Surf shop

Brothers Marshall Surf Shop and Community Center (Malibu)

GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Shop

Surf shops are not known for innovation. The locale might change, but the sales model, floor plan, and early aughts surf movie playing off a boxy, busted TV by the register usually don’t. Same boards, wetsuits, and bucket of wax, fin keys, and leash strings (which is all you’re usually in for anyway) by the front door.

There’s one surf shop that’s figured it out, however: Brothers Marshall Malibu Surf Shop and Community Center. On the Pacific Coast Highway, Brothers Marshall is an actual brick-and-mortar model of success, in a business often described as “completely torched.” Proper wave wares are only the start. There’s always something interesting going on, and it’s all courtesy of the owners, brothers Chad and Trace Marshall.

Valley boys who had a heavy Hollywood phase but stayed Malibu-lineup legends throughout, brothers Trace and Chad Marshall are two of the more intriguing individuals in a city full of them. And the shop itself is also a vision of curated chaos. A wall of photo books from friends and fellow Malibu locals Mike D of the Beastie Boys, artist Barry McGee, and more on one side. A lineup of surfboards, all from local shapers, in the back. Custom graphic tees featuring in-house designs, printed on actual, high-quality blanks, boardshorts, and more all around.

And behind the register? Trace and Chad, who welcome every customer, collaborator, or wandering tourist in. They’ll tell stories about what went down in the lineup this morning, who yelled at who, who got the best wave, and how you just missed “Keanu in the store. Yeah, he stopped by earlier for a burrito at Country Kitchen next door. Vince Klyn, though, you know? He played Warchild in Point Break, yeah. He should be by later. He always comes by in the afternoons.” And don’t worry, there are still bars of wax and leash strings by the front door, too.

Brothers Marshall is one of the most excellent open doors along the PCH. Unless there’s surf. In that case, they’ll be closed and marked with a “Be Back Later” sign. The brothers will still be close by, though, just down the road at First Point. –James Royce

→ SHOP: Brothers Marshall Surf Shop and Community Center (Malibu) • 21237 Pacific Coast Hwy • Daily 10-6p.