Cinnamon Rainbows
The history of the shop.
One of the most commonly asked questions is how did the shop get its name.
So here is the story as it was told to me. In 1980 Cape Cod resident and surfer Todd Walker had invited his friends to dinner to share some news with them. Todd mentioned he was opening a surf shop in Orleans MA. His friends were stoked but thought the names he had in mind were a bit too generic.
“Well, I could also name it after my favorite spot ...
”Todd Walker
As his friends shared their thoughts and weighed in on the topic Todd said" We'll I could also name it after my favorite spot Cinnamon Rainbows". Todd had been surfing at Apple Bay in Tortola and thought it was ideal. The spot was actually named in an August 1978 Surfer magazine article called Islands in the stream . That was it, the name had a uniqueness and meaning behind it and the name Cinnamon Rainbows was now a Cape Cod surf shop open for business in 1980.
In 1983 Todd walker opened a satellite shop in Hampton NH at the bottom of Winnacunnett Road run by the Valhoulis. The next year Todd Walker Relocated to the 931 Ocean Blvd address where Nelson’s Candy store used to be. Cinnamon Rainbows operated there until shop employee Dave Cropper took over the NH store from Todd in 1989.Since then the shop has been thru several expansions to become what it is today.
In 2004 Dave Cropper and Phil Carey were aboard the Quiksilver crossing, they ended up in Totorla surfing Apple Bay aka Cinnamon Rainbows. Jim Kempton was on the trip with us and said" I have to ask how did your shop get its name?" It's named after the spot in Apple Bay Tortola .
I was told there was an old article from an Aug 1978 surfer issue naming Apple Bay Cinnamon Rainbows.That was Todd Walkers favorite spot.Jim said yes, I was the editor of Surfer Mag then, I wrote that article and named that spot. So there you have it, with the article and mag to back it up. Apple Bay Tortola BVI or otherwise know as Cinnamon Rainbows.
– Timeline –
1980
Todd Walker opens Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Company in Orleans, Massachussetts.
1983
Todd opens a second satellite shop in Hampton, NH next to the Pop In market at the bottom of Winnacunnet Rd.
1984
Cinnamon Rainbows moves to the bottom of High St. in Hampton, NH in the location that used to be Nelsons Candy.
1985
Current shop owner Dave Cropper begins working at the shop while in high school.
1989
Dave Cropper purchases the shop from Todd Walker.
1996
Cinnamon Rainbows expands through the back with a surfboard room holding 55 boards and Heather Day begins to develop and expand the women’s business.
2000
Cinnamon Rainbows relocates to the front of the building and takes over the convenience store space and expands to more than 5 times its square footage.
2004
Cinnamon Rainbows expands once again through the back taking over Kennedy's restaurant storage space and now can hold 400 surfboards
Cinnamon Rainbows has a Surfer Mag centerfold in the November 2004 issue with an article about surfshops titled "Houses of the Holy".
2007
February Surftech delivers four 12' Laird stand up paddle boards to the shop and Paddleboarding is introduced to the NH seacoast.
2014
Cinnamon Rainbows was one of 5 shops in the country nominated for retailer of the year by the SIMA Surf Industry Manufacturers Awards.
Cinnamon Rainbows presents and celebrates the 50th Anniversary of THE ENDLESS SUMMER movie. with Robert August and Wingnut live at the Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH.