COCOA BEACH, Fla. – Ron DiMenna, company founder of the famous Ron Jon Surf Shop, died Saturday at 88 years old, the company said in a news release.
DiMenna began Ron Jon Surf Shop in 1959 in New Jersey, opening the first store two years later in Long Island Beach, the release states.
Ron Jon stores can now be found throughout Florida in Cocoa Beach, Lake Buena Vista, Fort Myers, Key West, Panama City Beach, Clearwater Beach and Pensacola Beach, as well as in Ocean City, Maryland; Orange Beach, Alabama; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, according to the company.
Cocoa Beach Mayor Keith Capizzi reflected on Ron DiMenna’s impact.
“He was a huge part of Cocoa Beach. We might not be where we are today if it wasn’t for him,” Mayor Capizzi said.
Capizzi recalled what the store meant to him growing up and what it means to the area.
“Millions of visitors come here every year. Not only does Ron Jon thrive, but the whole community benefits.”
The entire Ron Jon family mourns this loss. On behalf of our Board of Directors, management team and employees, we extend our deepest sympathy to Ron’s wife, Lynne DiMenna.
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A young surf enthusiast who was not content to simply ride the waves, Ron wanted to bring surfing to the masses and was a pioneer in recognizing that surfing and the beach captivated people everywhere. Over the next six decades, Ron Jon Surf Shop expanded into a worldwide phenomenon that currently has retail stores along the east coast from the Jersey shore to Key West, Florida.
Together with his wife, Lynne, Ron founded Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization that supports organizations with likeminded missions to protect the health of Florida’s beaches and address issues such as coastal pollution and beach ecology. Through the sale of the Endless Summer® specialty license plate, the Foundation financially supports meaningful programs, events and activities that impact protection of the beaches for future generations to enjoy. This combined with the philanthropic work done by the Ron Jon Surf Shop corporation leaves an enduring legacy.
Ron Jon Surf Shop: "RON JON SURF SHOP ANNOUNCES THE PASSING OF FOUNDER, RON DIMENNA" - Sept. 7, 2025 (excerpts)
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George Trosset, founder of the popular Surfing Santas event held every Christmas Eve spoke about DiMenna’s support for local events.
“He loved how Surfing Santas brought people together and became a community fundraiser,” Trosset said.
“Ron was known as a free spirit and his love for the beach and the sport of surfing endured throughout his life. He lived life on his own terms and created a retail empire that remains one of the most successful beach shopping destinations in the country,” Michele Goodwin, president of Ron Jon Surf Shop, said in a statement. “The Ron Jon Surf Shop Corporation will continue to function as it has and nothing will change in the company’s day-to-day operations. Ron’s vision and legacy will live on for generations through Ron Jon Surf Shop and Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation.”