Written by: Ryan Sarmiento
When you grow up in Malibu there is an instant assumption that you are a surfer. When great waves are walking distance from where you live it’s hard not to be. For life long local, Christian Shubin, this assumption couldn’t be more true. However, Christian doesn’t just fulfill his passion for surfing by simply doing it. He has taken it to the next level by turning his passion into a business, Poseidon Paddle and Surf.
Christian grew up on Point Dume in Malibu after his parents moved there in the 1970’s. He and his family lived on Wildlife Road in the home their father built with his bare hands, essentially right next to the Pacific Ocean. When Christian first went surfing at a young age he fell in love right away. Christian was introduced to surfing by his mother, DeAnne Shubin, who was an original member of the Surfrider First Point crew back in the 1950’s. The surfers at First Point during that time period are considered some of the pioneers of the sport. With such a huge surfing inspiration in his life, it is no wonder why his own passion for the sport blossomed at an early age.
Christian’s love for surfing only grew as he got older and his intrigue for different types of surfing began to grow as the sport continued to evolve over time. He was especially curious about stand up paddle surfing, something he saw Laird Hamilton doing in the early to mid 2000’s. After a few years of seeing Laird paddle his way around the local breaks in Malibu, he decided to give it a try. Once again Christian fell in love with the new way of surfing right away.
Christian’s love for stand up paddling took off like a rocket. Not long after he was introduced to this new water sport, Christian, along with his two good friends, Skylar Peak and Morgan Runyon, decided to do stand up paddle expedition trips, something very few people had done, if ever at all. These expeditions took the three of them to destinations including Vancouver Island, the entire coast of Big Sur, and the Lost Coast of Northern California. These 7 day trips consisted of them paddling from place to place, living off the land and ocean while setting up campsites to sleep at night. They were armed with nothing more than their paddle boards, wetsuits, and a minimal amount of food and supplies. Little did they know they were pioneering long distance paddle trips that continue to grow in popularity to this day. You can see a taste of these journeys in the video below.
The original idea for the shop was to be mainly focused around stand up paddling as opposed to conventional surfing. However, since 2011, the shop has evolved into a full service surf shop. They carrying everything including surfboards (both stand up and traditional), clothing, bathing suits, sandals, and more. One of their specialities includes designing and producing custom US made paddle boards and surfboards from environmentally friendly materials such as Entropy Epoxy Bio-Resin, bamboo, flax and recyclable eps foam with an average of 5-6 week turnaround time. Free board design mock-ups and quotes offered. Also, they strive to make what they can, when they can, here in the USA. All of their woven clothing is designed and screen printed in Malibu, CA and they carry Malibu brands including the popular bikini company, Frankies Bikinis. They are also known very well for their surf lessons where they teach everything from stand up paddling, conventional surfing, safety, surf etiquette, and more.
What really makes Christian’s store special is that it truly embodies who he is as a person and what he is all about. Christian designed the concept of the shop around his own journey in life which is heavily influenced by surfing. As said on his website “They lived and breathed a raw and unadulterated surf culture from their mother and family since their Grom days. The brothers grew older, explored life and found themselves always being pulled back to their Malibu surfing roots. In 2010 Poseidon Surf was formed to pursue their inner passions, making it an homage to their mother, a refuge for their lifestyle, and a reflection of their surfing dreams.” Christian’s store really is as authentic as it gets.
Along with great products and services, Poseidon Paddle and Surf throws some of the funnest parties of the summer. For about 12 weeks in a row, there are free concerts on the Santa Monica Pier every Thursday evening. After the concerts, from 10:00 to 12:30 PM, Christian throws an after party at the store where he welcomes all to join. His parties always have live music, dancing, drinks, and all around fun vibes. However, what makes these parties truly special is that each week there is a benefiting charity that is attached to each party. These parties are something you will not want to miss this coming summer. The first event of the summer is on July 7th.
Christian is now the sole owner of the store after his brother has moved on to pursue his own skincare business venture. Feel free to drop into the store for any of your surfing or paddle boarding needs. Christian will be able to help you out!
Poseidon Surf
1654 Ocean Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 694-8428/
Email: info@poseidonstandup.com
www.poseidonstandup.com
https://instagram.com/poseidoncollective/
http://www.facebook.com/PoseidonSUP
