The Boat House
Written by Tricia Carzoli
Lake life in the Midwest often includes a cooler, sunscreen, music, good friends, and an anchor. The Boat House, with its several Midwest locations, is committed to making summer magic happen.
“Lake life is truly the best for making memories,” Marketing Coordinator Lauren Sass stated.
The Boat House has ten locations, all family-owned, including six locations in Wisconsin and one in Illinois. Each location offers something unique–some are on the water offering full-service marinas while others are land-locked yet still able to offer a wide variety of boating brands and services.
The Boat House sales floors are filled with new boats including pontoons, runabouts, wake boats, fishing boats, and center-console boats available for purchase. The brands offered vary by location. Trade-checked, pre-owned boats are also available at individual locations and financing options are always available.
The company offers boat servicing as well as winterization, summerization, boat and trailer storage, engine rebuilds and overhauls, and outboard engine repairs.
“All of our staff are boaters,” Sass explained. “We all understand the passion surrounding boating and are committed to getting you on the water and staying on the water.”
In addition to boat sales, The Boat House also offers its signature Boat Club. “We want boating to be accessible to everyone,” she continued. “Select locations offer the benefit of owning a boat without the hassle of maintenance.” At select locations, memberships are available for customers to rent boats, with the membership only valid at the purchase location. Members can reserve a boat for a specific time and day, enjoy the waters, and then return, only paying for the gas used on their excursion.
“It is a stress less, boat more philosophy,” Sass said, “and it is perfect for the person who needs a low-maintenance boating experience, and also for the person who is looking to take their first step into the boating industry.”
The employees of all The Boat House locations take immense pride in their jobs and desire to share their passion with others, offering the best service to customers. Sass said their team of salespeople is well-equipped to discuss anything from fishing to sport to cruising to assisting clients in assessing what is right for their water needs.
“Some of our locations are on the water,” Sass said, “while some are landlocked. But all of our locations have staff who love boating and want to make an impact on the community.”
Their love of the community helps impact the lives of others as well as the safety of the waters. One way The Boat House staff gets involved in the community is with the Shake the Lake event on Pistakee Lake. The Boat House Chicago in Johnsburg will host Shake the Lake for the third year in a row in mid-July 2023.
“We are so excited to be hosting this again,” Sass explained. “Everyone is buzzing, and we are excited to be a part of the community and protect the waterway. It is a truly unique experience.”
Shake the Lake is a concert on the water with a land stage and the ability for the concert-goers to anchor out, listen to music, and enjoy the experience. The concert is free, but donations are collected and go toward the Fox Waterway Clean Water Initiative dedicated to keeping the Chain-O-Lakes and surrounding waters clean and healthy for years to come.
The Lake Geneva location will host its annual Boat House Amateur Wakesurf Competition again this summer. Local community members are encouraged to register to compete against other amateur riders using the WWA wakesurf format. Riders compete for a chance to win a monetary prize, trophy, and bragging rights.
“It is just another way that we can be a part of our community,” Sass said. “We value our communities and want to support them whenever we can.”
The Boat House locations focus on being leaders in their individual communities as well as in the boating industry as a whole. They have serviced local boating communities for over 30 years and with their customer appreciation days, party tie-ups, events, sales, and services, The Boat House stands out as a local business committed to supporting locals.
For more information about The Boat House and its various locations, visit boathouseh2o.com and find a location for you.
