Brick and mortar still works, and so does a sponsored team. Photo: WND&WVS
Whenever I tell someone there’s a successful surf shop in Burlington, Vermont, the reaction is always the same: “Wait… there’s a surf shop in Burlington?” Yes. There is. And it’s not just surviving. It’s thriving.
WND&WVS sits just a block from Lake Champlain, Vermont’s watersports playground, and along the direct route from eastern Canada to the New Hampshire seashore. It’s perfectly placed, but location is only part of the story. Step inside and you’ll find everything from surfboards and paddleboards to wing foils and kiting gear. More importantly, you’ll feel something else entirely: stoke.
That energy starts at the top with owners Russ Scully, a lifelong waterman and serial entrepreneur, and his wife Roxanne. After moving from Santa Barbara to Burlington around 2012, the couple planted roots on the shores of Lake Champlain and began building more than a business. They built a community, using a tried and true sports marketing formula: the sponsored team, proving that the formula still works.
And this community of team riders is the secret sauce.
Building a Team and a Culture
Shop manager Kevin Womersley, originally from Marshfield, Massachusetts, envisioned a sponsored team rider program that would amplify the shop’s presence across New England while staying true to its core values: support, respect, and love for the water. Russ and Rox were all in from day one.
The first call? Big wave veteran Chuck Patterson. “He and Russ met in 2015 and hit it off right away,” says Womersley. “When we launched the team, Chuck was our first phone call.”
Patterson’s trademark enthusiasm made him the perfect foundation. His effusive, larger-than-life personality embodies everything the surf, wind, and foil shop represents. “As an athlete who lives for multisport adventures, representing a brand like WND&WVS has been more like being part of a family of likeminded humans who all love what they do – promoting the stoke and passion of watersports,” Chuck told me.
Skudin, left, and Patterson. Part of the WND&WVS fam.
Next came big wave surfer Will Skudin, whom Womersley had met when traveling to the UnsOund Surf Pro in Long Beach, New York. Skudin quickly became known within the team as “the Buddha” because he is steady, thoughtful, and always ready to mentor others navigating both heavy surf and heavy life moments.
Then, there’s Ben Gravy. Before he became a household name in surf culture, WND&WVS saw something special. At the time, Gravy was documenting his quest to surf all 50 states. Through a wetsuit industry connection, he was linked up with Womersley who just happened to know where Vermont’s rare waves could be found.
The mission? A shin-high river wave in Winooski, perched just above a waterfall. “If you miss, you die,” Womersley jokes. Gravy didn’t miss. Vermont was checked off in his quest to surf all 50 states. And a new friendship and partnership was born.
Backing the Dream
From there, the team grew into something bigger than sponsorship deals and logo placements. WND&WVS supported Patterson’s trips to foil, surf and – incredibly – ski massive waves in different locations. They went all in as executive producers on Gravy’s documentary For the Dream, which ultimately landed on Red Bull TV and became a career-changing milestone for Ben.
“For me, one of the biggest parts of being on the WND&WVS team is how Russ and Roxane have backed me,” says Gravy. “They went all out for my documentary and helped take it to Red Bull TV. That was massive for my career.”
But the support isn’t just financial. Team riders are outfitted with gear, given small stipends for contests or strike missions, and perhaps most importantly, given unwavering belief.
Womersley puts it simply: “It’s up to shops like ours to keep surf culture alive. The athletes we choose understand etiquette in the water and how to carry themselves out of it too.”
For the dream. WND&WVS has helped Ben Gravy achieve his.
More Family Than Team
Yes, the partnerships work from a business standpoint. Patterson brings his huge personality to the brand. Skudin expanded his surf camps into winter wave pool sessions at American Dream in New Jersey. Gravy organically weaves WND&WVS gear into YouTube edits watched by more than 200,000 subscribers. But none of it feels transactional.
“They’re a great support system,” says Gravy. “I can call the shop anytime. Kev will answer. Chuck, Will, the groms and I, we’ve all become close friends. It’s such a tight group. They are always there for me when I need them in both business and friendship. It’s really an honor to represent WND&WVS and being a part of the team is an amazing thing.”
Womersley agrees: “It’s more of a family than a team. The athletes get it.”
Each year, the entire crew gathers in Puerto Rico at the Scullys’ compound at Villa Playa Maria in Rincón for Team Week, a sun-soaked blend of surf sessions, content creation, storytelling, and connection. It’s less corporate retreat, more reunion.
Patterson is often the driving energy in Rincón, leading the antics with pranks, laughter and double digit water time each day. His praise is genuine and full of a lifetime of experience as a professional waterman. “I am grateful for the many, many life-changing opportunities and doors it has opened and the camaraderie of the WND&WVS family when we all come together,” he says. “WND& WVS is a dream brand that you wish all sponsors could emulate, but that’s what makes our team so special and unique.”
Waves like this one from Will Skudin are gonna get any shop exposure.
A Blueprint for Brick and Mortar
WND&WVS proves something powerful: a surf shop in landlocked Vermont can thrive, not just because of its inventory and location, but because of its people.
“Every shop can afford to support some local kid,” Womersley says. “It doesn’t have to be money. Gear and belief go a long way.”
In an era where brick-and-mortar retail faces constant pressure, WND&WVS offers a blueprint. Invest in community. Back your athletes. Keep the culture alive. Let your people know: We’ve got your back. Turns out, a surf shop in Burlington isn’t surprising at all. It’s exactly where it belongs.
Find the full WND&WVS team here.
