Hot Wax Surf Shop Celebrates 40 Years Shaping the Wilmington Surf Scene
Hot Wax Surf Shop
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Hot Wax Surf Shop 〰️
While driving on Wrightsville Beach and heading south on Waynick Boulevard, as you scramble to find street parking you’ll pass a sign that says “Pioneer East Coast Surfing”, across from Bridgers Street. This commemorates the first documented surfing in the state of North Carolina, taking place on Wrightsville Beach in the early 1900’s.
Since the first days of those beachgoers struggling and floundering on classic wood boards, to the modern shortboards being used to torpedo through massive barreling waves today, Wrightsville Beach has been on the forefront for the development of surfing on the east coast for over 100 years. For nearly half of those 100 years, Hot Wax Surf Shop has been in Wilmington, incubating the growth of the sport and bringing the joy of wave riding to nearly three generations of local surfers.
The shop’s beginnings originate nearly 5,000 miles away in Hawaii. New Bern native Michael Paul, founder and owner of Hot Wax Surf Shop moved to Hawaii after graduating from UNCW in 1979 with a degree in accounting.
During this time Michael would discover the art of surfboard shaping, living on the North Shore of Oahu for two years. There he would work under surfboard shaper Ed Barbera, and get his official start in the surf industry.
After his stint in Hawaii, Michael would make his way back to Wilmington with his wife (whom he met while in Hawaii) and open Hot Wax Surf Shop in 1986, down the street from the current location on Hoggard Drive.
“When we started the shop, there was nobody on this side of College Road. It was all trees. ”
In the early days, the shop sold mostly clothing, but eventually would sell Michael’s signature line of surfboards handmade by himself - under the name Proline Surfboards.
Michael would go on to shape all kinds of boards over the years. “If you can think of the style of board, I’ve probably shaped it,” he says with a laugh. Hot Wax continues this tradition today, being one of the only surf shops in the Wilmington area to offer a surfboard shaping school.
“Shaping is a continual process you never truly master, you are always learning something new, forever.”
The first board Michael Paul ever shaped in Hawaii still sits above the shaping room in the shop today.
Michael credits his accounting background and his inclination to math as a foundation for success over the 40 years. But he also says staying true to his core ideals of what the shop stands for, has been equally important.
Hot Wax has built an identity through being local and “core” first. Staying true to the Wilmington surf scene has been paramount to the shop since the early days of its existence. Family owned, community focused, and small business centric.
The shaping room where Michael Paul runs a surfboard shaping school, and creates Proline Surfboards.
Michael’s son, Shaun Paul, also jumped on board to work with his dad in the family business. Shaun grew up in the shop, and spent effectively his entire childhood with it as a constant backdrop in his day to day life.
Shaun notes it is special to come into work everyday, see people grow up over the years of coming into the shop, and getting young people hooked on surfing and skateboarding.
“The coolest stuff that happens in here is setting a kid up their first skateboard or having them in our surfboard shaping school, and watching them be nervous when they start, and excited when they are done. ”
Shaun Paul sets up a skateboard for a customer.
Michael has surfed all over the world - Tavurua in Fiji, Jeffrey’s Bay in South Africa, and the many breaks spread all over the Hawaiian Islands. But there’s something about Wilmington that he couldn’t find anywhere else in the world, that ultimately always pulls him back here.
“Wilmington is such a fantastic place. You have a great southern hospitality here that can’t be beat. ”
Photos from Michael’s various surf trips over the years line the walls of the shop.
In an ever-changing world built on convenience and speed, Michael and Shaun cite staying true to their values as the biggest trademark over the past 40 years. Top notch customer service and building lasting relationships with customers has made them successful for decades, and they don’t plan on wavering from that.
At 68 years old, Michael still loves surfing, still rides a shortboard, still surfs Wrightsville Beach, still goes on surf trips, and still loves catching a long wave. He was recently honored by the Wrighstville Beach Museum of History in their 2025 Waterman Hall of Fame Class - a testament to his tremendous impact on the surf community here in the Port City.
With surfing being more popular than ever following a “post-COVID boom” Hot Wax looks to be a part of everyone’s surf journey in Wilmington for years to come.
Be sure to follow along on their Instagram, Facebook, and website!