Taylors were looking to grow and find an expanding market for their boat dealership. They found it at nearby Caesar Creek Lake.
WAYNESVILLE – Caesar Creek Lake has a new full-service boat dealer and it’s someone who’s been around the block.
Taylor’s South Shore Marina has picked up its showroom and moved 15 miles away to the next lake east, from Cowan Lake to Caesar Creek.
“It was a necessary move for us,” said Chad Taylor, president. “All we had was an acre with no room to grow. We were using every square inch, so it was time to look elsewhere. We decided on Caesar Creek because it is a bigger market with more potential”
The new dealership covers five acres at 6850 Corwin Ave., Waynesville (visible from State Route 73 going east toward the lake). The showroom covers 7,700 square feet with 36 boats and accessories on display with easy access to customers. The service department is in a 5,500- square-foot space inside the 16,000 square foot building. It is the only boat dealership in the area.
“We think the location is ideal. It is a bigger lake (than Cowan) and we are just 1.5 miles from the water,” Chad Taylor said.
Tom Taylor first went to work at the Cowan Lake marina as a high schooler in 1973, selling bait, renting boats and doing all the daily hard work that goes into running a marina. At that time little did he realize he would ever be part of the growing operation he has today.
“I grew up poor. The only thing I had was the hard work I put in every day,” Tom Taylor said. “I remember working some 96-hour weeks.” He bought South Shore Marina in 1985.
Tom still helps out in the service department as one of four certified mechanics, while his son, Chad, runs the business.
Tom also remembers the recession of the ’90s when the marine business took a major hit. If you look at the number of boat dealers in the Dayton area that went out of business, the effect is still being felt.
But thanks to a strong service department and loyal customer base, Taylor’s survived. In fact, the company was recently named as one of the top 100 boat dealerships in the U.S. by Boating Industry magazine.
The Taylors have seen many changes in not only the public’s boating desires, but the types of boats they offer. If you peruse the new showroom floor, you will find pleasure boats, bass boats, smaller fishing boats and pontoons. There are also a number of used boats for sale. They sell and service Mercury, Evinrude and Yamaha motors.
While Taylor’s has moved its showroom, the marina business will continue on the south shore of Cowan Lake. They plan to open again for the season soon, renting boats and selling bait and supplies.
Deer Workshop Offered
A free deer management workshop is being offered to landowners and wildlife enthusiasts wanting to manage land and deer successfully. The workshop is sponsored by Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) Twin Creek Branch and Ohio Division of Wildlife.
The workshop will take place on March 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Miami Valley Career Center, Adult Education Building, 6801 Hoke Road, Clayton.
Matt Ross, QDMA assistant director of conservation, will present the keynote on deer movement and home range use. ODNR Deer Program Manager Mike Tonkovich, will share information on Ohio’s statewide deer management plan. Also on the agenda are open-land habitat management, forest management for deer, aging deer, managing hunting pressure and more.
Lunch will be provided. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. To register, call the Wildlife District Five office, M-F 8 a.m-5pm. at (937) 372-9261 by March 22.
For more information on habitat management visit wildohio.gov or qdma.com.
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