Kitty Hawk Sports, Kites fly together again on OBX

Two Outer Banks recreational institutions have reunited.

The owner of Kitty Hawk Sports has sold his three retail operations to the former partner who founded the business with him more than 30 years ago. Ralph Buxton and John Harris started Kitty Hawk Kites in 1974 to offer hang-gliding equipment, outings and instruction - "to teach people to fly," as Harris put it - as well as kites.

In the early 1980s, as windsurfing picked up in popularity, the partners added Kitty Hawk Sports to sell lessons and products. They bought the building across from Jockey's Ridge State Park on U.S. 158 in Nags Head and set up stores for each company on opposite ends.

(The Kitty Hawk name has less to do with geography than with the connection to the Wright brothers' first flight, Buxton said.)

In 1990, the partners split the business between them. Buxton held on to Kitty Hawk Sports to concentrate on windsurfing and, by then, kayaking. Harris stayed at the helm of Kitty Hawk Kites and added kiteboarding to the hang-gliding operation. They remained co-owners of the Nags Head property.

In recent years, Buxton began to think about moving on. He offered his business first to his old partner.

"He's always been the most likely if I thought about selling to anybody," said Buxton, 63. "It's my baby, but I feel good that I'm handing it off to a great operation."

They closed on the sale Friday. Neither would disclose how much Harris paid for Kitty Hawk Sports, which Buxton said has annual sales of about $2 million. Harris also bought Buxton's half of the Jockey's Ridge property.

Kitty Hawk Sports also has stores in Corolla and Duck. Buxton spun off the rental operations Kitty Hawk Watersports and Kitty Hawk Kayaks in 2006.

The purchase of Kitty Hawk Sports helps further Harris' plan to expand. Kitty Hawk Kites has eight stores on the Outer Banks and two in Florida, plus a Whalebone Watersports rental outlet and two Life Is Good shops selling that brand's clothing and outdoor gear. Kitty Hawk Kites has about 50 year-round employees and added four from Kitty Hawk Sports.

The retailers competed in some areas, particularly in kayaking products and rentals, but mostly carried different brands of clothing and gear, Harris said. Kitty Hawk Sports gives Kitty Hawk Kites entry into surfing, with the related apparel styles and products.

"It was very, very equipment-oriented," Buxton said of his business. "It was very lifestyle-oriented. We wanted to walk the walk and talk the talk."

Buxton will stay with Kitty Hawk Sports until the end of this year, he said. Harris, 62, said he has no plans to slow down.

"I know that I'll get there, but I'm not ready yet."

Carolyn Shapiro, (757) 446-2270, carolyn.shapiro@pilotonline.com