Commitment to customers, Christ mark 40 years of Innerlight success

The original Innerlight Surf Shop, right, was located in an old motel building along Highway 98 where Harbourtown now stands in Gulf Breeze. Innerlight opened the 9th Avenue store, above, in the 80's before moving back into Gulf Breeze in the 90's. Innerlight Surf and Skate celebrated its 40th anniversary on Saturday, May 30, making it the oldest continually running successful business in the area. The Gulf Breeze store marked the day with pizza, discounts, cake, movies and more. And on the same day, the new store in Gulf Shores, Alabama, celebrated its grand opening.

In these tight economic times, both celebrations are great news.

The key to the long running success of the store is clear, according to Owner/Manager J.B. Schluter. "We are a small specialty store in a small town," Schluter says, "and we will not sacrifice on customer service. We are a Christian-based business and Christ is the center of what we do. We named the store Innerlight because Christ is the main light of our lives and our business - we try to be good stewards and good representatives."

Schluter credits the division of skills and responsibilities between himself and his brother

and

partner, Yancy Spencer III, World Champion Surfer, as the key to their success. Spencer still manages to surf or paddle board every day and remains in peak condition. He focuses on managing the Innerlight Surf Team, remains the surfing expert and heart and soul of the business.

Spencer first picked up a surfboard on the Gulf of Mexico in 1965, and went on to become internationally regarded as the best surfer to come out of the Gulf Coast area. Surfing began only as a fun social past time, but soon blossomed into not only an athletic passion that would turn into a professional career, but long-term a means of promoting surfing and creating income through his retail stores.

Spencer traveled the Gulf Coast for years, surfing and competing wherever he could. In 1970, he was named the number one amateur surfer on the Gulf Coast. In the mid 70's, his passion led him to a surf shop called New Era, which he renamed Innerlight to reflect his commitment to a life in Christ - giving credit to his love for the Lord and the light that is within all believers - the light of Christ, or "inner light."

The Gulf Breeze Innerlight is at 203 Gulf Breeze Pkwy. "Yancy recruited me in the early 80s to help him on the retail side," remembers Schluter. "He was on top of the world with his surfing, and there was a big boom in surfing culture. I had been working at Gayfers for 8 years, and was in line for my own store. I left instead to take over the business side of Innerlight, and Yancy has totally empowered me - he is grounded in the surf industry and I work the retail side; we divide to conquer."

And dividing to conquer is a formula that works according to their friends and coworkers.

"I was a rep for Gordon and Smith in the early 80s for six years, and then repped Oakley for 13 years," remembers Tom Hutson. "I've worked several other lines. I think the thing about Innerlight is that Yancy is the famous surfer - fantastic at promoting the sport and the store - he is the authority. And J.B. is the sharp business guy who has been smart enough to expand the empire. J.B. bought the Gulf Breeze property - he is the spark plug that took Innerlight to the next level."

Innerlight T's and signature products can be found around the world and their signature logo has become instantly recognizable. The second generation is now carrying the torch, joining the founders in a perpetuation of Innerlight's surfing and retail legacy.

Sterling Spencer competes on the world-wide surf circuit, and daughter Shannon Hampton is the manager of the Pensacola store, and her husband Matt manages the new Gulf Shores store. Daughter Cherie Krohn is a buyer for Innerlight and her husband Bill Krohn manages the Gulf Breeze store. And Justin Schluter is the Surf Camp Instructor.

Schluter's smile is broad when he laughs, "we aren't just building a business any more, we are breeding managers!"

Schluter is proud that he tries to hire from within, or recruit locally, and Nik Mccue manages the Pensacola store, Shelly Scoto- Pittman co-manages the Gulf Breeze store and Blake Brown is the Destin store manager. Chris Arnold is managing the Gulf Shores store - part of the Innerlight family if not part of the Schluter family!

Husband and wife team Bill and Cherie Krohn manage the busy Gulf Breeze store. "We love working for our future here, not just for someone else," Cherie says. She is Schluter's daughter.

Hutson says a lot of lives have been touched by the blossoming of the Innerlight empire. He is a rep for Crush and Kreed glasses now, and has watched the business grow, lifting others along the way.

"I've dealt with hundreds of shops over the years and they have been really smart. Yancy started it, he never quit, he's been through hard times over the years and he just stuck with it. Yancy is a passionate leader. He may be 59 years old and he still loves surfing, leading the way with his passion and enthusiasm. A lot of great are following him. We've had a lot of good surfers come out of Pensacola, including his son Sterling."

From the cinder block store started in an old motel along Highway 98 where Harbourtown now stands to new and renovated buildings in Gulf Breeze, Destin, Pensacola and Gulf Shores, AL, the success story is rather magical.

"I remember when Yancy was in Hawaii, and J.B. found ceilings and everything a mess. He saw opportunity.

"I am sure that Yancy's heart stopped when he saw it, but he trusted his brother - his long-time friend and partner. And J.B. made it happen, and the store has worked out great. J.B. sold off a chunk of years of passion and guts, and faith and trust in each other and in God."

Innerlight is located at: 6307 N. 9th Ave, Pensacola; 3800 Gulf Shores Pkwy in Gulf Shores, AL; in Destin at 862-A Hwy. 98; and in Gulf Breeze at 203 Gulf Breeze Pkwy.