Using American-made components and constant innovation, St. Augustine-based Solar Stik creates portable power solutions that enable self-sufficiency for the soldier, the sailor and beyond. In doing so, they save lives, change lives and help revive American manufacturing.

Although much of Solar Stik’s work today involves building systems for the front lines and combat zones, the more than decade-old company has developed an array of products – some of which average civilians may have encountered without realizing it . In visiting Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, you may have used one of their Renewable Equipped Vending (REV) machines. These solar-powered machines vended beverages throughout SeaWorld and Aquatica during their trial placement in the parks.

Sailors are also familiar with Solar Stik. The company was actually envisioned aboard a small sailboat as the co-founders Brian Bosley and Stephanie D. Hollis were faced with the need to generate power for refrigeration, communication equipment and lighting, but challenged by a lack of space aboard. Out of this need came the original Solar Stik design, a lightweight, freestanding solar and wind turbine power generation platform mounted to a boat’s transom or deck. 

The self-sufficiency provided by the Marine Solar Stik led Brian to adapt the design for use on land opening a whole new avenue for the product. Seven years later, Solar Stik made its debut as a company offering the only portable power generator of its kind in the world. The design, research and development, testing and production all were conducted in a single room – by five team members, two of whom are its founders.

To say Solar Stik has flourished since those days in 2005 is an understatement. Today, the company with two locations on King Street - one a production facility and one for engineering and administration - is responsible for providing portable power to the military worldwide. Solar Stik has also been instrumental in providing portable power for relief efforts following hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters.

But Solar Stik is much more than a manufacturing company. The St. Augustine team shares a culture driven by energy and enthusiasm and strengthened daily by five core values: teamwork, compassion, integrity, quality and American-made. Each day, their team writes the next page of their story.

It seems only fitting that a fun-loving, hard-working, local company focused on renewable energy sponsor “Be the Hamster” at Made in St. Augustine. This life-sized hamster wheel is a human-powered snow cone machine sure to delight all ages!