By: Kara Yelman

---

Before surfboards reach the waves, they begin as carefully shaped pieces of foam inside someone’s workshop. At Whisnant Surfboards, each board is crafted by hand and shaped and refined to match the needs and requests of individual surfers across Northeast Florida. What starts as a blank foam board, gradually transforms through a meticulpus process that blends technical precision with years of experience.  

Owner Mike Whisnant began his career working in a glass shop, sanding and finishing boards for other before gradually expanding into shaping his own. Over time, the business evolved from primarily glass boards to operating as a full custom surfboard company. Years of repetition have turned what was once a challenging process into a fun routine. Despite the routine, the craftsmanship remainsdeliberate, with careful attention paid to measurements and balance that can directly affect how a board performs in the water. 

Choosing to build his business locally was intentional. As a Jacksonville native, Whisnant grew up around the area’s surf culture and local business community. Establishing his company in Atlantic Beach allowed him to find his niche. The size of the community and consistent demand for boards have helped sustain the business while keeping it closely connected to the surfers and coastal lifestyle.  

While much of the shaping process takes place inside the workshop, the results are most visible on the shoreline. Each finished board reflects not only technical skill but also personal investment in the rider’s experience. As surfers paddle out on boards, Whisnant Surfboards continues to play a role in Northeast Florida’ coastal identity, contributing to a surf culture shaped by both tradition and craftsmanship. 

---

By: Sebastian Baez

---

Tucked between two businesses and hiding behind red curtains, Jacksonville’s Volstead Bar is opens Snipps Barbershoppe in the mornings Snipps Barbershoppe, then later in the night it turns into a speakeasy. Rico Combs, owner of Snipps, describes the process. 

“It was kind of a long process. Something that we’ve kinda been working on for almost 12 years. Timing was right, and me and the new owner decided that it was a good relationship, and so we just came together. We had a few problems with the city but we worked those things out, and we got it all taken care of,” said Combs.  

When prohibitionists banned the production and sale of alcohol through the 18^th Amendment, speakeasies rose to prominence as a place to grab a drink under the radar. The Volstead, considered a “retro-style” bar, hopes to replicate that history through aesthetics and cocktails.  

“I think the beauty of a speakeasy is that they all are taking a different approach to capturing that kind of playful ‘getting away with something’ kind of feeling that comes with walking into a bar that is at least styled to mimic those that were actually getting away with something. It’s exceptionally fun at the Volstead because we nod that historical grounding and we nod to those historical concepts and the development of craft cocktails as its happened over the last century,” said James Veek-Wilson, bartender at the Volstead.   

During Prohibition, Jacksonville was a major gateway for rum-running, or alcohol smuggling. Posters of protesters fill the walls, and figures like William McCoy are memorialized here.  

“Well, I think one of the beautiful things about this establishment is that the bar tries to pay homage to that era and has a feel of that era, and we’ve tried to do the same here at the barbershop in order to match,” said Combs.   
 

“The Volstead Act was named for the senator that put it forth, Andrew Volstead, and I think naming the bar after not only the act responsible for Prohibition, but also the gentleman who championed it… it’s kind of an irreverent, a little bit in-your-face, cheeky, laugh at what we do here. I think it reflects heavily in the way we treat our craft,” said Veek-Wilson.  

The Volstead is located on West Adams Street and continues to remind the city of its Prohibition-era themes and drinks.  

---

By: Katelynn Wright

---

Baseball season is officially back and Walk Off Charities is stepping up to the plate to make sure every child in Jacksonville has the chance to play the beloved game. 

Based out of Fort Family Regional Park in Baymeadows, Walk Off Charities operates at a facility featuring three baseball fields, two multi-purpose fields and batting cages that are available for public rent. The nonprofit was founded by Frank Frangie, a 1010XL radio host, who wanted to break down financial barriers that often prevent kids from playing baseball. 

“Baseball has become a very expensive sport,” said Kenedy Grayson, Marketing Director for Walk Off Charities. “So, he [Frangie] really wanted every kid to have the opportunity to play.” 

Beyond maintaining fields, Walk Off Charities runs free recreational leagues, hosts high school tournaments and organizes hands-on baseball clinics throughout the city. One of those initiatives includes partnering with Duval County Schools to take third graders to the park for clinics that teach pitching, hitting, throwing, and catching. Each child even receives their own glove to take home. 

Intern Hayden Brown says the clinics are especially impactful for kids who may not otherwise have access to baseball. 

“Seeing the smiles and laughs is the reason why we do this,” Brown said. 

The organization also offers free recreational leagues in 17 parks across Jacksonville, serving more than 800 children. By teaching baseball, building confidence, and removing financial burdens, Walk Off Charities is helping young athletes across Jacksonville step up to the plate — on and off the field. 

---