Let's Chat: Who Is MACkite?

Who Is MACkite?

If you're a kiteboarder with an internet connection, then you may have already heard of MACkiteboarding.com. We've been heavy with our internet game for quite a few years now, and people have taken notice.

As online consumers, it's nice to have an idea about the places that we choose to do business with. It's great to know a little bit about the people behind the website and connect with them on a personal level. So let's dig in.

Where are they from—Michigan?

The prefix, MAC stems from Mackinaw City, which is a small town in Northern Michigan, near the Straits of Mackinac. Steve Negen, the owner of MACkite, started his business there in 1981 with his brother, Bob Negen. The two brothers founded a kite store along the boardwalk and catered to the summertime tourists. Ha—I'm pretty sure they were just trying to connect with all the tourist girls!

Steve and Bob opened another MACkite store in Grand Haven, Michigan in 1986. There, Steve continued with his kite and specialty toy store for another 13 years, before getting in on the ground level with kiteboarding. It was then, back in 1999, that a couple of windsurfing locals, Skip Schott and James Otis, talked Steve into purchasing two Wipika Classic 2-line inflatable kiteboarding kites to play around with. Steve had been a power kite flyer for many years prior and quickly figured out how to fly the inflatable Wipikas. He was instantly hooked and dove headlong into learning how to kiteboard.

It wasn't long before the downtown Grand Haven kite and toy store had a kiteboarding "department". More like a kiteboarding closet. There were the two Wipika kites, a Naish foam board, a couple of Dakine harnesses and a few random accessories. And just like that, one of the first kiteboarding shops in the country was born—MACkiteboarding.

Steve hired James Otis to run the kiteboarding shop and teach lessons for the first few years. The kiteboarding "manager" role changed hands a few times from 2003 through 2012, and the business made only small leaps in growth during those years. It wasn't until 2013 that MACkiteboarding picked up steam and became a substantial player in the kiteboarding industry. With a new management strategy, clearly defined investment goals, some new team members and a bit of luck, MACkiteboarding.com was starting to show up everywhere on the internet.

At present, we are feeling extremely fortunate to have grown to the place we are now. We're in our third and biggest store location, coming off of a much appreciated AWSI "Kiteboarding Retailer of the Year" win, and heading in still new directions moving forward.

One of our most valuable resources is our team, more appropriately—our family. This is compiled of a dozen people of varying backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses to form one of the best teams I've ever had the opportunity to work with, period.

While there is no specific person named "MAC" that works here, there is a huge dash of Steve's MACkite philosophy that has been instilled in all of us over time. We're very different in many ways, but we're all very similar when it comes to core values, integrity, passion, and a genuine love for what we do. And we sincerely hope that this attitude is apparent when you're working with us as our customer.

Do they even kiteboard?

Yes, we are fortunate to average at least a couple days a week in the summertime, and twice that in the spring, fall and winter months. Of course, some of us ride more than others, but kiteboarding is in all of our hearts and we love the chance to share that stoke with you.

Why buy from MACkite?

As a kiteboarder, you have a lot of good kiteboarding shops to choose from. I've personally visited many of them in the Eastern and Western USA, along with shops on the Gulf Coast, and they're doing an awesome job. That makes things challenging for you, as the consumer, to decide where to go.

At MACkite, you'll notice that we will take as much time as you need to figure out which gear is right for you. We'll answer your phone calls, return your voicemails, emails, chats, and messages. We'll consult with you instore, at the beach or just about anywhere in between and make sure that you know this one thing—we care. Of course, we're knowledgeable and experienced. Yes, we have a massive inventory of all the latest gear, and it's available to you for a competitive price. And we'll quickly take care of any mistakes that we should happen to make along the way. Those are all good reasons to shop with us, but above all else, please know that we care about you as a person and value you as a customer.

A good customer service agent once told me that you should deal with each and every customer as if they were your grandma. I laughed in my head at the thought of sizing my "Wonder Gram" into a fresh pair of wake boots for her next session in the slick—ha! Literal interpretations aside, I truly believe that you will find that level of service and care from each and every member of our team. We will treat you like a friend and we'll care for you like family.

So, pick up that phone, shoot us an email, visit our Live Chat or just stop by the shop and see for yourself. MACkite certainly is "Where Fun Begins", and for our customers, we also hope their fun never ends!