Five years ago, Will Llewellyn and his brother bought a 1976 sailboat for $5,000 at the St. Pete Municipal Marina, right in front of Fresco’s. What began as a weekend experiment in learning to sail quickly became the birthplace of a shoe brand that captures the essence of St. Pete living: Moondeck.
“We realized there wasn’t a shoe that fit the St. Pete lifestyle like we wanted,” says Will, co-founder of Moondeck. “Something casual enough for the marina, stylish enough for Beach Drive, and comfortable enough for a day on Central. So, we decided to design it ourselves.”
Moondeck shoe design| Photo via Will Llewellyn
Finding freedom on the water
The early days weren’t glamorous. “We bought this old S2 boat without really knowing what we were doing,” Will laughs. “We spent more time getting towed back into the marina than actually sailing. At one point, the engine exhaust was blowing into the cabin. Then I dove under the boat and realized there wasn’t even a prop!”
The long days spent fixing the boat turned into nights spent on the deck, under the moonlight, dreaming up ideas for what would eventually become Moondeck.
“There’s something special about hitting the late-night scene on Central, then waking up to the sound of the marina and the sun hitting your face on a sailboat,” Will says. “That feeling of calm and freedom became the foundation for everything we wanted Moondeck to be.”
Designing the St. Pete lifestyle
That sense of laid-back luxury is at the spirit of Moondeck’s first shoe, the Lunar Tide 1; a backless, slip-on hybrid that blurs the line between athletic performance and beachside ease.
“When you slide into the Lunar Tide, your foot hits this wide toe box that feels instantly relaxed,” Will says. “We wanted people to feel that same freedom you get when you’re living out of a backpack on a sailboat, unhurried, but ready for anything.”
The brand’s name reflects those beginnings too. “We used to sit on the boat, talking about shoes under the moonlight,” says Will. “The name ‘Moondeck’ came from those moments sitting on the deck, under the moon. It’s hard to beat that.”
Process of designing shoes| Photo via Will Llewellyn
An “Aha” moment and recognition
Turning the idea into a real product wasn’t easy. The brothers, who came from careers in sustainable agriculture and pharmaceutical research, had zero background in footwear design. “We had a steep learning curve,” Will admits.
But when a round of samples arrived last March, everything clicked. “I slid the sample on and felt the ‘aha’ moment right there on my foot. All the ideas finally came together. That’s when I knew we had something special.”
“I’ve had people stop me on Central or at restaurants asking where I got my shoes,” Will says. “That never used to happen to me. I think it’s because people are craving something that feels as good as it looks.”
Moondeck’s fans agree. Local pro baseball player Chase Achuff called them his go-to pair: “I’ve worn them every day, I always just seem to leave the house wearing them.”
Even Ugg founder Brian Smith took notice, telling Will, “I think your product is the best new style since I saw Allbirds many years ago.”
Built for Florida
“When you walk into shops around Florida, most casual footwear brands are from outside the state: Olukai, Hey Dudes, Reef, On. We want to give people a local option, something that feels like Florida, like St. Pete.”
Looking ahead, the brothers hope to grow Moondeck into a nationally recognized brand that embodies the Gulf Coast lifestyle with a mix of sun, salt, and easy confidence.