The Saugatuck-Douglas Rotary Club would like to thank our sponsors in a special way. We will be featuring each of our Sponsors on our Facebook page with a memorable story about them and their connection to Saugatuck-Douglas.
Lauren & John with Retro Boat Rentals
Today’s Sponsor Spotlight is on Lauren Stanton and John Sharrar, owners of Retro Boats. Lauren and John love the Venetian Festival! “It’s the biggest summer celebration of the year! It’s what Saugatuck is known for!” said Lauren. As a business owner, it’s one of the most popular times as lodging gets booked, restaurants and attractions are busy. People are renting boats and having fun.
Retro Boats began in 2017 with small, electric, retro-looking boats for rent. They’ve grown every year since, adding a duffy and a donut boat. They have pontoons too that are available at the Red Dock. Speaking of the Red Dock…. We can thank Lauren and John for keeping this beloved and iconic watering hole open. They purchased Red Dock and maintain the vibe we’ve all grown to know and love.
In addition to the business, their kids keep them super busy. Lauren has 2 boys, Nick who recently graduated from Saugatuck High School and Cass, a sophomore at SHS. You can typically find them at a track meet this time of year. John has four daughters and between all their kids, they have either worked at or are currently working at Retro Boats.
During their free time you’ll find Lauren and John enjoying the lake and water. They love going out in their well-loved pontoon boat or dinghy. She is happy that the proceeds of Venetian Fest 2023 will go toward protecting the waterways.
Lauren is excited for the Venetian Fest concert because she said “It’s like a reunion of all the locals to get to be together! No matter how busy we all are, it’s the biggest local party to see all of our friends in one spot!”
Please join Rotary in thanking Lauren and John of Retro Boats for being a sponsor of Venetian Fest 2023.
