John Roberts, born and bred in Riverton is of Ngāi Tahu descent and a father of six children. John and his wife Melanie worked their way up in the dairy industry to become self-employed sharemilkers. After 10 years of milking cows, they decided it was time to start up their own business.

It all became a reality after a visiting Australian relative saw an opportunity for John to import and sell the “FiiK Electric Skate Boards,” which are the latest trend across the ditch. After several phone calls and a meeting with the Australian manufacturer, a deal was struck and their joint venture became a reality. John imported a few of the boards and bought some ‘Ocean and Surf’ surfboards, accessories and parts from a Christchurch-based distributor. John and Melanie were fortunate enough to lease a small shop in Riverton and opened their doors to the public eight months later. They named their business “South Coast Skate and Surf.” [Read more…]