East Coast Sports

Surf shop in Surf City, NC

SurfSpotGuide verified

4.6 (370 reviews)

Surf City, NC

About East Coast Sports

East Coast Sports in Surf City, NC, offers a vast inventory spanning surf gear, beach equipment, clothing, and extensive fishing tackle for both inshore and offshore angling. Customers consistently praise the staff for being exceptionally friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to go above and beyond to assist with local advice and gear needs. This locally owned shop is ideal for families and dedicated anglers alike, providing everything required for a successful day on the water or the beach.

The Good

Customers consistently praise the extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful staff, often naming specific employees (Jerry, Sully, Doug, Chris, Colin, Chuck, Emma, Nathan) for going above and beyond, offering expert advice, and providing excellent service, including after-hours assistance and reel spooling. The store is highly regarded for its vast and comprehensive selection of fishing tackle (inshore/offshore), bait, beach equipment, clothing, and souvenirs. Many reviewers appreciate that it is a well-stocked, family-run local business active in the community, offering fair prices on high-quality goods.

Things to Consider

Several negative experiences were reported, including one instance of an older female employee publicly accusing a customer of shoplifting, leading to a loss of future business. Another review cited feeling overwhelmed and claustrophobic due to the store being excessively cluttered and jammed with merchandise. Pricing was noted as slightly higher ($1-$2 more) than a competitor by one local. Specific customer service failures included an unhelpful and curt employee when purchasing a fishing license, and another incident involving young staff members who were not wearing masks, displayed poor math/honesty regarding sale prices, and were rude when challenged on pricing errors. Finally, one customer was disappointed with the resolution (only receiving lubricant) after purchasing a functionally defective, expensive reel.