Anyone fortunate enough to live on the water knows that boating appeals to different people for different reasons: as an escape, as a pleasant environment for a business meeting, or as a sightseeing excursion. But the biggest draw for most is having fun with family and friends.
“Boating creates memories that last a lifetime,” says Mike Misch, Sales Manager and Head of Operations for Munson Ski and Marine at its Fontana location. Munson Ski and Marine, with its original location in Round Lake, Illinois and a newer store in Fontana, Wisconsin, has been a one-stop shop for all boating needs for over 60 years.
Patriarch Lloyd Munson founded the company with “a passion for the industry,” states Misch. The family-owned and operated business is now continuing unbroken into the third generation. Misch calls the 30+ Munson employees who round out the staff, “some of the best people in the industry.”
Munson’s Round Lake location offers new and used boats, a full-service department, a storage facility, a fiberglass shop and detail crew, brokerage services for buying and selling boats, pro shop items, and clinics for waterskiing, wakeboarding, and wake surfing.
The four-year-old Fontana location, on the other hand, expands on those services. For those with time constraints, the Fontana staff can provide in–and–out service. The store maintains a small number of boats for hourly, half-day, and full-day rentals. And for those interested in buying a boat, all boats at the Fontana location are available for demo rides.
While it might seem obvious that a boat dealership would be an active place in the summer, the employees at Munson Ski and Marine stay busy all year. In fall, end-of-the season boat repairs and refurbishing occupy the attention of the service department employees. Winter is the season for boat shows and purchasing inventory for the coming year. In spring and early summer, everyone is getting ready to place the boats in the water as soon as the last shard of ice melts on the surrounding lakes.
Misch believes that the decades-long success of Munson Ski and Marine is due to the company’s commitment to customer service and their down-to earth manner. “The Munsons bend over backwards to take care of their customers,” he asserts.
Those who choose Munson Ski and Marine as their boat dealer know that not only will they receive conscientious service, but they will also be welcomed into the Munson boating family, and its long tradition of helping people create precious memories on the lake.
By: Susan W. Murray
