COCOA BEACH, Florida — Ron DiMenna, the entrepreneurial spirit behind the globally recognized Ron Jon Surf Shop brand, died Saturday in Florida, the store announced . He was 88.

“Our thoughts are with his wife, Lynne, during this difficult time. We honor all the creativity he brought into this world, and we will continue to honor his love for the beach and all things surf,” the shop said Monday in an Instagram post.

DiMenna first found his passion for surfing along the New Jersey coast in 1959, a fascination ignited when he purchased surfboards from the West Coast and sold two to fund the third, Boston 25 News reported .

Following that spark, he opened his first storefront in Long Beach Island in 1961. Two years later, he extended his vision south to Cocoa Beach, opening the “One-of

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