ALMOST two years after he opened his first surfwear store in Redhead, Mitch Samways has launched a second store in Bar Beach.
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"Redhead and in town are two different places, people in Redhead don't come to town and people in town don't go to Redhead, it's a whole new market," the 22-year-old says of the recent move.
"It's about going to the people, I know how well it sells, I've got nothing to lose."
Samways' confidence to open in Darby Street came after his retro T-shirts sold well at local city markets.
When he opened his Redhead shop, he had 20 designs for T-shirts he printed in a tiny hidden space at the back. He expanded that space to allow him to beef up his range, which leans heavily on the 90s.
"We've changed the whole style of our prints, keeping it old school, trying to be a bit different and stay in our own lane without merging," says Mr Samways, one of the three sons of Col Samways and his late wife Sharon, who once ran local waveski manufacturer Wavemasters.
Mr Samways surfs daily in Redhead and says his business revolves around catching waves and coffee.
"There's not many serious intentions - it's casual and old school as we can because in the modern age we're all 100 miles and hour," he says.
That said, he's rarely taken a day off since he began, constantly updating designs and products including board shorts and jumpers.
Just as his surfwear has grown slicker, Mr Samways' skillset has matured.
"It's been a hustle. Learning every day about every single thing, from how to deal with solicitors, being thrown in the deep end and working it out," he says. "That's what I am stoked about, the fact we were able to build something from the ground. And now to employ five people and look back and see what we have created. And for people to froth on the stuff and come to us."
Having lost his mum to cancer in 2019, Mr Samways likes to think she's looking down and super proud.
"I want to work hard and try to achieve something and be comfortable, happy, passionate and stay consistent," he says.
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