When you walk through the doors of St. Augustine Beach’s Where Salt Meets Soul Surf Stop, you are transported to an environment of inclusion and good vibrations.
Kayla Zappone, a Flagler College alumna, made it a key point to ensure everyone who sets foot in her store feels at ease upon entering, and leaves feeling more positive than before. With help from the words “positive portal” painted around the doors, one cannot help but be influenced by this local beach favorite.
With the one-year anniversary of the shop’s expansion approaching, it is easy to see how far this hidden gem has come.
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Zappone had always dreamed of opening up a surf shop in the old city. In March 2019, she finally made her dream a reality with the help of her family and self-dedication. She used the small space she was given and shared the building with a real-estate office on the corner of F Street.
“I owned and operated that whole room. I worked seven days a week for a whole year,” Zappone said. “We built up our inventory, built up our space, and built up our following.”
Although the store, also known as The WSMS Surf Stop, was confined, it didn’t stop her creative juices from flowing. The WSMS brand was born, and local artists and smaller surf brands were brought forth as the main headliner.
When COVID-19 hit the scene, it pushed Zappone and her family to think of new ways to continue the business forward.
“It really pushed me to get creative,” she said. “I developed an online business; ran Instagram story sales every day; offered free local delivery within 10 miles of the store; and had free curbside pickup.”
The shop saw successful sales in the summer of 2020, and Zappone knew it was time to expand.
Zappone made the transition of moving everything into the space customers love and adore now, in just three short days in August 2021. It has been nothing but uphill from then on.
Inventory has increased with more than 30 brands as options on the shelves, but the core values of promoting unity, being eco-friendly/authentic, and true to the nature of surfing have still remained the same.
“It is a passion project,” Zappone said. “Where Salt Meets Soul is our way of describing what surfing means to us, which is creating a soulful connection to nature through the ocean.”
Zappone’s brother, Alec, runs the WSMS Surf, Art and Music Camp, which accommodates a younger audience between the ages of 8 and 14. The summer camp is unique in its own right.
“We harness all the creative expressions in one camp,” she said. “We wanted to cater a camp to other kids that maybe surfing really isn’t what they’re super excited about or they haven’t been exposed to it yet.”
Activities such as painting, drawing and learning to play the ukulele are offered as other options children can use as an outlet.
Continuing with the family ties, Zappone’s cousin, Charity Zappone, has been a supportive customer from the very beginning.
Charity Zappone is an up-and-coming influencer with about 35,000 Instagram followers who loves repping WSMS attire. People from all over have asked where she gets some of her pieces, and she tries to spread the word about her family’s positive abode.
“I absolutely encourage others to shop there. Small businesses rock,” she said.
Since Charity Zappone’s social media platforms have an aesthetic of bright colors and an overall motivation toward her followers to stay optimistic, the shop stands with her ideals as well.
“I love the atmosphere, and the surf shop has good vibes,” she said. “There is such positive energy inside, great people and such cute clothes.”
Where Salt Meets Soul Surf Stop is located at 101 F St. in St. Augustine Beach. For information, visit wheresaltmeetssoul.com or @thesurfstop and @wheresaltmeetssoul on Instagram.
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