In The Heart Of Old Koloa Town.

In 1970 Joe Kuala started Progressive Expressions. Mike Hahn a friend of Joe’s came up with the name. 

In 1972 Joe made the move to Kauai. When Joe started his first shop on Kauai, He had enough materials to make six boards and a case of wax. Marty, his wife, was making board shorts, walking short, swim short, and shirts, while Joe made surfboards. Things improved and Joe would continue making the entire board from start to finish until the mid 80’s. Since then Joe had Bruce Pleas do some of the process. Joe and Bruce have been working together for 20 years.

The first shop in Old Koloa Town was located a couple doors down from the current shop. After Iniki the occupants of the current shop moved back to the mainland. The shop was vacant for a while before Joe and Marty moved in. The shop had grown through the years and is one of Kauai better known surf shop. Joe and Marty sold the shop and Joe continued to shape and surf before passing away in July of 2011.