The Small Business Spotlight: Pura Vida Paddle
In this "Small Business Spotlight," presented by American Bank, Austin Meek of Waco Business News highlights Erin Ward of Pura Vida Paddle.
Pura Vida Paddle, located on the dock underneath Buzzard Billy’s, offers kayak and stand up paddle board rentals and classes.
"Pura Vida" is one of the most commonly heard phrases in Costa Rica. Similar to how Hawaiian's use "aloha," “pura vida” is a greeting and a goodbye, a reminder to pursue "pure life," or "simple life." It's about drowning out the noise and focusing on the present moment: the only moment we're guaranteed.
Construction continues unabated throughout Pura Vida Paddle’s otherwise-serene yoga classes and boat rentals launched from this floating dock.
Erin Ward knows the power of the present. She lives it every day on the dock beneath Buzzard Billy's, where she operates Pura Vida Paddle and leads groups through aquatic yoga classes while construction crews work to widen I-35.
"I try to make this kinda feel like a Costa Rican vibe. So when people come, we have music playing, we have fans going. It's kind of like a lake house feel. You come and you just kick off your shoes, you can hang out or you can go in the water. It doesn't matter"
Erin and her husband, Blake, fell in love with stand-up paddle boarding on a Colorado trip in 2016. She wanted to open a paddling business in her home town of Waco, but there was just one problem: the Wards and their two kids lived in La Vernia, TX, outside of San Antonio.
"My husband thought I was crazy because I'm kind of a free spirit. But then he started praying about it and then he felt a push for it as well. So basically in August of 2016 I came up with the name and we just felt we were supposed to do this. So I started visiting Waco every weekend just to kinda get my connections and figure out where."
While walking along the riverfront, a friend pointed out that the bottom floor of Buzzard Billy's was vacant. Erin pitched the idea of paddle board and kayak rentals to the manager and then to the partners, one of whom runs a construction company and just so happens to be an avid paddler himself.
"He kinda knew what we needed so he basically redid the stairs, put more decking down here. He even did a drop down into the water for us. So it's kind of one of those what I call "God things." Everything just happened at the right time.
Waco Paddle Company, owned by Ross Harris of The Bear Mountain, was the first to the river in March 2017, offering canoe and kayak rentals under the west side of the Franklin Avenue Bridge. To differentiate her business, Erin uses her training as a yoga instructor to create a unique aquatic workout experience.
"My most common people that come down have never done paddle boarding and never done yoga, which actually blows my mind that they've never done any of those but they're just adventurous people.
Customers not abiding by deck rules may be asked to leave.
"I have some classes where we never even stand up, just completely go to our knees, sitting down, meditation, relaxation, things like that. But then you get some of those people who are like, "Let's go for it," so let's have fun with it. I mean, the worst case scenario it's water. Have you ever jumped into a river? It's actually the best place to fall.
Many small businesses couldn't find a soft landing spot to fall on during Covid. Pura Vida experienced a hiccup too with the restaurant closing and Waco's tourist numbers dropping. So Erin took part of her 50-craft fleet to her Neighborhood and started advertising kayak rentals for pick up.
"And there was no touching. There wasn't anything! I would sanitize everything. I would put everything out in the yard and they would literally just pick it up and take it to go. And I don't know what that would do but it was actually busy. I think after being quarantined for a month people were like "What? Yeah, give me a kayak!" So that actually worked out really well which was awesome social distancing socializing at my house."
Erin has published the company's fall hours which for the first time include evening paddling sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays in addition to weekend fun. Like every other small business owner in the country, she's throwing an idea up on the wall -
"Usually when school hits things just start dying down (extracurricular activities) but right now some people are homeschooling, also if they might get off work. Honestly it's the best social distancing you can do. So we're trying it."
- and hoping the community helps it stick - or in this case, float.
The SBS is presented by American Bank with three locations in town including an expanded branch at Franklin and 4th.
This "Small Business Spotlight,” co-produced by Waco Business News and KWBU, first aired on Friday, August 21, 2020, in Episode 88 of Downtown Depot on 103.3 KWBU-FM Waco.