A Conversation with Jack Brewer

Have you ever stopped to wonder about the evolution of marinas from the days when they were simple, and often quite messy, parking lots for boats, tucked away alongside an active boat or shipyard, to the bright, inviting hospitality industry facilities so many are today? There is one person who defied all odds and stands out as a leader in what turned into global changes in the marina industry. While many have brought innovations to various aspects of the industry, arguably none have had as large and significant an impact on the industry’s evolution as Jack Brewer Jr.

A Long History
I am fortunate to have known Jack most of my life, and to have recently been able to sit down and talk with him about the industry and how he grew his first marina from 20 boats to more than 37 marina properties with more than 8,000 slips over six decades. Rives Potts, who rose from a Brewer’s marina manager to partner, and who now is the current president of Safe Harbor Marinas (which purchased the Brewer Yacht Yard Group in 2017), fondly refers to Jack as, “A superior person … a great quality guy – kind, honest, fair and with great business principles. He insisted that every bill and payroll be paid on time and by the 10th of every month.”

Jack’s father owned a hardware store that was a mainstay in the community in Mamaroneck, New York. As a very young child, Jack started working after school and weekends in the store. He did the non-enviable jobs, such as sweeping the floors and cleaning the bathroom. Jack was never given any special treatment or pay scale. He was treated just like any other employee.

I also knew Jack’s father, a kind, thoughtful man who could always fix or suggest a solution to a problem. I do not think his father ever threw away any part of anything. You would go to the store, and he would look at the issue, scratch the back of his head and say, “Give me a couple of minutes.” Then he’d disappear into the caverns of the basement. After some time, he would reemerge with the right part or a substitute that would solve the problem. He was kind and respectful to his customers and provided a unique service.

Jack eventually went off to the University of Colorado and then Rutgers University, majoring in business. When not at school, he was home working at the store because “I wanted the money.” His father always hoped that Jack would take over the store, but that, in his words, “was not my calling.”

After college, he joined the credit department of the Bankers’ Trust Company and soon decided that it also was not for him. He went to Columbia Business School, again studying business. He said that, even way before college, he “was always fascinated with business.” When he was in college, he would be at the library until 11 at night, reading the Wall Street Journal, finding the articles fascinating.

Eventually giving up on the idea of Jack joining him at the hardware store, but still hoping for a business relationship with his son, his father decided to buy the ‘boatyard’ behind the hardware store and asked Jack to be his partner and run it, promising that he would be hands-off.

A Start in the Industry
When Jack took charge of the boatyard, it was an exceedingly basic parking lot for boats in the water during the summer and an unkempt place to store them upland through the winter. It had a marine railway with up to 20 boats, all “fine wood cruisers” except for a single 34-foot fiberglass Hatteras. It had one employee who taught Jack the business. Jack emphasized, “It was hard, back-breaking business.” Jack and this worker did all the intensive manual labor, including greasing the skids and moving the boats in and out of the water, scraping and sanding the bottoms, cleaning and painting the boats. “When I went home at night I just wanted to collapse,” he said. His wife, Peggy, also helped out, and took care of billing and other paperwork.

Jack made sure that every boat was returned to the owner cleaner than it came in, with the bright work glistening, head attractive and cabin spotless. He even provided something extra without charge, like a bottle of wine, or flowers, or something else he knew the owner would like. At the same time, Jack was increasing his rates for what he was providing. His customers did not object as they appreciated the service. Jack realized he could charge more if he did more for his customers.

Innovative Ideas
Back then, the floats were hauled out in the fall and stored on land, then put back into the water in the spring. Jack was an innovator and questioned why the floats needed to be removed from the water in the winter. If he left them in the water, it would increase winter boat storage and revenue. So, he spent the winter breaking ice around the boats and floats and began to experiment finding ways to improve operations, like adding winter bubbler systems for managing ice and getting rid of the marine railway system in favor of a 30-ton Algonac (for overhead hauling and launching), which is still used today. These made things easier, run faster and paid for themselves many times over.

Jack also realized that other than painting the bottoms and cleaning the topsides and insides of boats, the industry didn’t offer a fix-it service. What little engine service existed at the time was from independent operators and service stations. Most facilities for docking recreational boats were not interested in providing repair services.

He hired a mechanic and realized that fix-it services were not only a major omission for the industry but were also a “real money maker if done right.” No one else was doing it. Providing these services increased the demand for his evolving marina space.

So, when did he start expanding beyond Mamaroneck? As Jack tells it, one day he was reading his Wall Street Journal and found an advertisement for another marina up the line that was for sale and had a lot of land and waterfront for expansion. Jack made a deal and asked another man he knew who worked for a boatyard if he would run it. The marina manager would get a salary and would share in the profits of the marina. The manager was given full authority to set rates, hire employees, set salaries and make improvements.

