Minnesota's Resort Marine Celebrates 45 Years of Continued Growth
Published: Monday, July 13, 2020
In late 1974, an industrial equipment salesman named Phil from Bloomington, MN, decided to move his family to Northern Minnesota. Being familiar with Leech Lake, which is famous for walleye and muskie fishing, that was his destination of choice. With four sons who loved the outdoors and a somewhat doubtful wife, they purchased Grand Vu Lodge near Walker, Minnesota.
The second oldest son, Jim, enjoyed small engines and became the resort’s outboard engine repairman. He enrolled in technical college and took up Marine Mechanics. On the weekends, he would help out the family at the resort.
Several buildings were demolished, making way for a new building with garage space, and an area at one end of the building became the new repair shop. The need for a source for repair parts and something to sell led to a meeting with representatives from a major outboard motor manufacturer. An agreement was reached and, with an order for five outboard engines and $500 in replacement parts, Resort Marine and Service was officially born.
From there, word began to spread that a trained outboard mechanic was working at Grand Vu Lodge. Resort Marine was incorporated in 1977 and the business continued to grow. Eventually, it outgrew the space at the resort and property was acquired at the intersection of two major highways in Walker. A new shop and showroom opened in the spring of 1980.
From its modest beginning to 2020, Resort Marine and Service has seen several expansions to include 40,000 square feet of warehouse and storage space, new rigging and repair shop, and a new display area with second floor offices for accounting, management purchasing, and planning.
After 45 years, founders Phil and Jim Kelley have retired to part time. The youngest son, Pete Kelley, has assumed the day to day operations. Resort Marine and Service is a Yamaha Key Dealer with Grady White, Skeeter, and MirroCraft lines of boats and Montego Bay pontoons.
Receive amazing service from a business built on family. Find out more at www.resortmarine.com.
This article first appeared in the Summer Issue (Jul/Aug) 2020 of Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine.
tags: Lake Superior, Service & Repair
