Tucked just two blocks from the ocean on the southern coast of Maine sits a small, unassuming surf shop, Grain Surfboards, that’s anything but ordinary.
The Beginnings
Before there was Grain, founder Mike LaVecchia moved to Vermont in the mid-’80s and immediately took to snowboarding. A few years later, he worked for the industry leader Burton Snowboards.
It was there he was first introduced to surfing. “There is a lot of crossover between surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding. For many people, if you do one, you kind of do them all,” says LaVecchia. Soon, surfing became a natural extension for him.
After 12 years in the industry, LaVecchia shifted course, earning his U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License and running a commercial sailing vessel on Lake Champlain. His time on the water reignited a love for craftsmanship, especially wooden boats. “It was during this boat-building project that I was fortunate to have worked on, where I started thinking more and more about surfboards and how I wanted to build one out of wood,” he says.
Wooden Roots
Wooden surfboards are not a new phenomenon; they were recorded as far back as 1778 in Ancient Hawai’i. The shift towards mass-produced foam boards only happened in the last century.
While working on boats, LaVecchia fell in love with the handcrafted, beautiful wooden vessels with graceful lines that had lasted decades. “They’re not the mass-produced ones, but the hand-built and hand-shaped ones...the ones that have been around for 40, 50, 60 years,” he explains.
That appreciation for craftsmanship led him to think more seriously about surfboards. “I wanted to build my own,” he recalls. “and while most surfboards are shaped out of foam… I was used to creating something from parts and assembling them into a whole.”
For LaVecchia, shaping surfboards wasn’t far off from building boats—both demanded attention to how they move through water, and a hands-on approach to craft.
So, in 2005, he began building his signature “true wood boards,” combining much of what he knew and loved about wooden boats and adapting that to build wooden surfboards. With knowledge of and history with the board sports world, as well as help from many close friends, Grain was born.
The Workshop Experience
One thing that sets Grain apart from other surf shops is its surfboard workshop program.
“It started with us selling do-it-yourself surfboard kits—which we still do—but a lot of people were hesitant to dive in. They didn’t have the tools, space, or confidence,” explains LaVecchia. “That’s when we started thinking about workshops. We had the space, the tools, and a love for community and teaching. We’ve been running workshops for about 18 years now.”
At a Grain workshop, each participant chooses a surfboard model, size, and wood tone—every board is made from cedar, which offers beautiful natural variation. Classes are small, typically six students with two instructors, ensuring plenty of personal guidance.
“In our workshops, we aim to strike a balance—making sure your board turns out great while also giving you space to engage with the process, learn, and get the most out of the experience,” says LaVecchia
New England Surf
When people think of surfing, California usually comes to mind with sunny beaches and maybe the Beach Boys. But New England has its own underground surf scene, shaped by grit, cold winters, and a close-knit community that’s grown strong outside the mainstream surf industry.
In the Northeast, we face challenges—snow, cold temps, power outages, flat spells, [things] that most of the surf world doesn’t deal with,” explains LaVecchia. “But that’s always felt like a benefit. We’ve had to forge our path; we’re not influenced by trends; we’ve stuck to our own values for 20 years, and we’re still innovating.”
Even seasoned California shapers have come to Grain and felt a wave of nostalgia.
“They say this feels like what California was in the ’60s. It’s special here,” LaVecchia says. “Sure, building boards is easier in sunny, steady weather. But the challenges make us better, stronger, more adaptable.”
That resilience is powered by community.
“The [Northeast] surf community has supported Grain by continually showing up,” said Nolan Collins, Board Designer & Workshop Manager. “They’re more than customers—they’re family. Whether it’s a fundraiser, project, or just a potluck, they turn up when we put the call out,” says Collins.
“They’re not the mass-produced ones, but the hand-built and hand-shaped ones...the ones that have been around for 40, 50, 60 years."
“It started with us selling do-it-yourself surfboard kits—which we still do—but a lot of people were hesitant to dive in. They didn’t have the tools, space, or confidence...We had the space, the tools, and a love for community and teaching. We've been running workshops for about 18 years now.”