Boat dealership opens near Caesar Creek Lake
New facility to include 16,000-square-foot building, space outside.
A new boat dealership with a well-known family name in southwest Ohio has opened in Waynesville, just one mile from Caesar Creek Lake.
Taylor’s South Shore Marina has relocated its dealership from its location near Cowan Lake to 6850 Corwin Ave. in Waynsvlle. The dealership is housed in a new 16,000-square-foot building with ample space outside for new and used boats.
The business offers a full-line
of boats and motors for sale, a full-service marina, parts and accessories, boat rentals, and a bait and tackle center, according to owner Chad Taylor. It offers boat brands like BassCat, Four Wins, Lowe, Starcraft, Sun Chaser and Sylvan.
According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, $37 billion was spent in the U.S. last year on boats and boating supplies, an increase of $1 million from 2016. That’s up from $27 billion in 2010.
South Shore Marina was founded in 1968 on the banks of Cowan Lake at Cowan Lake State Park. It has been under control of the Taylor Family since 1985. Chad’s father, Tom Taylor, started at South Shore Marina at the age of 17.
Tom Taylor is still a master mechanic at the dealership. The business employs 10 people, including four certified motor mechanics. Taylor said the business will employ 15 during the season.
The dealership is located near the 2,300-acre Caesar Creek Lake, a popular lake for boaters and fishermen between Cincinnati and Dayton.
“The location offers us an unique market and an opportunity to service the needs of customers in this part of the state,” Taylor said. “We’re excited about the location.”
The publication Boating Industry named Taylor’s South Shore Marina one of the Top 100 dealerships in the United States for their sales and customer experience. Employees at the dealership have been busy in the past month. They recently had a display at the Cincinnati boat show and Feb. 9 through Feb. 11 they will be at the Columbus boat show.
“We’re pretty well-known throughout the state. People have confidence in our work,” Taylor said.
Even though the dealership is located west of Caesar Creek Lake, Taylor kept the South Shore name.
“It’s something everyone knows and only made sense,” Taylor said.
The dealership will host a grand opening on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25.