How Marin County's Proof Lab became a beloved community hub and one of the country's best surf shops

Is This The Most Interesting Surf Shop In the World?

My answer is, YES!

There's always been something special about surf shops. From the amalgamated scent of wax, new wetsuits and fresh boards to the intel on which local break is currently working best, where to get the best post-surf burrito in town and so much more, surf culture resides inside surf shops-that's what makes them special. In Shop Chronicles, a new web series, SURFER will be sharing the stories of iconic surf shops.
This episode transports you north of the Golden Gate Bridge to Proof Lab, a sprawling shop in redwood-lined Mill Valley, California. The founders of Proof Lab, Will Hutchinson and Nate McCarthy, set out to build more than just a place to pick up the surf equipment needed to survive along the wild Northern California coast--they wanted to create a community hub. The shop boasts everything from a massive indoor skate bowl, to music classes, a pottery studio, plant nursery, even a biodiesel fuel station. It’s a destination shop for surfers throughout Northern California and a cherished part of the Mill Valley community. A dream surf shop, unlike most any surf shop you’ve ever seen.