As The Kayak Centre approaches its 30th anniversary in business this fall, Matt Bosgraaf has been there for most of its history.
Bosgraaf, now 42, started working for the small business on Brown Street in North Kingstown about 25 years ago as a high school student. His role has shifted dramatically. After starting out providing basic waterside assistance and customer service tasks, Bosgraaf was recently promoted to store co-owner alongside founder Jeff Shapiro.
Likewise, The Kayak Centre has grown well beyond Shapiro’s initial vision.
“We’ve gone from a specialty kayak retailer to an outdoor retailer that specializes in kayaks,” Bosgraaf said.
The business “got into sales throughout the years” after opening with a focus on lessons, Bosgraaf said, “and slowly but surely we’ve grown that market. So, we’re kind of like a big, comprehensive kayak store” selling “every type of kayak you can imagine,” as well as stand-up paddleboards, equipment and lifestyle clothing.
At the time of its opening in 1995, kayaking was more of a niche sport than it is today, Bosgraaf said, and many customers came to The Kayak Centre for an introduction to the activity. But since then, kayaking has surged in popularity and the business has evolved to keep up with this trend.
While instruction remains at the core of the business’s vision, The Kayak Centre has expanded its local retail operations and now makes sales throughout the U.S.
As a teenager, Bosgraaf wasn’t guided by a passion for kayaking when he took the job at The Kayak Centre. Rather, it was a convenient employment opportunity located within walking distance from his home. But it didn’t take long to develop a passion for the sport.
Bosgraaf said many customers are attracted to kayaking as a serene escape into nature, which can pair well with other activities such as bird watching.
“It’s really peaceful to be out there away from the sounds of cars driving, and it allows you to really explore the environment around you,” he said.
But just as notably, he says, the sport presents an opportunity for people to challenge themselves physically and mentally.
“You can either choose to be recreational and push your boundaries, or you can paddle to Block Island,” Bosgraaf said. “You can paddle around the rocky waters of Newport and see the mansions. You can surf in a kayak.”
The industry has evolved to become more inclusive over the years, allowing the business to provide a more seamless experience for customers with physical limitations. Sit-on-top kayaks have gained popularity, for instance, and “offer a lot of flexibility for someone to get in easily and safely,” Bosgraaf said, which commonly helps customers with hip or knee replacements.
“As the years have progressed, we’ve been able to get more specific with options and tailor them to people’s needs,” he added.
Like other outdoor activities such as cycling and hiking, Bosgraaf said the COVID-19 pandemic and related shutdowns prompted “a drastic increase” in the sport.
“We saw a lot of people in a short period of time that now have found their way into kayaking,” he said. “And obviously a portion of those people weren’t going to stick with it, but overall, when people get into kayaks and start using them, they develop a love of being on the water.”
OWNERS: Jeff Shapiro and Matt Bosgraaf
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Kayak and water sport instruction, rentals and sales
LOCATION: 70 Brown St., North Kingstown
EMPLOYEES: About 15 in season, three full time and two to three part time in winter
YEAR FOUNDED: 1995
ANNUAL REVENUE: WND
