Tim and Mary Province and Mike and Cindy Schugg, new owners of Kenlake Marina in Aurora, have been making significant changes to the marina and restaurant facilities, and they have plenty more in mind.
The couples purchased the marina last May, and since then have been working to restore, renew and add to what Kenlake can offer. Those changes include more than some fresh paint and décor. In addition to overhauling the aesthetic and bringing in new stock of clothing and marina offerings, the couples have brought in a number of new pontoon boats and recreational watercraft for rental, including pontoons, tri-toons and fishing boats. The group has plans to add to that rental fleet, as well.
Owners are also working to build new shower and laundry facilities at the marina for boaters spending extended time on the lake or docked at Kenlake. The group hopes to have the shower facility completed about August.
Cindy Schugg said slips accommodating larger boats were available, as well.
“We have slips for 60-, 50-, 40- and 30-foot boats,” she said. “… We have a huge transient dock that’s here. We’re a full-service marina, so we do everything. We have a mechanic that’s available if you need to work on your boat.”
Owners have obtained permits to expand the marina by about 150 slips.
Cindy’s on the Barge, the restaurant adjoining the marina, has undergone significant changes, too. Cindy Schugg said, in addition to a complete interior renovation, the crew had worked to revamp the menu, offering fresher food options and a full-service restaurant atmosphere.
“We’ve enlarged Cindy’s … on the Barge so we can have some more people,” Cindy Schugg said. “We have full service now serving at the restaurant. We have a wonderful breakfast, homemade sausage, and then we have lunch and now we’re going to be open for dinner. … We serve beer and wine coolers now.”
Cindy Schugg said owners were working to add a second barge to the south end of the marina, which would provide a patio dining option for the restaurant, as well as an outdoor bar and stage area to host live music throughout the season. She said owners hoped to have the patio area completed by July 4.
So far, Cindy Schugg said she and fellow owners had gotten positive feedback about the changes, and visitors were excited about the potential for new development. In particular, she said many were looking forward to the patio area with live music and a place to have a drink.
However, Cindy Schugg said it was about more than just the business aspect of things.
“Everything is in the process,” she said. “… We wanted to come in and be part of the community, not just people from outside. No, we care about the community. That’s why we bought a home in Aurora, that’s why we hire local. You know, we’re not a corporation. We’re a family marina. All these kids (staff) out here, they’re all from Marshall County. A lot of them, it’s their first time job and it’s exciting for them. It’s fun.”
Renovations to the marina and restaurant began in earnest at the beginning of October, but there were more to come, Tim Province said. The group plans to renovate the second story of the marina, which had previously been used for storage, and open a new fine-dining food option on the water. The new, not-yet-named restaurant will operate autonomously of Cindy’s on the Barge, with a kitchen of its own, as well as a full bar.
Tim Province said it was a niche largely unfilled directly on the lake in this particular area, and one he hoped would prove successful enough to open year-round.
“It’s (going to be) a little more upscale up top here,” Province said. “You’ll get a view obviously of the bridge all lit up at night, and a nice view of the lake. So, we’re going to open up the windows up there, more windows all the way across the top. … One of the things that we’re looking at is holiday seasons. So, holding whether it be Thanksgiving receptions up there, or even New Year’s … that’s going to be opened up for more major parties. The park actually has sometimes (up to) 70 weddings a year in the park, so this is actually something they were looking for that we could actually hold receptions up here, as well as just if you have the bridal party dinners and stuff. That’s a different area we could hold up there. So, we’re going to be opened up for catering.”
Tim Province said he hopes to open the new fine-dining restaurant next year. Initial work has begun; owners have constructed a suspended walkway from the upper level parking area to the second floor of the marina to allow for handicap accessibility and direct travel from lot to dining area. However, Tim Province said – as with the downstairs project – owners had a number of permits to obtain to complete the project, and work included completely new wiring and plumbing. Renovation efforts will begin in full once the marina closes for the season.
While it’s been a great deal of work, Tim Province said the venture had also been a great deal of fun. The Provinces and Schuggs, of California and Arizona, respectively, had been shopping for marinas for about two years when they discovered Kenlake. Tim Province said it had been a lifelong dream of his, having been an avid boater himself. After his retirement, he felt it time to pursue that dream and called longtime friends – the Schuggs – to see about their own interests.
Tim Province said the group had looked at a few places, but they kept returning to Kenlake. Tim Province said he loved the beauty of the area, and recognized the potential to build a fun, family-oriented business in the region.
“We had a vision for it,” he said. “… We don’t answer to a corporate America. I don’t have to really worry about a bottom line as much as having a good time with our people and making sure they have a good environment to come to where they can bring their friends and have a place that they feel comfortable that it’s a nice atmosphere to be and play.”
The couples hope to foster their own successful business, but look to feed that success back into the community. Cindy Schugg said last season staff had hosted a raffle for free pontoon rentals, the proceeds from which went to Marcella’s Kitchen. The group intends to hold the fundraiser again this year, beginning in July.
Expanded operations also mean additional jobs. Tim Province said the marina had tripled its workforce; going from about nine employees last season to the 27 now on staff. It’s growth he hopes to see continue.
“We’re happy; we think there’s a lot of opportunity,” Tim Province said. “You know, we can bring a lot of value to the park and tourism. That’s our big pitch is really to kind of helping the park kind of build tourism up here. Hopefully, we’ll be a big influence to Aurora. … That area we’d love to see kind of develop and really kind of expand, and we hope that we can be part of bringing people in to Aurora.”
Kenlake Marina and Cindy’s on the Barge have opened for extended summer hours, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday through Wednesday and 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. For more information on boat and slip rentals, facilities and more, visit www.kenlakemarina.com or find it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kenlakemarina.