Hobart Red Herring opens Elizabeth Street store after trading at Liverpool St for 27 years

Hobart’s surf store Red Herring has been trading at Liverpool St for 27 years, and now it’s moved to a new location. Why it’s no longer just a surf shop.

Surfer Owen Wright at the first day of trade in the new location. Red Herring Hobart is now in a new location. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The crew at Red Herring surf have been riding the big waves for 52 years - and now they’ve landed at a new beach.

Surfing Olympic bronze medallist, Owen Wright, opened the new Hobart headquarters in Elizabeth St on Saturday which includes the state’s first surfing museum.

“I’ve surfed before at Marrawah which was great, so it’s really nice to come back,” he said.

“The best thing about Tasmania is that the people are super nice and the food is great - I always remember that they served huge portions here.

“I guess I just encourage Tasmanians to just get out there and surf, and do so with your friends.

“Some of my favourite memories of surfing are always with my mates, so it’s definitely a great social activity.”

He said the surf lifestyle in Tasmania was likely to keep growing, because the state had “amazing waves”.

Red Herring was the first surf shop in Tasmania, opening its doors in 1971.

It has been in Liverpool St for the past 28 years and owner Anthony ‘Macka’ Wilson said the move to the new store had been planned for some time.

The iconic Red Herring van at the old shop at Liverpool Street

“We had been looking for a bigger location in the CBD, so when 104 Elizabeth St came up, with its big floorplan, central location and easier parking options, we knew it was worth the move,” he said. “We’re excited to finally bring it to life.”

As a 14-year-old Luke Johannesen had his first job at Red Herring and returned to manage the store four years ago.

“This is probably the biggest thing that’s happened in the business since it opened,” he said.

“It’s an icon. It’s been around for over 50 years and it’s the place people have always gone to buy their first surfboard or buy a new board.

“This is a bigger and better location.”

Mr Johannesen said surfing was growing in popularity.

“Through Covid, surfing itself grew dramatically and then on a competitive side, we’ve had a massive increase in the amount of competitors this year compared to previous years,” he said.

The Kombi van that sat atop the Liverpool St will be auctioned with the proceeds donated to Lifeline.

Mr Wilson said the new Red Herring store was built in the 1840s and heritage listed it was “unfortunately not possible to re-home the Kombi to our new store”.

Red Herring Surf’s sister brand, Stormriders, will open in the Liverpool St site.

Originally published as Hobart Red Herring opens Elizabeth Street store after trading at Liverpool St for 27 years