Got this news out in the lineup, coconut wireless. Confirmed with Ginny, Cippys wife. Sad stuff here. He’s going into semi retirement, still going to be shaping. Probably make more $ by not having to keep the shop open, which is good for the family. A good Hawaiian braddah, makes the best boards on the south shore as far as I’m concerned. July 31st is last day at the shop. If you are reading this, and in town, drop by and say hi to one of the nicest, humble, master craftsmen you will ever meet.
Cheers Cippy!
Sad, but not unexpected. I stop by once in a while and he’s usually with friends or family. Not many people coming in to look at boards. Doesn’t make stock boards anymore, but he does have some nice second hand boards.He only shapes when someone asks him for a custom. He really is a super nice guy, and has made so many of the longboards used in Waikiki.
He’s a master and it will be sad to see the shop close, but that’s a piece of prime real estate. I’m sure it’s getting expensive to stay there. Gonna have to stop by and say hi/bye.
sad
but somethings going on
I’m seeing allot of this happening everywhere lately
not allot of talk about it but allot of places are closing
with the federal furloughs it ain’t gonna help either
hawaiii’s in for a rude awakening with the passing of inouye
Good guy, good wife, good kid, good dog. I’ll miss that shop.
I always enjoyed visiting with Cippy on my trips to Oahu. Great guy.
Prior to the pop out invasion Cippy supplied many of the boards to the rental stands in Waikiki. You’ll still see his boards in use there.
I moved to Oahu 1999, from the frigid Waters of the Great Lakes. Surfing the Lakes and East Coast for many years, I was young and thought I knew it all lol. I will never forget the 1st time I paddled out to 1st break Waikiki. All the old timers were way out, on BIG longboards. I paddled out on my 6’4" Jeff Ho fish , and like a fish, I was floundering and flailing wildly trying to catch one of those big waves. Watching the old timers zip past me, i was stoked just to watch their mastery of those waves! I noticed they were all riding CLASSIC LONGBOARDS. One guy was feeling sorry for me after a few hours, paddled up to me and said… “Hey boy, you not gunna catch anyting on that little chip out heeya! If you gonna paddle out heeya next time, go see Ginny at Classics on Kapahulu. Get a 1st break board. Tell her Cowboy sent you!”
The moment I woke up the next morning I walked down the Ala Wai with a handful of 100s, I was going to get me the proper weapon for the battle. I walked in and was greeted by the sweetest little black dog, “angel” , and a smiling Ginny Cobato. She was a wealth of knowledge, and I Felt like I knew her my whole life! She, Beau, and Cippy would become very dear friends of mine. There was a huge 11’ dark blue bottom longboard right above the door, light blue deck, and a glassed on single fin. I was in awe! I helped Ginny get it down, it was monsterous, but shaped with such beautiful lines I couldn’t keep my hands off it! Signed by Cippy on the deck, here was that Waikiki Caddilac that would change my life foreva! It was custom made for a guy, who only surfed it a few times, then got into a jam and needed the cash. I gladly paid the $600.00, waxed it up an hour later and headed out to 1st break. I couldn’t believe the speed and distance I was covering paddling this monster, and heading out to where the old timers was sitting, Cowboy saw me and a big smile beamed!
" holy smokes! How did you get ahold of Cippys brothers board? It’s beautiful! Ok braddah you think you ready, betta think quick boy, heeya comes one REAL 1st break set!"
The guys were gracefully double arm stroking for the horizon, gliding there longboards across the water like seabirds skimming the surface. For this Hoale from so far away, this was like A dream I couldn’t believe was happening! There was Diamond Head, lit up by the sun, and the heavy locals I had only read about in magazines, right next to me! We scratched over the 1st wave, hissing like a snake as it approached. Up till that point, the biggest wave I ever saw in my life! It was beautiful! Cowboy was a few yards away from me, the pack of braddahs were hooting and hollering and laughing as these giant waves were lining up!
" hey boy when you see the sand boil up, you get on that spot and you paddle for the next wave!" Cowboy barked at me. Partly to make sure I was outa his way too lol.
