Wave Games can be found in County Walk but has operated from four separate sites across Taunton since first being founded by Peter and Debbie Young.

Allan Adams (who goes by Al), the current owner of the shop, now runs the business with help from his colleague Sam Buttle.

“They (Peter and Debbie) wanted to retire in 2016, then my wife and I bought the business from them," said Al.

“They’d done it for 30 years.

“Having done such a long stint themselves and having gone through a lot of difficult times in retail, they didn’t want to see it just close.

“They’re stoked that Wave Games is still here. We still get a lot of people coming in saying it’s good to still see it here.”

Wave Games sells a huge array of clothing, plus skate and surf hardware. (Image: NQ Staff)

Al started working at Wave Games as a university graduate in 2007 and couldn't resist the chance to take on the shop in 2016.

Since then, the business has relocated to its current location, which used to be Hair Associates but remained empty for five years before being taken on by Wave Games.

The shop now sells slightly less surf hardware than before and stocks more skate hardware, as well as a range of clothing from brands such as Obey, Volcom, Vans, Santa Cruz and Quiksilver.

Since taking over, Al has also expanded by selling Wave Games-branded clothing, an idea originally brought about by the original owners just before they retired.

“Pete and Deb started doing their own brand of clothes in around 2015, just a handful of t-shirts -  we’ve expanded that to include a handful of different designs, t-shirts and hoodies,” said Al.

Amongst the countless bold and eye-catching designs, one of a hand-drawn skeleton particularly stood out - which Al explained was illustrated by an artist from Cornwall, who initially designed Wave Games a free poster during the Covid lockdowns.

The independent shop is located in County Walk. (Image: NQ Staff)

Al and Sam they have built a loyal client base spanning three generations of customers who travel from as far as Cornwall to visit the shop – but they still often encounter locals who weren't aware of its existence.

And they believe the “free and honest” advice they give to customers getting into skateboarding and surfing is what makes Wave Games unique.

“You don’t really get that online, only in store,” Sam said.

“People like that they can talk about what they want, rather than just search through pages online.

Al added: "We’re not salespeople in any manner - if we don’t have the right item for you, we’ll help you find it somewhere else.”

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