Bank & Surf Custom Maps, Origins
Everyone loves vacation. If all goes according to plan, folks also love making memories away from home and thinking happily about them after their trip has ended. This is part of what inspired JD Susanin to create his very first map for Bank and Surf Custom Maps. The map was a thank-you gift for good friends who invited Jay and his family to stay in their new house in Naples, Florida, for which he created an art & interiors plan for the house while experiencing life on The Gulf Coast. That map both depicted ‘Old Naples’ and highlighted his friends’ house, their club, their favorite place in town, and included both their last name and the year of the house. It was a one-of-a-kind gift, a unique piece of artwork, and a great way to show off their love of Naples.
Creating the map was right in line for JD Susanin, who is the owner of PALLADIO, a boutique business in Philadelphia dedicated to art production, custom framing and interior architecture. That single map gave rise to an entire line of custom-created maps - with a collection that currently exceeds 700. Named for the banks of lakes and the surf of the ocean, Bank and Surf is now a 14 year old, American-Made Company whose personalized maps have become great thank you gifts, housewarming gifts, one-of-a-kind wedding gifts, unique birthday gifts, and a staple for coastal interior decorating. ‘Bring Paradise Home’ is one of Jay’s catch phrases for Bank and Surf and he does so through the coastal maps, new companion art lines and accessories that will be unveiled in the months ahead.
What makes Jay’s customizable maps successful is that they are super attractive and a bit inter-active for customers at the design level. The blueprint style maps - the design for which Jay was granted a copyright - have a unique crest with 1-3 hand-drawn images that are specific to the location on the map. A historic lighthouse, an important species of bird, fish or tree, a landscape or architectural feature – you name it… it will show in the crest. In addition, the compass can be used to show the year of the city or town – or the monogram of the map owner. Customers can also add place names & addresses of important locations and an important year or range of years below the crest.
Anyone who knows Jay knows that he is the quintessential gift-giver and he loves that his collection of maps feeds right into that world of sharing with others. His Bank and Surf maps are THE perfect gift for the guy who has everything. In addition, they are unique wedding gift ideas in an age where destination weddings are the norm… ‘the wedding maps’ show the happy couple’s monogram, wedding date, ceremony location, reception venue and any other addresses tied to the special weekend. In addition to being a great Thank You gift for being a guest at someone’s vacation house, the maps are a great new home gift idea, a unique hostess gift idea, special birthday or anniversary gift idea or even a gift idea for a loved one who, after a lifetime at one address, is moving.
Bank and Surf has been exciting adventure because the maps are finding their way into a variety of shops along the eastern seaboard, a number of golf shops in Pennsylvania, yacht and tennis clubs in Westchester County, New York, several ski resorts in the West, the wedding world, and a handful of private schools and universities. Everyone has a story to tell and Jay’s maps do just that – but the stories become part of the art and the maps are as attractive as they are telling. What makes JD Susanin the most happy about the world that he is creating at Bank and Surf is that his artwork is simply the threshold upon which customers and gift-givers TELL these great stories, celebrating life and its adventures, all within the confines of these beautiful maps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the maps come framed?
Yes. The maps are produced in 2 sizes and finished with white frames. The small, outside frame dimensions are 20” x 26” and 30” x 36” for the large. Each map is mounted on archival foamboard and protected with conservation glass & its frame.
Are the maps available unframed?
No. Because the maps are printed as giclees, the surface of the maps’ cotton paper has many layers of archival ink that can scratch and stain very easily. In addition, for the longevity of the maps, each is dry-mounted to an archival foam board to keep it flat and, with the protection of conservation glass, clean, bright and resistant to fading.
Because we are a custom framing business at heart, we can offer a wide variety of framing options as an alternative to the white frames; depending on the frame selected, there may be an upcharge.
Are there any other color choices for the maps?
Yes. After thousands of maps sales, ‘NAVY’ is the absolute color of choice. However, there are 11 additional colors in the Bank & Surf Palette. Simply call the retail store at 215 247-1012 for more details or send an e-mail request the color information or inquire about custom colors.
If the map is a gift, will the price or a gift card be included?
The maps do not arrive with a receipt or payment/price information; all pricing & payment information is handled at the time of the order via website and e-mail communication. All maps arrive wrapped in black paper with a large Bank & Surf label on which we hand-write the name of the map. Using a white chalk pencil, we are happy to hand-write a gift message to make the gift presentation that much better! Simply give us the message on the order page and we will do the rest.
B&S Shipping FAQ’s
How long does it take to receive a map?
Orders for maps that have no customizations typically ship within 2 weeks. For custom orders, once the PROOF has been approved by the customer, the map ships within 2 weeks.
How are the maps shipped?
The maps are sent by UPS Ground.
Returns & Exchanges
May I return or exchange my map?
Typically, No. Because the maps are made to order they are unique, especially those that have been customized. If you have received a map as a gift and feel it needs to be returned or exchanged, please give us a call to discuss at 215 247-1012.