Shopping OC
x Chris, Alex, and Wes Kazmarck stand in front of Rock Star Headquarters in Surf Mall, 1154 Boardwalk,
shop talk
SURF MALL
T H I S F A M I LY - R U N B O A R D W A L K M A L L C E L E B R A T E S 4 0 Y E A R S
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REATIVITY, courage, and consistency are the keys to success, and the 40th year anniversary of Ocean City’s Surf Mall is living proof. Before Alex Kazmarck’s purchase of the space in 1979, the Surf Mall was originally the Surf Theater; and although this entertainment proved to be successful for many years prior, Alex’s efforts to increase profits fell short. Quickly, he recognized the need for a change and exploration outside of movies. After developing a successful blueprint, Alex found retail of great interest, thus the vision of the first Boardwalk mall in Ocean City quickly turned into reality. By 1982, business began booming; selling apparel, jewelry, records, and more, where the ultimate goal was to have a little bit of everything. As each summer afterward concluded, the mall’s prosperity was becoming more evident, and it was not long before the business became a family affair. As Alex’s time for retirement closed in, his sons Wes and Chris Kazmarck knew they wanted to keep the one place that not only meant a lot to them, but to their father. “From as long as I can remember, my brother Chris and I grew up in my dad’s Surf Mall, working from high school into college,” said Wes. “We always had an interest
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and we knew how hard it was to build this up. Our dad worked really hard, and my brother and I take a lot of pride in that. There are big shoes to fill and we plan to keep things rolling.” Passing down the baton to those next in line was only one piece of the puzzle, as every year began to hold new challenges. “The trickiest part is that no summer is ‘business as usual’, every year we have to change the playbook if we want to stay on top of the latest trends and see success,” said Wes. “You just have to hope you bought right, and when it does work out, it is the ultimate reward.” Although a family run business, there would be no celebration of 40 years without the team itself. “There is a lot to keep track of here, and it is far from a two-man job,” said Wes. “So much goes into the whole process, it is impossible to do it alone. All of our tenants have been with us since the ‘90s, and not only are they super awesome workers, but also amazing humans. Although the field can be overwhelming, the Surf Mall family that we have created is one the biggest motivations. My brother and I stay in touch with people who started working here at the mall when they were 15, and now they are adults with children. It is really cool to still have those relationships, and it is something we
