Big win for surf store

Ocean Outfitters might be quietly going about its business, but winning a major retail award will make some noise.

The Mana-based surf sports store, which opened in 2012, won the lower North Island’s overall Top Shop prize at a function at the Michael Fowler Centre last week.

Co-owner Chris Brown said he entered the competition more for the feedback from the mystery shoppers.

‘‘We did it to see if we’re on the right track and we must be doing something right,’’ he said.

Ocean Outfitters also won the lifestyle and wellbeing category. It will go on to the Top Shop national awards in Auckland next week.

Brown said after two years running Ocean Outfitters as an online business, taking the plunge and opening in Mana had not been without its challenges.

‘‘We still get people saying, ‘ We didn’t know you were here’, so it’s up to us to really push our business,’’ he said. ‘‘We want to be a destination so we need to spread the buzz.’’

Brown said summer was always a busy time and the stand-up paddleboarding side of Ocean Outfitters was taking off. Dolly Varden, Ngatitoa Domain, Pauatahanui Inlet, Porirua Harbour and Titahi Bay were ‘‘perfect breeding grounds’’ for kayakers, paddleboarders and surfers.

Clinics, open days, corporate events and water skills events were on the agenda for Ocean Outfitters this summer, Brown said.

The other winner from Porirua at the Top Shop awards was Mitre 10 Mega, which took out the large format retail and people’s choice gongs.