The sand bubbled to the surface, I saw it and I paddled over to it! There was another old timer, and his little grandson, couldn’t have been more than 12 or 13. I heard somebody yell, " hey Clay, it’s coming to you!
“Let’s go guys!” Clay shouted and started paddling, so his grandson (JP) and I followed, and by god we 3 caught the biggest wave I ever had caught! Uncle Clay and John Paul were hooting and so was I as we were dropping down a moving mountain together on our CLASSIC LONGBOARDS, it’s as vivid in my minds eye as it was the day it happened! A memory for a lifetime!
Chicken skin yeah? Betta believe it!
Sad to see another part of my younger days going away. The shop, prior to moving to the present location, was located on Kalakaua Avenue, just as one crossed the Ala Wai Bridge into Waikiki. When on Oahu, I always get a laugh from Ginny when I mention the old location, as it gives away my age. I guess not too many remember that location. Used to stop in on my way home from school and check out the goods. Always liked his boards, if I remember correctly, there is a lineage there from Ben Aipa.
Always liked his logo, a great picture from a classic photo guy.
When that shop on Kalakaua first opened I got a new board from him. I used to go out to courts in the winter months at miday when there was no one out and catch a few 1 footers all by myself.
Cippy must have had another shop because that building wasn’t built until the 80’s. Maybe he was in whatever was there before the new building was built. Except for the shops on the street level that building was empty for
many years. I think the developer and the city were fighting. The
building was owned by Sukarman Sukampto, an indonesian banker.
Ever wonder where that awesome CLASSIC LONGBOARDS logo came from? It’s the man himself, with his legendary style at Queens surf!
I owe this guy big time . He’s the one that taught me how to shape . I am forever greatful Cippy .Aloha , Cal
2013 small businesses
in hawaii are struggling
to keep nostrils above water.
What is the economic answer?
Changing format to cottage industrial
art gallery fare is an option to the
‘commited for life’ independants.
Soul is not a brand
Lifestyle is not a cello package on
a peg rack in a mall. 'Supporting
small business’ is making a significant
number of purchases a year from
the family store.
Count it up-
of the last ten things you bought
how many were from an independant?
how many were bought from a business
with the last name LLC.
…ambrose…
the overthrow of the strangle hold corperate
business models have on the economix
are many years down the road of this current trend.
It will likely be after the government nationalizes
corperations for unpaid taxes … this is how
corperations will take over the government
by letting the government take them over.
…
Let the hunter stalk the tiger until the hunter
is close enough to be eaten by the tiger.
Cippy told me that Barry Morrison will be taking over the shop. Interisland Surfboards will have a new home. You can always get a new board from Cippy, he’ll be working out of his house. Barry should be able to get boards from Cippy too.
Best of luck to both, they are 2 very good guys.
Ambrose, I would love to see surfers once again supporting cottage Industries. Like Surf trunks made by a local. Tee shirts screened in a small shop. The Surf Shop with the factory out back.
In Encinitas There was Summer Girl by Sandy. She made bikinis and board Shorts known back then as baggies. Mike Doyle made wax and even produced his own brand of board shorts. There were also a couple of wet-suit manufactures making custom suits around town. Shops Like Sunset had factories on site. Silk Screen Printers down in Del Mar and Solana Beach. You could even get a hand done airbrushed tee shirt. From a couple of places.
The Aloha shirts were born in Hawaiian cottages.
Hi,
This has to be the best bit of surfer prose I have ever read, Waikiki is on my bucket list and I learnt more about the place in a few paragraphs then in a thousand Youtube videos.
Keep writing, you are good at it.
MrT
now with Barry at the helm of a retail store in Waikiki, I’ll be doing a lot more time in the Islands working up some Inter-Islands for the shop, my dream come true. I used to bug the living daylights out of Mickey Lake every time I went into town, I wanted to work for him so bad, but in all reality, I was the kook of kooks still.
It only took 45 more years to land the job, persistance pays off
Well. It was bad news but now it sounds like a win win for everyone. Including Cippy.