HOLMES BEACH -- Forget a 9-to-5 -- Jim Brady remembers a time when he could run a surf shop from the crest of a breaking wave.

At 16, the young entrepreneur wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Brady and a high school buddy each invested $1,500 to open a small surf shop on Bradenton Beach in 1963. Back then, it was just a few boards and T-shirts.

“You could just put a sign on the door saying ‘find me at the beach or in the water if you need something,’” Brady said with a smile. “Now it’s a big industry.”

Fast forward 47 years, and Brady is selling the store that has been his livelihood since high school. Only now, the West Coast Surf Shop has become a landmark on Anna Maria Island.

Brady has been considering the idea for the past five years, and simply felt the time was right. He hopes to retire and spend more time on the east coast of Florida with his grandchildren, who surf competitively.

The shop has been a staple on Holmes Beach since its founding and in its location at 3902 Gulf Drive since 1979. And it’s just 100 feet from the public beach.

“It’s been a good business, it’s just one of those things where it was just time,” Brady said. “We realize the economy’s not the strongest it could be, so we’re not rushing anything.”

Brady runs the 2,500-square-foot shop with his wife, Ronee, and a handful of part-time employees. West Coast Surf Shop stocks everything from boards to swim apparel and flip-flops.

The store’s contents and three-story building, with upstairs apartments and first-floor storage, is listed as a package with Mike Norman Realty. The company is asking $3.5 million. The property has been on the market for about six months.

“There’s been quite a lot of interest -- really from all over,” said listing agent Richelle Bowers. “It’s a very unique property and a great location. It will just take the right buyer.”

Josh Salman, Herald business writer, can be reached at 941-745-7095.