Made on Long Island: Wakes & Waves in East Rockaway
From T-shirts and hoodies to hats, bags and other accessories, Capellupo creates products inspired by life on the water.
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A young entrepreneur from Nassau is turning his love of the water into a growing business. Anthony Capellupo is the owner of Wakes & Waves, a coastal clothing and accessories brand he launched in 2021.
"I was sitting on the train coming home one day, and I just said to myself, 'I don't like it,'" Capellupo said. "I've always been a creative person, and I am up for a challenge." That challenge started at his kitchen table.
From T-shirts and hoodies to hats, bags and other accessories, Capellupo creates products inspired by life on the water. He says fishing has been a part of his life since he was 3 years old.
"I completely fell in love with the water, and it always felt like a second home for me," he said.
Capellupo learned to sew from his grandmother, while his mother now helps fill customer orders. He works to source materials made in the U.S. whenever possible and ships his products across the country.
"If I learned one thing, it's Long Islanders want local made," Capellupo said. "They want pieces and items that connect them to the shores they call home."
His mother, Deana Capellupo, says watching the business grow has been special. "This is a journey of a million miles, and we're going to get there," she said. "I am so happy to be along for that journey."
Capellupo says building Wakes & Waves has been challenging but worth it. "It has been the most rewarding, hardest, but best journey I've ever embarked on," he said. "I wouldn't trade it for anything."
