By Margaret Littman
NICK MATZORKIS was a serial entrepreneur, always looking for the next big idea. The
latest one came to him in 2008 when he was
stand up paddle surfing in Malibu, California.
Today stand up paddling is the fastest-growing water sport in the United States.
Back then the sport was found mostly on the
coasts. But Matzorkis, now 50, had ideas.
SUP, as it is called, features a surfboard-like board designed to be stood on, with a one-bladed paddle that the paddler alternates from
side to side. Advocates like it as a whole-body
workout engaging the core, the arms and the
legs. The boards are stable, so that novices can
pick up the sport fairly quickly, although water
conditions and design advances continue to
make it interesting to even the most experienced paddlers. Not to mention the benefits of
exercising outside and the Zen of feeling as if
one is walking on the water.
Because the person on the board can
propel him- or herself forward with the paddle, as a kayaker does, SUP can be enjoyed
on flat-water lakes and even subdivision
ponds, in addition to moving rivers and in
ocean surf. And that is where Matzorkis saw
his opportunity.
Matzorkis is a Southern California native
who now lives on Lake Austin in Austin,
Texas, and understands the Texas boating
sports &
recreation
SUP ATX helps families embrace
the sport of stand up paddling
Get up,
stand up
Company: SUP ATX
Founder, chairman
and CEO: Nick Matzorkis
Employees: 300
Products at Costco.com:
Five boards for adults and one
board for kids ages 6 to 14.
Boards are 12. 5, 12, 11 and 9
feet in length, bundled with
accessories. Accessories can
include carbon fiber or
aluminum adjustable paddle,
board bag, leash. A full carbon
fiber adjustable paddle may
be purchased separately.
Address: 515 S. Congress
Ave., Austin, TX 78704
Website:
www.supatx.com
Comments about Costco:
“I have become more confi-
dent about Costco as a mem-
ber, having gone through the
vending process, because
I know what they go through,
and we have never been
asked to compromise on
quality. I can assume they
have done more home-
work than I could do and
I’ll get a good value for
what I am paying.”
—Nick Matzorkis
supplierprofile and outdoor culture. Matzorkis wanted to
make SUP accessible to people who don’t live
on the coasts.
So, in 2008, he set himself a modest goal:
to become the largest flat-water paddleboard
company in the U.S. By 2009 his first paddleboards were in production and he had
reached his goal. His company, SUP ATX
(the name is drawn from the sport and the
Austin location) now is one of the largest
paddleboard makers in the world, known for
its high-volume, value-priced equipment,
offering an affordable product to those who
don’t live on the beach and don’t necessarily
aspire to surf culture, but like the idea of
being outdoors and being healthy.
“We wanted to popularize the sport, not
just for surfers, but for everybody,” says
Matzorkis.
In 2008 Matzorkis spent $5,000 buying
his first two paddleboards, paddles and
associated gear, an amount that is not atypical in the industry even today. With SUP
ATX, his aim was a price point of less than
$1,000 per person.
In 2010 SUP ATX launched its SUP
USA line exclusively at Costco.com as part
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More in archives
On Costco.com, enter
“Connection.”At Online Edition,
search “stand-up paddling.”
Tablet or smartphone?
Scan or click here to watch
an instructional video on
stand-up paddling. (See page
5 for scanning instructions.)