Storm Surf Shop Tofino: A Skater’s Visit & Shop History
Written By Samantha Bache
You can take me away from work, but you’ll never take me away from skating. So when a family holiday landed us in Tofino, BC, I obviously had a mission of my own: track down the local skate shops. Top of the list was Storm Surf Shop, a place that turned out to be much more than a shop. It’s a community hub with a till in the corner.
Rolling into Tofino
Holiday Tofino had it all. We caught some waves, spotted three whales and a whole raft of sea otters on a whale-watching trip, and somehow stumbled across cows chilling on a beach (only in Tofino). We finished the days with a tasting at the local brewery and gin distillery, the grown-ups’ reward after time in the cold Pacific. Somewhere between all that, I slipped off to Campbell Street, right in the heart of town, where Storm has been part of the furniture for nearly three decades.
Since 1997
Long before its current home on Campbell Street, Storm set up shop in 1997 in the building that’s now Tofino’s laundromat. Back then Tofino was still a well-kept secret, known mostly to a few dedicated Pacific Northwest surfers whispering about waves up the island.
What started as a place to get your gear sorted became something more: a gathering point for anyone who felt the pull of the Pacific. Locals, friends and travellers passing through all found their way in.
Built by friends and family
Storm has never been a corporate surf shop. It’s been kept alive by friends, family and a rotating cast of locals and regulars who care too much about the place to let it go, and that’s the honest reason it’s still here. Canadian surf icon Pete Devries was even one of the shop’s original employees.
Eventually Storm made a quick hop across the street to its new home at 444 Campbell St. Over the years it has been part of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic, welcomed a teenage John John Florence in 2009, celebrated “2 Decades of Stoke” and hosted a Vans Duct Tape Festival in 2017, given the shopfront a facelift in 2018, and launched its first Surf n Flea market in 2022.
Not just for surfers
I’ll be honest: I’m not much of a surfer these days. Thankfully, Storm hasn’t forgotten about those of us who prefer four wheels to one fin. There’s a great skate section with Baker, Toy Machine and Krooked decks, a whole array of Spitfire goodies, and Bronson Speed Co. bearings plus much more to keep you rolling.
The thing that stopped me in my tracks, up on the wall hung two Powell Peralta decks. Having interviewed co-founder George Powell for a previous article, seeing them there reminded me just how much that brand shaped the skate scene we know today. Finding a little piece of that history in a surf shop on the edge of Vancouver Island made me so happy and proud.
Space for everyone
Storm’s whole philosophy is about getting people in the water feeling safe, informed and stoked, whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth. Built by surfers, for surfers, and for anyone who’s ever felt the pull of the ocean, it clearly welcomes skaters too. That’s exactly the energy we love to see. Walking into a board shop can feel intimidating when you don’t see yourself reflected on the walls, so it’s always a joy to find places that feel open to everyone.
Cooking up a Storm
Funnily enough, my favourite thing in the whole shop had nothing to do with skating. It was a cooking apron with the slogan “Cooking up a Storm.” Honestly, it sums the place up. For nearly three decades, Storm has been cooking up community, stoke and good times in Tofino.
If you’re ever on the wild west coast of Vancouver Island, swing by. Grab a sticker, browse the skate section, say hi to the Powell Peralta decks for me, and maybe treat yourself to an apron.
📷 Gallery: From the Storm archive