Celebrating Good Clean Fun for 50 Years

Good Clean Fun proprietor, Steve Hennigh of Cayucos, is celebrating 50-years in enterprise.

Story and photographs by Neil Farrell

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or the previous yr, Good Clean Fun in Cayucos has celebrated a milestone that small enterprise homeowners dream of — 50-years in enterprise.

GCF’s unique proprietor, Steve Hennigh, sat down with Estero Bay News to speak in regards to the enterprise, sitting on stools within the window of the Ocean Front Street retailer’s second ground residing and workplace area. 

It has a sweeping view of Estero Bay — from the Cayucos Pier to Morro Rock within the distance — and is a good place to control the surf.

He began out with a small surf store in 1975 in a constructing on North Main Street in Morro Bay, he explains. The retailer, now upholstery store, was a pair doorways up from Spencer’s Market, which method again then was Young’s Giant Foods.

Jack Smith was his first worker, he says.

“Rent was $100 a month and my first phone was a pay phone. Outgoing calls were a dime and incoming calls were free,” he laughs. “Those were the days.”

In 1978, he says, he moved the enterprise to Cayucos into an outdated constructing at 136 Ocean Front St., that has a storefront on each Ocean Front and Ocean Avenue, within the coronary heart of the Downtown enterprise district. 

In 2003-04 he tore down the outdated constructing and constructed this new one, which inserts the city’s Old West motif effectively. Over the years, he’s tailored to many modifications, evolving from a browsing centered store to the broader, outdoor business.

For years, he rented kayaks and led ocean kayaking excursions launching from the seashore proper in entrance of the shop and paddling north to the Estero Bluffs and just a little spot known as Byron’s Beach, named after a man who used to stay there.

Good Clean Fun “has been a lifestyle for me,” Steve says, “that’s what’s kept me in the game.”

He admits his timing has been lucky.

“I was fortunate to be in surfing when it was blossoming,” he says. “We’ve shifted now to outdoors gear.”

That shift features a deal with coastal fishing — from the pier, surf kayak fishing and sport fishing offshore. The fishing focus consists of bait and deal with, which gave start to the “Hooked on Fun,” model.

They even have an in depth clothes choice for males, ladies and youngsters.

Hooked on Fun “applies to any outdoor activities,” he explains. 

Hooked on Fun began out as e-commerce promoting on-line, however now he sells it within the retailer. His enterprise into fishing has labored effectively, that includes every little thing from bait to rods, reels, deal with and big-ticket issues like fishing kayaks. 

“We supply it all,” he says. “Fishing is the number one sport in the world.” 

He not does the kayak excursions, and stepped away from a youth program he ran for 15 years. But the leases proceed. “We also have the best collection of beach rentals on the coast,” he says. “Surfboards, physique boards, wetsuits, kayaks and extra. But the retail kayak enterprise has modified.

“The kayak industry is dead,” he says. What killed the retail facet of kayaking is what’s damage nearly each facet of retailing, producers began promoting direct to prospects.

“There’s not one kayak shop left on the Central Coast,” he says, excluding companies that hire kayaks. The identical goes for paddle boarding and wind browsing.

“It’s the independent, small dealers that got hurt,” he says. “What’s kept us alive is our location.” 

Kayak leases nonetheless occur however “the demand is not there.” 

Even browsing has been damage however that’s extra influenced by drones, particularly drone movies which have exploded on-line and present nice white sharks swimming simply offshore and frighteningly near surfers and kayakers. 

“Even in Pismo Beach,” Steve says, referring to a latest video shot with a drone exhibiting what seems to be a juvenile nice white shark — nonetheless about 10-feet lengthy — lazily swimming beneath surfers. “The demand is just gone.”

Now his “bead & butter” gross sales are physique boards, clothes for males, ladies and youngsters, and bait and deal with.

One factor he gives has actually began catching on — a fishing simulator. With the high-tech gizmo he can set somebody as much as catch any kind and measurement of fish they select — tuna, salmon, halibut, and so on. The simulator mimics the battle you’ll get from totally different sorts of fish and totally different sized fish, too.

“I can demonstrate rods and reels on the simulator and it’s as good as catching a fish.”

He provides, “We’ve always figured out something to keep us going.”

He says he’s seen good occasions and unhealthy occasions over the previous 50 years. “Right now,” he says, “it’s a pretty good time.” He praises his present crew within the retailer. 

“This new crew,” he says, “is the best crew I’ve ever had.” They’ve introduced in some particular expertise too. 

“My social media is blowing up right now,” he says, crediting one worker, Chloe, who’s been dealing with it.

He’s been engaged on making Good Clean Fun a nationwide outside, energetic way of life model. 

Having good assist has allowed him to stay a considerably nomadic life, splitting his time between Cayucos and a house he in-built Baja California, Mexico. 

“I’ve been commuting back and forth from the tip of Baja to here,” he says. At 76-years outdated, he’s hoping for an additional change quickly. “I have other things I want to do,” he explains.

Good Clean Fun — the constructing, the enterprise and the model — are at the moment listed on the market as a package deal. “My hope and dream,” he says, “is to have someone keep this going forever.”

He provides that that is “a desirable package for someone who wants a lifestyle change. There’s not a location like this. It’s one of a kind.” (See: www.136OceanFront.com for particulars)

“Our beachfront location,” he says, “is unsurpassable by anyone in the outdoor business.”

He’ll preserve the shop working with enterprise as common and has no plans for any form of huge sale. 

In the meantime, he says they haven’t scheduled an enormous bash to have fun the 50-year milestone however might do one thing after the summer time busy season is over. 

“I’ve had a really good run,” he says, “I couldn’t imagine it would turn out like this.”

Good Clean Fun, 136 Ocean Front St., is open each day from 9 a.m. to six p.m.