Local Pastime
The Story Behind Local Pastime: From the Rippin' Friar to a New Brand
When I first posted the Rippin' Friar design to the First Light Surf Club Instagram page a few years ago, I just thought it was a fun graphic. I had no idea people would resonate so much with it or that it would become the design that would define our brand.
San Diego is a baseball town. I've been going to games ever since I was a kid, but the energy around the team as of late is on a different level. San Diego is also a surf town. We've got amazing beaches, surf year-round, and some deeply rooted surf history. San Diego is defined by more than one thing, so I wanted to create a design that combined two of my favorite things into one. Thus, the Rippin' Friar was born.
The community immediately connected with it, and it quickly became the most requested and best-selling design in the First Light Surf Club lineup.
Seeing the way people connected with the Rippin' Friar got me thinking about other amazing things this city has to offer. San Diego has a rich skateboarding history, is home to many skateboarding icons, and has played a key role in advancing the sport. The city also has a deep golf culture, with iconic courses and a strong connection to the game.
I thought it would be cool to take the spirit of the Rippin' Friar and bring it into these other areas. However, it didn't feel quite right to do that within First Light Surf Club, so I logged those ideas away for the time being.
Later on, I started thinking, if this design resonates so much with the San Diego community, what if I could do this for other communities too?
What makes a city special isn't just its sports teams. It's the mix of sports, hobbies, history, and local culture that gives each place its own identity. Every city has its own personality, and I started thinking about how I could capture that through design.
The idea felt bigger than something that could fit within First Light Surf Club. What if I created a new brand that could give it the focus and room to grow it deserved?
It was a big decision. I'd spent the past four years pouring my heart and soul into growing First Light Surf Club. Now I was considering taking our most popular design, which had only continued to gain momentum over the years, out of the FLSC lineup and starting fresh with an entirely new brand.
Honestly, it felt a little crazy. But it also felt like the right move if I wanted to take the idea further. And that's what led me to start Local Pastime.
Introducing Local Pastime
Local Pastime is a brand built around celebrating our favorite pastimes and the places that shape us. The idea is to take the same approach that made the Rippin' Friar special and apply it to other cities and communities across the country.
I wanted to create designs that bring together sports nostalgia and local culture in a way that feels unique to each place. Something that catches your eye, sparks a conversation, or reminds you of a place or pastime you love.
The Rippin' Friar was the starting point, but the possibilities go well beyond San Diego. From surfing and skateboarding to golf and other local traditions, there's a lot of ground to cover.
What's Next?
We're just getting started with Local Pastime. We've already begun expanding beyond San Diego, with new designs inspired by other cities and the pastimes that make them unique. The goal is to keep building out the collection over time, exploring new places, sports, and hobbies while staying true to the original idea.
Hats are the main focus, especially vintage-inspired designs that feel like they've been around for years. We want to make things that connect with people, whether they're diehard sports fans, longtime locals, or just someone who appreciates a good design.
We're excited to keep growing the collection, exploring new ideas, and seeing where Local Pastime takes us. If there's a city or pastime you'd like to see us tackle, we'd love to hear your suggestions.
What This Means for First Light Surf Club
First Light Surf Club isn't going anywhere.
Our mission remains the same; to inspire people to start their day with intention, connect with others in the water, and make the most of those early morning hours before work. We'll continue to focus on community, tell stories from the lineup, and create products inspired by surf culture.
Local Pastime simply gives us another canvas to celebrate the places we love. Now we're excited to see where that road leads.
Here's to honoring our favorite pastimes and the places that shape us.
Thanks to everyone who has supported the Rippin' Friar and helped make this next chapter possible. Local Pastime wouldn't be here without you.
