense of nostalgia.

Sunshine House Closes its very last store in Ocean City.

We purchased the trademark rights from K-Coast Surf Shop, Ocean City. We were thrilled to find some of the original Sunshine House shirts and artwork, so we lovingly recreated them and began selling them in our online store.

Our goal is to produce all original artwork from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, as well as some modern twist and style. We now have over 40+ designs!