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Before James Holloway was born in 1987, his family was already in motion. His parents and older sister, Katie, decided to close a chapter in Alaska and begin again in Stockton, California. It was there, in the quiet Central Valley, that James grew up far from the ocean… but not far from its call.
Family vacations to coastal destinations like Santa Cruz and Pismo Beach planted something that would soon turn into an obsession. Surfing captured him at a young age. He started like any other California teenager: wanting to spend as much time in the water as possible. But for James, simply surfing wasn’t enough. He wanted to understand the board - to mentally take it apart and discover how it was made.
That drive led him, in 2004, to build his first surfboard for a school project. That project not only marked the beginning of his path as a shaper, it earned him first place at the California State Fair in 2005. He remembers it with a laugh:
“Honestly, that board was probably terrible - barely functional and poorly finished... but it was the beginning of a path of continuous improvement.”
Without realizing it, that moment defined the rest of his life.
Although his first board was born in a classroom, the brand’s identity would arrive years later - and almost by accident.
In 2009, during a family trip to Barbados, his brother-in-law Ben designed the Holloways Originals logo in an airport while they waited for their flight. There was no formal business plan, no structured company yet. The symbol appeared before the structure. It became a quiet seed of what would eventually grow into his full-time venture.
In 2005, James moved to San Diego to study at SDSU. That’s where the real alchemy began.
He set up his first shaping bay in the garage of his home in Ocean Beach while working at Pizza Port, where he moved through several roles: pizza maker, brewer, and canning specialist. Between shifts and fermentations, he kept shaping foam purely out of passion, building boards for himself and close friends.
During this same period, he created one of his most emblematic beers at Pizza Port: Fish IPA. The connection between beer and boards came naturally to him — both processes demanded precision, sensitivity, and patience. In a photo session documenting the creation of a surfboard alongside the brewing of a beer — shot by photographer Steve Sherman — his philosophy became clear: shaping and brewing were, at their core, the same art form.
As the years passed and he sought professional growth within Pizza Port, James moved to Oceanside. The shaping bay moved with him. His boards became more refined. His technique improved. His vision expanded.
Then came 2020.
Just before the pandemic, James and his best friend, Rambo, rented a house in Campo López, Baja California. The plan was simple: weekends of good waves, beers, and friends. But that summer changed everything. In the middle of the pandemic, he met Patty, a Mexican who shared an immediate passion with him: craft beer.
What began as affinity became a life project.
In 2021, James decided to move permanently to Mexico to strengthen his relationship and commit to a new chapter. That same year, he made the leap he had dreamed about since adolescence: turning his hobby into his full-time profession.
Holloways Originals stopped being just a personal project and became a formal business.
The path wasn’t easy. Also in 2021, his friend Charlie invited him to join the newly launched brand Ghost Shapes as a ghost shaper. This experience allowed him to place his designs in the hands of clients beyond his immediate circle, expanding both his reach and professional experience.
At the time, his shaping bay was still operating in San Diego, which meant maintaining a demanding cross-border routine. But with a child on the way and a new family taking shape, the decision became clear.
In 2022, James and Patty moved to Rosarito. They found the perfect place in the legendary K38.
There, with waves breaking in front of their home, Holloways Originals found its point of consolidation. The K38 shaping bay allowed James to explore his craft more deeply, connect with the Baja California surf community, and strengthen the brand’s identity.
It was also during this stage that sponsorships began for Nathan and Israel, two young Baja surf prospects who continue to compete and ride his boards today.
Holloways was no longer just a workshop. It was a brand with real presence in the water.
In 2024, one of his shapes stepped beyond the lineup. James entered one of his boards into the Vissla ADD COLOR Surfboard Art Contest, where he was selected as a finalist. The recognition confirmed what had already become evident in his evolution: his work didn’t just perform in the water — it also engaged in dialogue with art and design.
In 2025, seeking greater visibility and space to expand, Holloways Originals moved to Kilometer 40. A larger workshop, improved working conditions, and stronger coastal visibility marked this new stage. The shaping bay, now just a few kilometers south, is the space where the teenager who once won a state fair continues to refine his craft.
Each board carries the same essence with which it all began: focus, intention, and heart.
Because for James Holloway, shaping was never just about building boards. It was - and continues to be - his way of staying connected to the ocean, even when he’s not in the water.
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