Babylon honors surf pioneer Charlie Bunger with Main Street dedication

For more than 60 years, generations of Long Islanders have walked through the doors of Babylon’s Bunger Surf Shop, whether to buy their first surfboard, pick up beach gear or simply swap stories on the bench outside.

Now, the stretch of Main Street where so many of those memories were made will forever bear the name of the man who started it all.

“After my father passed away, I spoke with Gordon Cannary, who was an assistant with the state senator, about making this happen,” Bunger Jr. said. “With the help of Senator Monica Martinez, Assemblyman Mike Durso, Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Mayor Mary Adams and many other local politicians, it was approved by the governor. It was a long process, and without the patience and persistence of those folks, it would have never happened. We’re more than thankful to all of them.”

Bunger said his father, who died in 2018, would have been humbled by the recognition.

“He would be more than honored to see this, and to know that his legacy and all he has done for Babylon and the sport of surfing is being recognized in this fashion,” he told Greater Long Island.

Charlie Bunger Sr.’s journey began in 1961, when, at age 20, he started shaping surfboards as a hobby in the basement of his Lindenhurst home. As demand for his handcrafted boards grew, the operation expanded into the family’s garage.

“He had to move to the garage because the house started smelling like fiberglass,” Bunger Jr. said with a laugh.

Within a few years, the business outgrew the garage, moving to a production space on the Lindenhurst-Copiague border before eventually opening the retail shop that has become a landmark in Babylon Village.

Today, Bunger Surf Shop remains the oldest surf company store in North America to have never changed ownership or location, with Charlie Jr., his sister Theresa and brother Tommy continuing the family business.

Babylon Town Councilman Terence McSweeney said the Bunger name has become synonymous not only with the South Shore, but with surfing across Long Island.

“I was a customer of Bunger long before I was a councilman,” McSweeney said. “I always thought of Bunger as synonymous with the South Shore, but really it’s synonymous with Long Island.”

McSweeney said Bunger’s children approached Assemblyman Durso about pursuing the street dedication, which ultimately required bipartisan support at the state level.

“It took a lot of work,” McSweeney said. “Republicans and Democrats came together to make this happen because that’s the kind of man Charlie was. Politics and personal feelings were put aside to honor someone who meant so much to this community.”

Under state legislation, the ceremonial stretch of Montauk Highway between Deer Park Avenue and Totten Place in Babylon Village will now be known as Charlie Bunger Sr. Way, ensuring his legacy is recognized along the roadway where generations of surfers have visited Bunger Surf Shop at 50 Main St.

The family’s impact extends well beyond the surf shop. Through the years, they have carried on Charlie Sr.’s commitment to the local surfing community by organizing the annual Bunger Surf Classic and supporting efforts to preserve Long Island’s surfing history through the Long Island Surf Museum.

Following the ceremony, the family reflected on the significance of the day in a social media post.

“Charlie Bunger Sr. changed a lot of lives on this little stretch of Main Street,” the post read. “Whether it was a longtime customer chatting on the bench or just someone passing by, the stories speak for themselves. We are eternally grateful for this community.”

Below photos from Councilman McSweeney