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| Celebrating 50 Years….. Arney’s Marina celebrated its 50th anniversary as a marina in 2002. The owners, JoEllen and Chris Arney and John Love are especially proud of the heritage of their business, as it has faithfully served the boating community over the years. George Arney, Sr., began the Arney connection to Lake Ontario in the 1900s. He was a commercial fisherman on the lake for over 50 years, fishing out Cape Vincent initially and then from the beach when it was a small sand pit without roads. George’s wife Georgetta ran the village’s general store where the post office is now located. Eventually the fishing shack and fish market were transferred to the current location of Arney’s Marina. George Arney, Jr. fished with his father for many years before and after World War II. In 1946, the two lake fishermen established a boat livery. Soon George, Jr. and his wife Harriet were renting wooden, Arney-built row boats and selling bait to the hoards of weekend fishermen that ascended on Sodus Bay in the summers during the late 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s. For a period of time, the boat livery maintained a fleet of over 35 rental boats, rented small outboard motors, sold various kinds of bait and tackle, fresh and fried fish in its own market. In 1952, the business took the big step of becoming a marina by building and renting docks for various sized boats and selling accessories to boat owners. Arney’s Boat Livery became Arney’s Marina as the operations changed and grew. As the numbers of private boat owners increased, the marina added services and by 1958 the operation was a full service marina with boat and motor sales, boat and engine repairs, dock and boat rental, accessories, and various marine services. John Love entered the business operations and eventually became part of owner. George and Harriet’s children JoEllen and Chris also entered active participation in the business, eventually becoming part owners. Over the years, the size and shape of the operations changed under Harriet Arney’s management. No longer renting boats or commercially fishing the lake, the business added snowmobile services for a few years in the 1960s and 1970s, a full service restaurant in the 1980s – 1990 named My Brother’s Place, and many more marine services. The dockage space increased, the boat sizes increased, and the buildings and equipment grew in size and number. Over all these years, the business has maintained the values begun by George Arney, Sr. in his early days as a commercial fisherman – care of the beautiful nature environment of Sodus Bay and Lake Ontario and helping those who want to enjoy this area do so in a safe and affordable manner. |
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