We have found out that our Lund dealer , Greene Marine, will be shutting it's doors next summer. This is a multi generational family run business and they will be retiring. I was told that unless they find a buyer for the business it will just close.

 They deserve a good retirement, but it will be sad for us. We are on our second Lund from them and we store our boat there for the winter. They have always done right by us, and it will be a loss to see them go.

It's hard to find a good dealer (for anything, not just boats), but it's even harder to lose a good dealer.

at least they are closing for the best of reasons.  congrats to them!!!

Oh man

i hate seeing a good reliable business close, but I love to hear it supported them and their families until they retired. 
Hopefully someone buys it and has good fortune with it too. 

I own and love my Lund, I really don't think I would trade it for anything else, but Brunswick has been a good and bad thing for them... Brunswick has bought a lot of once great companies and done what these entities typically do, leaned them out to maximize profits which rarely is the best thing for the consumer, but have likely improved the boats at the same time, like I said, I really like mine.

 

Ever since Lund ceased from actually enforcing their pricing guidelines and allowing rogue dealers to undercut others, their dealers have been dropping like flies. They lost their largest dealer network "by far" in Michigan over this, one tiny little Marina kept selling for less than the dealer agreements are supposed to allow and were selling so many boats, they couldn't rig them all, so folks began showing up at other dealers to get their Lunds rigged with accessories and when they told those dealers what they paid, Lund was given the chance to fix it and did not, game over... One could argue that this is a good thing for consumers, but not if it leads to lesser quality dealers and thus lesser quality service centers... 

 

One would think a seasoned marina would have some interest though, depending on price... Anything service related in today's World is not what it once was, extremely hard to find mechanics or anyone that will work for what they can pay, etc... Many are relying on storage to help pay the bills... Mom & Pop shops can't afford to compete with the giant multi-location entities, etc... as far as pricing goes, they pay quite a bit more for motors than those that are selling a lot more of them, etc... 

 

Some of these larger chains have real benefits packages, pay more than $10 an hour more than the Mom & Pops can afford, etc... The only manner the little guys can compete is with better service, but hard to get that when you pay quite a bit less unless you are doing it yourself. 

 

Lot of boat companies are beginning to sell direct too, manufacturers get considerably better pricing on motors than dealers do, even the largest dealers pay quite a bit more than a manufacturer, etc... So when manufacturers also become dealers, nobody can compete. Another knife in the back to the Mom & Pop shops...

 

You can make $20 something an hour to work on fishing boats and pontoons, or over $40 an hour to go work on MasterCrafts, TriToons with 300HP motors and larger boats. It's the same certifications either way, you do the math where the skilled guys end up...

Unfortunately, with money tight for most people, the businesses that sell & service "expensive toys" boats, campers, motorcycles, etc. are feeling the pinch. I am afraid we will lose many more in the near future.

Good Dealers in New England are tough to come by unfortunately. I know many people make the trek down to Thayers in CT from all over. 

That does suck. Purchased my first boat from them back in the 90's. Great family dealership. Always drooling when I drive by though...🤑

It'll all come down to financing.  I'm sure there will be a willing buyer, but finding a bank that likes that buyer is a harder nut to crack.  In certain cases you can do a partial owner carry, but not when they want that money to retire on.