Dale and Judy Donnelly purchased San Diego Marine Exchange in June of 1983.
With a background in real estate, Dale’s initial intention was to purchase a restaurant. Instead, he and Judy purchased SDMX and decided to keep it as the thriving marine business that it had been since the 1950s. The need to provide quality products to commercial and recreational boaters in the San Diego area was abundant and the Donnelly’s struck gold when they purchased the Shelter Island gem.
Fast forward 33 years, SDMX is now a staple in the San Diego maritime arena and has expanded its impact by acquiring Sailing Supply in 2002 and Downwind Marine in 2008 (SSDW), which were combined into one store in 2013. Post merge, the main goal of all three establishments is to provide the necessary materials- the true nuts and bolts- to keep boats running safely and efficiently. The cornerstone of their brand is to improve functionality and keep relevant boating products in stock for their loyal customers.
The relationship between the San Diego Yacht Club and SDMX was established very early on. Dale became an SDYC member after purchasing the store and he and Judy often had SDYC members and friends in mind when considering what merchandise to carry. Over time, SDMX (via Sailing Supply) became a fundamental partner of SDYC, sponsoring several of the Club’s signature events such as Yachting Cup, Masters Regatta, Lipton Cup and the Etchells events. Competitors know they can depend on SSDW to find the parts and tools they need to keep their boats in the proper shape to train and compete in these prestigious regattas.
But SDMX is more than just a hub of essential mechanical resources and merchandise for boaters. The landmark has truly become an embraced family member in the Point Loma sailing community, an already tightly-knit San Diego colony throbbing with yacht clubs, sailing enthusiasts and pristine vessels.
Dale passed away in 2003, after 20 years of ownership and service to the Shelter Island community. Judy has maintained proprietorship of the stores on behalf of their family. They now operate with over 50 employees, some of which are the Donnelly’s grandchildren and one of which is Judy’s own daughter, Shelly Bucklew, who serves as Judy’s “right-hand (wo)man” of the company. Among these employees is an estimated 600 years of total marine experience.
SDMX is locally focused, yet they understand that customers from outside areas can connect to regulars through the universal language of sailing. “We have specialty items in our stores that you might not find anywhere else,” explains Judy. “This brings a lot of consumers from other areas of the world into our stores. My favorite thing is watching customers help customers by describing to one another the rare boat parts they are searching for.”
One of the high-profile projects that SSDW is currently working on is helping local San Diego sailors, Briana Provancha and Caleb Paine, with the rigging of their boats prior to the 2016 Olympic Games this August. After that, staff will begin preparations to attend the Annapolis Boat Show this fall to learn about new products in the industry.
Beyond sailing, with their clientele in their minds and hearts at all times, SDMX has been holding three in-store holiday parties a year for patrons: St. Patrick’s Day, Fourth of July, and Christmas. In recent years, lines were out the door on these special holidays.
“These festivities were getting bigger and bigger forcing us to limit the food quantities. We capped it at 40 gallons of chili and 40 pounds of potato salad. We also hide eggs in the stores on Easter. It’s fun to bring customers together in non-sailing ways every once and a while.”
In a way, Dale really did get his restaurant after all.