Service was a major part of the program. Jack would stop by one or two days a week to get updates and discuss capital expenditures and opportunities. He realized that this was an opportunity to expand beyond his own resources. He went on to create the first service industry for marinas. As opportunities arose, Jack continued to expand and buy facilities. He typically looked for properties that had expansion possibilities and a desirable customer base.

After he purchased a facility, the first thing he would do is get rid of all the “collectibles” that tend to accumulate in marinas, filling dumpster after dumpster with junk. One manager recalled that more than 30 dumpsters left the property when Jack took over. Jack believed in making the facility attractive and inviting, adding plantings, keeping the facility in good condition and repainting where needed. He encouraged meaningful improvements. He made sure the restrooms were kept clean. He also insisted on finding ways to make things easier and more efficient and create more revenue while building customer loyalty.

Jack was also at the forefront of introducing additional hospitality services, such as provisioning for boats and concierge services for both transients and seasonal customers. He also added additional amenities, including playgrounds, swimming pools, tennis or volleyball courts and even a heliport at one facility. All were geared to improving the customer experience and providing more reasons for spending time, and consequently money, at the marina.

Growing Success
Despite Jack’s growing success, he has remained humble and doesn’t hesitate to admit he’s made mistakes along the way. In one case, immediately after purchasing a marina that had a breakwater for protecting its floating docks, a major storm hit and wiped out the breakwater and all of the floats, and the marina was not insured – a seven-figure mistake. Jack related, “I learned a lot from my mistakes.”

For years, Jack never had a secretary to answer the phone. As the company grew, he had an office manager. Even then, that manager would only answer the phone when Jack was already on a call or not in the office. When people called, they would be greeted with, “Hi, this is Jack. How can I help you?” It was always a friendly approach. Jack understood that, while the customer was not always right, you must treat customers with respect and try to address any concerns.

He also valued his employees and understood the value of providing a generous health insurance plan for all employes. He knew employees by their first name, asked about their families and always stopped to talk with them and take an interest in what they had to say. He was never afraid to get his hands dirty working at the various yards.

When purchasing properties, Jack said he never tried to take advantage of anyone. “We would work out a fair deal, and many times that included the seller taking back a note,” he said.

While banks were not enthusiastic about marina lenders early on, they became more helpful as Jack gained a track record. This enabled Jack to continue to expand. He also implemented his own version of management by giving his managers a free hand running each facility – setting rates, hiring staff, expanding service and looking at ways to improve their property and revenue streams. Things like insurance, accounting and similar overhead items were undertaken by the home office. He had a “great controller,” and all facilities’ books “had to close on the same date once a month.” As a general rule, he looked to have the fix-it services pay for the marina’s overhead – payroll, etc., while the dockage revenue provided the profit and revenue stream to make improvements.

Jack had no set uniform salaries for the managers or other positions. He would give each manager a salary and incentive approach based on a return on investment, calculated on the rate of return on the total investment for each facility (equity and debt). Expansions and improvements were all measured that way. He encouraged managers to talk to and learn from each other to find better ways of accomplishing tasks and solving issues. This set up some friendly competition between facilities while also establishing a comradery throughout the growing organization. He also required that each manager be at the marina for at least half of every Saturday in season. Why? “Because that is when the customers are there!” he said.

I recall walking into one of his marinas and talking with customers in a harbor that had six other marinas. I would ask them why they were at that Brewer facility when there were other less expensive options. Their answers were pretty much the same: “They treat me well.” “Their service is great.” “I only have to have things fixed once.” “They are full service.” “They make things easy.”

As Jack’s marina acquisitions grew, he established the Preferred Member Card. Customers were able to go overnight from one facility to another, and dockage would be free for two to four nights, with discounts on fuel, slips and more. “It did not really cost us anything, and customers like being able to stay overnight at a facility with known service and high standards,” he said

Jack ran an exceptionally clean business. He didn’t run personal expenses through the facility—no perks for himself, his family or anyone connected with the marina. He paid full freight for his boat slip and service. He would not discount services or make private customer deals. If someone wanted to pay cash, they still had to pay sales tax as well, and there was no discount for cash payments.

Jack credits his success to his business acumen and finding good people who take pride in what they do. He found managers who strive to do things better and encouraged innovative ideas. He is also a firm believer in promoting from within the organization wherever possible.

The overall marina industry should be thankful for Jack’s many decades of dedication, innovation and leadership, and the many ways he has helped transform and elevate the marina world.

Dan Natchez, CMP, is president of DANIEL S. NATCHEZ and ASSOCIATES Inc. He can be contacted by phone at 914-698-5678, by WhatsApp at 1/914/381-1234, by email at dan.n@dsnainc.com or online at www.dsnainc.com.

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