The Temple of Fringe Surf Shop

FREE.....
The guys who make 'Surf Ears' ear plugs are over from Sweden 🇸🇪 and are coming into the Temple of Fringe Surf Shop Newquay tomorrow Saturday 8th August at 12pm if you would like to get your ears checked for free in a chill environment.
If you are having ear problems, trapped water, ear infections, or just wanna know how bad you are, come in and get it checked by these super lovely people...
Stevo

I THINK I'VE CREATED SOMETHING SPECIAL..

Judging by the reactions of the people who come into my shop lately, I feel I'm doing the right thing, putting my heart into it, making everyone feel welcome, no matter your background, if you surf or not, or what you surf, everyone is on a level footing with me.
People even come in and say "I don't surf, but I love your shop"
There are so many 'older' people who remember how it used to be. That sense of identity we had as a tribe.
The vibe of a surf shop, a sense of history, subculture, and 'surfyness'.
They tell me my shop has that in buckets, and I get a real genuine buzz from that.
I think as humans in a world that's losing its humanity, authenticity is the new currency. We seek and crave that more and more.
Hence why the kids have looked to the past, dressing like it's the 90s. Getting into the analogue world, craving real connections, and it's amazing to see and hear the genuine praise from kids who were only born knowing the Internet world.

For me, though, the shop is a culmination of my 45 yrs of living and surfing. It's a way to go surfing every day, enjoy the reason I live here, with little pressure to make money.
Tucked away off the high st like I am, I make nothing like the high St stores do, but I love what I sell,the goods I curate, and I believe in the products I get in.
Who the hell tries to pay the rent by selling burger trays, planks of wood, and blow-up bags for a livin'😂

I put a lot of time into my insta stories daily too, but I know lots of you enjoy it, cos you tell me.
I actually enjoy it, enjoy the process, the humour, the building of a surf shop that I hope will be remembered in a good way, if and when it ends..
My instagram page isn't just full of boring pics of products. It's about feelings, people, and thoughts.
My website's not up to date, I'm always behind on the grown up stuff, but I'm just blagging my way through life as a surfer, making memories, meeting epic people, and trying to tread my own path, and do right by everyone I meet in life.
It's not everyone's cup of tea, nor am I, but who, or what is?
It'd be a boring world if we all liked the same things.
PRAY FOR SURF
We need it bad 🙏
But I think there's something brewing out there.
Fingers crossed.
Stevo⚡️

LAST WEEK
Captain's log
19th July to 26th July

Another hot, sunny week in paradise.
This does mean the endless bummer continues wave wise, but it's a long winter, so as brits we can't moan about the glorious sunshine 😉
However, it does feel like months rather than weeks of flat conditions, and alot of lost souls wandering the town😂
The shop has been nice and steady eddie, just right, not too busy, not too quiet, a time to enjoy the summer and be able to chat to friends and customers.
It's Sunday funday today, the surf has been whipped up by onshore winds, so ill be off out in it this arvo on the bellyboard just to harvest some stoke at Fistral.Much needed medicine.
I'm nicely stocked up at the Temple of Fringe with new lines an rad product coming in all the time.
Dig deep in the racks, there's always a gem to be found.
I'll be open every day from 10am on Bank St, Newquay opposite Millets
Have a great week all and pray to the surfy gods for waves🙏🙏🙏
Stevo

GRATEFUL
There's so much I have to be grateful for in this life as a surfshop owner/surfer and it's oftentimes the people you meet along the way that put it all into perspective who have been through hard times, or just wonderful customers, or moments at the shop.
Here's a few examples..
Yesterday,Thomas aka the_blind_surfer and his crew (pic 2 and 3) came into the shop, paying pilgrimage, they said after hearing of the place in their home in the Basque country.
Thomas (with shades on) woke up one day at 10 yrs old, completely blind from a stroke in his sleep! He didn't surf before this and learned to surf.
Can you imagine? He has a guy in the water to tell him to go left or right as he takes off. What a level of commitment 👏 puts it all into perspective, doesn't it. He's now World and European adaptive champion, and more importantly, a solid, nice guy with it. Go check his surfing on his page⚡️

I'm also grateful for the people from all walks of life who love the shop and compliment me on the ethos, the vibe, and for bringing surfshops back to how they used to be, and for spending what little money might have with me and keeping the place open.
I don't care if folk just get a sticker or a fist bump,it keeps me going🙏
I'm grateful to be able to surf after 45 yrs of doing it. Still pop up cleanly, can ride alternative surfcraft, and be part of that rad community, too. Also for Mike the grom for looking after the shop when I go for a surf, and for Helene for being the happy, loving lady she is and supporting me in my mad schemes.

I love Newquay, I love Cornwall ❤️ I am grateful to have been born in such a beautiful part of the world 🌎 and it's travel that makes you realise how fortunate you are when you see real deprivation and hardships.
Sure, there's always something to moan about, from governments to the trivialities of life, but I'm stoked to have been born next to the sea and live for it.

