Jay “Sparky” Longley, a surfer and philathropist who just turned 80, started the San Clemente-based business in 1974 to make a sandal that would last.
Jay “Sparky” Longley at his Rainbow Sandals store in San Clemente on Friday, June 21, 2024. He has been manufacturing his hand-made sandals for fifty years at his San Clemente location. Jay “Sparky” Longley swiftly swipes the brown sandal’s edges across a speeding sander – back and forth, up and down – gently grinding all the sides until the flip flop feels just right.
, supporting nonprofits spanning from food banks to women’s shelters, as well as community groups helping kids explore the ocean and countless other charities that assist people in need. Jay “Sparky” Longley at his Rainbow Sandals store in San Clemente on Friday, June 21, 2024. He has been manufacturing his hand-made sandals for fifty years at his San Clemente location.
Longley’s early years were spent in Minnesota, where the 2-year-old youngster would spend hours transfixed by a radio show, “Big Jon and Sparkie,“I wanted to do whatever he did,” Longley said about the origin of his nickname, Sparky. “I was adventurous.” But after years of doing odd jobs, Longley yearned to start his own business. He knew he was good with his hands and had an entrepreneur’s work ethic.
He created his own glue and learned to sew on the strap that wedges between the toes to make it sturdy, buying for $140 a machine used in World War II for stitching parachutes.He wanted to sell the sandals at an arts festival in Laguna Beach, but wasn’t accepted as a vendor, so he set up in the parking lot. Festival organizers weren’t pleased, he said, suggesting he go down to San Clemente with his business.But he did end up in the surf town.
“Back then, there weren’t any good, quality sandals,” he said. “We never wore shoes, we were barefoot. No one was going to wear shoes to the beach, there weren’t any good sandals until Sparky started making them.” “It took a while. It took a lot of work, it was a small business for years and years and years,” Lopez said. “But it was his business.”“What are you going to do?” Lopez remembers asking his friend.Giving back
“You need to be able to give and not want anything back,” he said. “There’s a lot of people who need help.”
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