Sleeping Bear Surf
Sleeping Bear Surf, founded in 2004 in Empire, Michigan, rents surf equipment and sells outdoor adventure gear to surfers, paddlers, and beach enthusiasts as a small independent retailer.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersEmpire, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sleeping Bear Surf does
Sleeping Bear Surf is a small, privately held outdoor recreation retailer founded in 2004 and based in Empire, Michigan, in the United States. The company sells surf equipment rentals and outdoor adventure gear targeted at surfers, paddlers, and beach enthusiasts, indicating a customer base composed of both local recreationists and visitors to the Sleeping Bear Dunes / Lake Michigan shoreline region. The firm operates at a micro scale (1-10 employees) and is classified as a private, for-profit business with no parent company, subsidiaries, or external funding history disclosed in the available data.
The business model appears to combine equipment rental with retail sales of outdoor gear, consistent with the operational profile of independent beach-town outfitters serving national lakeshore tourism. The primary website (sbsurfandkayak.com) suggests both surf and kayak/paddle-sport exposure, reinforcing a watersports-rental positioning rather than a pure surf-retail format. No information about pricing structure, supplier relationships, distribution channels, or whether the business is purely walk-in or accepts online reservations was available from the source data reviewed; the primary website resolved to a verification/loader page rather than substantive content during data collection.
All available evidence indicates a single-location, independent retail operation with no documented technology platform, partnerships, external capital, or formal certifications. There is no evidence of e-commerce scale, multi-location expansion, B2B contracts, or institutional customers. The investment-relevant picture is therefore that of a stable lifestyle micro-business whose economics are governed primarily by seasonal tourism flows to the Sleeping Bear Dunes area, with limited publicly verifiable signal on revenue trajectory, customer base composition, or strategic direction.
Sleeping Bear Surf firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sleeping Bear Surf
- Website
- https://sbsurfandkayak.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sleeping Bear Surf, founded in 2004 in Empire, Michigan, rents surf equipment and sells outdoor adventure gear to surfers, paddlers, and beach enthusiasts as a small independent retailer.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sleeping Bear Surf industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Outdoor Recreation Equipment Rentals
- NAICS
- Recreational Goods Rental (532284)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine Recreation Rentals & Tours Retail Counter (On-site Sales) (CRAMAIAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)
Keywords
Where Sleeping Bear Surf is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Empire
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Sleeping Bear Surf business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Sleeping Bear Surf product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sleeping Bear Surf is a small outdoor recreation rental business operating in Empire, Michigan that rents out surf equipment, kayaks, and outdoor adventure gear to surfers, paddlers, and beach enthusiasts visiting the Sleeping Bear Dunes area. The company provides access to water sports equipment without requiring customers to own or transport gear.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Surf Equipment Rentals
- Kayak Rentals
- Outdoor Adventure Gear Rentals
Companies that use Sleeping Bear Surf
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Sleeping Bear Surf technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sleeping Bear Surf partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves1 record
Sleeping Bear Surf competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Outdoorsy: Marketplace for outdoor recreation rentals including watercraft. Comparable as a platform that aggregates demand and disintermediates single-location water-sports rental businesses.
- REI Co-op: National outdoor retailer with rental programs for kayaks, SUPs, and other gear, plus retail surf/paddle product lines. Comparable as a broader incumbent in outdoor recreation rentals and gear retail that competes for the same customer wallet.
- GetMyBoat: Online marketplace aggregating boat and watercraft rentals from independent operators. Comparable as a platform layer that increasingly competes with independent surf/kayak rental shops for discovery and booking.
Direct peers
- Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Co: Long-established Hawaii-based surf shop offering surfboard rentals, lessons, and retail gear. Directly comparable to Sleeping Bear Surf as a surf-equipment rental and gear retailer serving beach/tourism visitors.
- La Jolla Surf School: California surf school renting boards and offering lessons to coastal visitors. Comparable as a small, locally branded surf-rental and instruction operator in a destination market.
- Hans Hedemann Surf School: Oahu-based surf school offering lessons, board rentals, and beach services to tourists. Closely mirrors Sleeping Bear Surf's combination of rental, instruction, and beachside tourism focus.
Regional players
- Platte River Outfitters: Michigan water recreation provider offering kayak, canoe, and tube rentals. Comparable as a Great Lakes-region paddling and water-sports rental operator serving destination tourists.
- Mackinaw Parasail & Water Sports: Northern Michigan water-sports operator offering rentals and excursions near the Straits of Mackinac. Regionally comparable to Sleeping Bear Surf as a Great Lakes water-sports rental business, though more motorized-watercraft focused.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights4 records
Customer concentration
Sleeping Bear Surf social profiles
Digital presenceSleeping Bear Surf financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sleeping Bear Surf leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Sleeping Bear Surf funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sleeping Bear Surf M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sleeping Bear Surf
What does Sleeping Bear Surf do?
Sleeping Bear Surf is a small outdoor recreation rental business operating in Empire, Michigan that rents out surf equipment, kayaks, and outdoor adventure gear to surfers, paddlers, and beach enthusiasts visiting the Sleeping Bear Dunes area. The company provides access to water sports equipment without requiring customers to own or transport gear.
When was Sleeping Bear Surf founded?
Sleeping Bear Surf was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sleeping Bear Surf based?
Sleeping Bear Surf is headquartered in Empire, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Sleeping Bear Surf's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Outdoorsy, REI Co-op and GetMyBoat. Direct peers are Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Co, La Jolla Surf School and Hans Hedemann Surf School. Regional players are Platte River Outfitters and Mackinaw Parasail & Water Sports.
Does Sleeping Bear Surf have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sleeping Bear Surf.
What industry is Sleeping Bear Surf in?
Sleeping Bear Surf's product category is Outdoor Recreation Equipment Rentals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAIAM, Marine Recreation Rentals & Tours Retail Counter (On-site Sales), with a secondary code of THAAAKAC, Surf Schools & Surf Camps. Its NAICS code is 532284 and its SIC code is 7350.