I don't wanna come across all cheesy, but it's good to stop sometimes and realise what you have, rather than looking at what you dont.
Also, A big happy birthday to Gwyn Haslock the queen of British Surfing 81 today!!
I'll prob see her today so I'll pass on your best wishes
Pray for surf🙏😂
Love to all
Stevo⚡️⚡️⚡️

Craig popped in as he heard I was the place potentially pick-up a kneeboard after he had a motorbike accident and had part of his lower leg amputated.
He is a lifelong surfer who has always been stoked on surfing and ain't giving up easily 🙌
I had just the board for him. This UK made 5'9ft Kovert Kneeboard made by shredder Bryn Dampney in Devon for only £220.
The kneeboard community is extremely welcoming and a good bunch of people that I'm certain will help guide Craig into the kneelo world.
It feels good to help folk stay stoked, fit in the body and mind.
Good luck Craig in ya journey mate🙏🤙
If you are curious about kneeboarding, there's a Facebook site called British kneelo club
Stevo

FRANZIE
Popped by to get one of these Temple Logs yesterday but couldn't decide between the 9'2ft, 9'4ft and 9'6ft version.
The choice was split down the middle and she walked away with the 9'4ft version of this absolute belter of a board.
Thankyou so much for believing in the brand, the board, and for supporting my little rootsy surf shop.
Gonna get another ordered to replace it...
The shop is open 10am to 5pm today on Bank St, Newquay opposite Millets 😀

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER-when the surf isn't picture perfect..

I was brought up in a small surf community nr Brighton on the south coast of England. There, we had waves that were mostly generated by howling winds, rarely groundswell, creating choppy, onshore, conditions, but it's all we had.
This did, however, create a tight-knit surf community, as passionate about riding waves as you could get.
Years later, I made the move to Newquay.
I'll never forget the sheer awe, stepping off the bus, as I gazed upon the crystal clear water and white sand, a far cry from the tar covered pebbled beaches and murky waters of the English Channel.
I still to this day some 35 odd yrs later, retain that feeling of stoke and gratefulness of the waves.
When many 'surfers' are surf checking and walking away, deeming the surf not good enough, you'll find me running down the hill, with my stomach full of butterflies, anticipation and wonder, that I'm able to 'get in' and harvest some of that stoke.
I got in everyday last week, whilst many were 'unsurfed'.
I rode my surfboard, coffin lid, bellyboard, and burger tray. One of those was in 3ft howling onshores at Fistral, and it was probably the one I took the most from strangely. I pretty much had the beach to myself, caught a bunch of good rides, long bowly faces, fast high lines upon deceptively clean walls, it's out there.
All that exercise, cardio, and movement is all credit in the health bank, and it's great to make the most of the light evenings (the hours start to go back, a week today)😫
Anyway, what im trying to say is, drop the expectations, don't worry what you look like, grab a surfcraft that allows you to go surf, stay surf fit, and stoked. Tap into it. If it's moving, make the most of it, it could go flat for ages.

We have family here from North Carolina right now, my wife's god daughter Emily and her fella Ryder. They surf luckily, so it's real fun to show them our town.
Seeing them eat their 1st pasty, visit our beaches, meet our people, they love it here.

Also, the shop's been busier than expected. So a big thank you to everyone who came in this week 🙏 🙌
Have a great week everyone
Stevo⚡️⚡️

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE EVEN MORE STOKED ON SURFING, THE OLDER YOU GET?
I'd say the good news, and the shortest answer is YES!

I used to worry about 'what if you get older and get bored of it' or the buzz goes out of it.
However, I reckon I feel an even deeper love for slidin' waves, and after 45 yrs since I first took a board in the water back in my hometown of Southwick nr Brighton on an old 'popout' and felt that 'feeling' I still feel like a teenager when I'm hurtling along a wave, all the bu****it and grown up stuff forgotten in the moment, an escape, release, and way to keep fit all in one, without getting too cheesy about it.
Mixing up the surfcraft has been a game changer, too, for me. After covid times, the lineups got busier, surfing became more mainstream, and I searched for new ways to keep the fire stoked, and I found it.
I found it in the subcultures, the 'fringes' of surfing and the small communities and tweaked humans that inhabit that world, the bodysurfers, matsurfers, Kneeboarders, bellyboarders and all manner of weird and wonderful surfcraft riders.
I have always kept my eye in on the surfboard of course, but I soon realised how surfboards are often not the right tool for the job on any given day.
Low tide Newquay bay, for example, is epic for bodysurfing, hellish in a surfboard. Onshores are actually fun on a bellyboard, when most are driving away.
I have had epic surf after epic surf this last couple of weeks, in surf where others are having 'shockers'.
Whether that's mindstate or surfcraft, skill or luck, who knows🤔 but I feel I'm on the right path and I'm overstoking right now, at 56, feelin' like a 5 yr old at Xmas👌⚡️
A local surfer, Craig Runnalls, (pic 2) sadly died of heart attack last week. A solid lifetime surfer, old punk, lovely bloke.
I've surfed with him for years. Only a couple weeks ago he said to me in the shop as I was moaning about the s**t northerly winds junking up the surf
"f**k it, I'm going in, never know when it's over for you bey" in his thick cornish accent...and now he's gone.
Makes you think dunnit.
Life's too short for hate, find something or someone you love, and squeeze the hell out of it while you can.
Stevo⚡️⚡️⚡
Shop's open every day
10am to 5pm
Sundays 10am to 3pm