Starting a business during COVID-19

Stand Up Paddle Board & Kayak Rental - Huntington Harbor, Sunset Beach, CA - Beach view

Stand Up Paddle Board & Kayak Rental – Huntington Harbor, Sunset Beach, CA – Beach view

As the world became more isolated, and going out seemed like a thing of the past, we wanted to find a way for people to be able to adventure outside in a safe way. After spending the majority of last summer inside, we wanted a change for this summer. Unsure of the timeline for when life would return to normal, we wanted to create a safe place for fun all summer long.

However, creating this wonderful place for summer activities did not happen over night. It took months of planning to completely remodel our building, add a restroom, invest in all new equipment, and build the family business from the ground up. As the pandemic has caused shortages across the board, this has also affected the timing of our new equipment. We got lucky that everything came before the grand opening, except for an order of kayaks. As I drive to work, I see all the container ships sitting in the Marina, knowing that our extra kayaks are waiting to come in, but until then we play the waiting game.

Being the new kids on the block paired with the fact that people are more standoffish with others due to the pandemic, makes it hard to find new customers to experience our business. However, as the temperature and number of vacations both go up, we are excited to see what the summer has in store for us.

OCPaddlesports Staff