Ron DiMenna, the founder of Ron Jon Surf Shop, has died. He was 88 years old.
DiMenna, who opened the first location of the chain on Long Beach Island in Ocean County, New Jersey in 1961, died Saturday, according to an online obituary.
“The entire Ron Jon family mourns this loss,” Ron Jon Surf Shop president Michele Goodwin said in a statement. “On behalf of our board of directors, management team, and employees, we extend our deepest sympathy to Ron’s wife, Lynne DiMenna.
“Ron was known as a free spirit, and his love for the beach and the sport of surfing endured throughout his life. He lived life on his own terms and created a retail empire that remains one of the most successful beach shopping destinations in the country.”
DiMenna began selling surfboards at his family’s grocery store, at his home in Manahawkin and from a trailer in Ship Bottom before opening the first store. The original location was demolished in July after a new shop opened in May.
The shop expanded to over a dozen locations and moved headquarters to Cocoa Beach, Florida, where its flagship store, which opened in 1963, is billed as the largest surf shop in the world.
With his wife, DiMenna founded Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation, a beach protection non-profit.
“A young surf enthusiast who was not content to simply ride the waves, Ron wanted to bring surfing to the masses and was a pioneer in recognizing that surfing and the beach captivated people everywhere,” the statement reads.
