About Us

Serving the Outer Banks Since 2007

Farmdog Surf started the way the best stories do — out of a pickup truck and a love for the ocean. Our founder, Robert Farmer, began teaching surf lessons out of a local surf shop, sharing his passion for the waves with locals and visitors up and down the Outer Banks.

We incorporated as Farmdog Surf School in 2009, and by 2013 we'd found our first real home: the historic Scarborough's Garage in Nags Head's Gallery Row district. From there, we grew to include beach gear rentals, a coffee shop, healthy groceries, skincare, and Farmdog apparel — plus Cabana and Umbrella Service on the beach, a move that turned out to be a pretty prescient one.

Today, the Farmdog Brand has split into two different companies. The beach set up company occupies the former Morales Art Gallery building in Nags Head, where we operate Farmdog Beach Services — providing commercial-grade, custom-made Cabana and Umbrella setups from South Nags Head all the way to Corolla on the Currituck Outer Banks. And the Surf School is back in Scarborough's Garage, reopening to the public in 2026 as Farmdog Surf at Scarborough's garage.

"Don't be afraid to fail. Failure is just a stepping stone on the path to success. Embrace the challenges, learn from your mistakes, and keep pushing forward. Oh, and don't forget to laugh along the way. After all, laughter is the best medicine for those late-night stress-induced breakdowns."
— Robert Farmer

Our business has evolved over the years, but our mission hasn't: to promote a healthy and active outdoor lifestyle, and to share it with the loyal customers who love the Outer Banks as much as we do.

Read the full story in our Dog Tales blog →