[Not a valid template]A series of articles examining why young people are leaving the Cape and profiling some who have stayed and made it here.
Cape Cod beaches are a paradise for swimming, sunning, and surfing. And while surfing sometimes is seen as a California thing, the Atlantic side of the Cape boasts a row of tremendous big-wave beaches including Nauset Beach in Orleans, Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, and White Crest Beach in Wellfleet.
And now a local entrepreneur has created a surf style completely unique to Cape Cod. Meet Candace Bouffard creator of Beach Bum Surf Co., a native Cape Codder.
Candace was born and raised in Eastham. Her love of the ocean and passion for surfing were apparent from a young age but she eventually left the Cape to go to high school in South Hadley and college in Boston. But the lure of her home was hard to resist.
She Couldn’t Leave So She Had To Make It
“I couldn’t stand to be away,” she said. “There is no place like the Cape. To me it’s paradise.”
After returning home the next question for Candace – like so many young professionals – was ‘How am I going to make a living here?’ The answer often leads many to take the drive over the bridges to find their future.
“It is a very seasonal community,” Candace said. “The tourists are here for mainly three short months where businesses prosper. It is very hard in the offseason to keep a business up and running without having to go tropical for the winter. There are just not enough people here in the off season to support everyone.”
But Candace wanted to stay on the Cape. She already had a love of the beach and surfing as well as a passion for graphic design and the clothing industry. But Beach Bum Surf Co. didn’t take off until it became the silver lining in a very dark cloud.
A Scary Time Gave Birth To A New Business
“I really decided to make my dream of Beach Bum a reality after I had to undergo emergency brain surgery at Cape Cod Hospital in 2011,” she said. “It was a long scary process and recovery but I am better than ever now. It made me realize you can’t wait to live your dreams; you never know how much time you will have.”
Candace has been working tirelessly since then to create and promote Beach Bum Surf Co., a brand of surf apparel and accessories for both women and men. It is a labor of love that allows her to use all of her passions: design, photography and surfing. And 2016 is shaping up to be a breakthrough year for her fledgling business.
“We will be introducing more shirts, hoodies, and hats this year as well as expanding the Surf Chick Bracelets, which we added to the brand last year and they have had a huge response,” she said.
We are also developing a web store. Along with selling in local stores, we will also be doing a lot more shows this year including being a vendor at the Levitate Music and Arts Festival in Marshfield on July 9th.
Where To Find Beach Bum
You can find Candace’s apparel and accessories at many local stores including Pump House Surf Shop in Orleans, The Little Beach Gallery in Hyannis, and Sickday in Wellfleet. Watch for Beach Bum’s online store coming soon. If you want to keep current with Beach Bum news follow on Instagram @beachbumsurfco and on Facebook at Beach Bum Surf Co.
Looks like this local entrepreneur has caught the perfect wave for making it on the Cape.
– By Christopher Setterlund
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