Discount Watersports

The Story of The Lost “C”

Our favorite story from the history of Sherper's is how the name of the store ended up as Sherper's vs. the family last name of Scherper with a "C" in it.

The story begins when my great-grandpa Sam set out to purchase the original sign for the store. Faced with budget constraints (having put his life’s savings into opening the store), he found himself with only enough money for a sign that could accommodate 8 letters. So what does one do when your name is nine letters long, but you only have enough for a sign that can fit eight? You lose the “C” and make it work.

This story not only serves as a piece of family lore but has also become a guiding principle for us in business—sometimes a budget-friendly alternative can be just as good as the more expensive option. When your roots trace back to selling military surplus and factory overstocks, you learn never to turn down a good bargain.

Fast forward to today, Sherper’s has evolved quite a bit since the purchase of that 8 letter sign back in 1935, but our love of a good deal stays strong.

Welcome to “The Lost C,” an area for our treasure trove of deals, filled with last year's styles, scratch-and-dent gear, and overstock gems. Dive in, have a rummage, and trust us – you're bound to find something that’s too good to resist, even if it’s missing a letter. - Nate Scherper, 4th Generation Owner