BoardCo has been around for 25+ years and has no signs of slowing down. Began in 1989 as M&M Watersports, it has grown into one of the largest online retailers in the wakesports industry while also maintaining an immaculate storefront in Springville, UT. Not only are they one of the best board shops around, they’re also the #1 Centurion dealer in the world! Phase 5 has had an amazing relationship with BoardCo for years now so we thought it would be a good idea to check in on them to see how things are going. We chatted with the CEO of BoardCo, Mitch Mann, about how BoardCo got started and where he sees it going. Check out the full interview below and if you’re in the area, definitely drop by the shop to see what it’s all about!
Phase 5: Hey Mitch, thanks for taking the time to chat with us! Where are you from and how and when did Board Co get started?
Mitch: What’s up? I'm originally from Utah, and BoardCo was initially started back in 1998. BoardCo (originally called M&M Watersports) was founded by my parents and I grew up in the business and in the wake industry from the very beginning. It started small, but we've grown significantly over the years, thanks to our dedicated team and loyal customers.
Phase 5: Were you a wakeboarder/surfer prior to getting Board Co started?
Mitch: I was involved in watersports pretty much from the beginning. I was 2 weeks old the first time I was out on a boat, so I don’t really know life outside of watersports. I grew up wakeboarding and surfed for the first time in 2003 when most people had never seen or heard of it. It's amazing to see how far things have come since that time.
Phase 5: When did you take Phase 5 on at Board Co?
Mitch:It's been a really long time, but if I remember right, we took Phase 5 way back in 2004, shortly after Phase 5 became a brand. We were impressed by the quality and performance of the boards, and we knew they'd be a perfect fit for our customers. We have been a Phase 5 retailer both at our store and online at BoardCo.com ever since.
Phase 5: The surf community in Utah is huge. What are some of the hot spots there?
Mitch: There are a lot of great spots here in Utah such as Deer Creek, Jordanelle, Bear Lake, Pineview, and others; but there really is no place on earth quite like Lake Powell. I have been to a lot of really cool places all around the world but nothing really tops Powell.
Phase 5: Are people more into skim or surf style boards out there?
Mitch: Wow, that is a good question - we sell pretty equal numbers of each so I would say it's as close to 50/50 as it can be.
Phase 5: Which Phase 5 board is the Board Co team’s favorite?
Mitch: Phase 5 has a lot of great boards, no question about it. The two favorite skim style boards for our team are the Hammerhead and the Diamond Turbo. As for surf style, the top pick at the moment for most of our staff is the Phantom.
Phase 5: How much has foiling taken off in the last few seasons there?
Mitch: It's huge. Anyone who hasn't gotten out on a foil yet really needs to. It brings a whole new element to the sport.
Phase 5: Board Co is one of our favorite shops to work with because everyone just loves the sport so much. Thank you for keeping the stoke alive! Do you have any parting words of wisdom for us?
Mitch:Keep innovating, keep pushing the limits, and keep sharing the stoke with everyone around you. When we all work together and support one another, the sport and community will only continue to grow and thrive.
FOR MORE INFO, CHECK OUT BOARDCO.COM!
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