WINONA LAKE — The Lake House, in the Village at Winona, has new ownership and is run by a family that grew up on the shores of Winona Lake.
The business is run by siblings Jack and Caroline Mayer, but also have a lot of support from their family.
Jack said he and Caroline work well together and bring different strengths to the business.
Caroline said she and her brother have always been close and she considers Jack to be her best friend.
“A lot of people probably think that having a business with family is difficult, but it’s not something I’m worried about whatsoever because we’re just that close,” she said.
Caroline, 26, graduated from Grace College with a degree in visual communications and marketing. She has retail experience and will oversee the front desk and other duties. She designed the business logo and is the creative mind behind many of the graphic t-shirts sold in the store.
Jack, 22, will graduate on Saturday from Grace College with a degree in entrepreneurial management and will serve as general manager.
The business opportunity is a dream scenario for Jack.
“I remember coming into this store when I was 8 years old. I’d come in here and ask for free stickers for my penny board and long boards,” Jack said Saturday shortly before a ribbon-cutting celebrating the business.
Jake England owned the business for 14 years.
“Ever since high school, I took an interest in business, and I’d always mentioned the idea of running this,” Jack said. “Jake England, the previous owner, approached me at the end of last summer and asked if we would be interested in this and I approached my family and presented the idea.”
Jack has been running his own business, Wakesurf Winona, for the past three years, offering wakeboard lessons and boat tours. Those will be incorporated into the store.
Jack recalls England told him they wanted to “pass the torch” to somebody who could take it to the next level.
“They had a good business model. We kind of came in and refreshed it. Gave it a new look, brought some new product in,” he said.
In addition to being the only marina on Winona Lake, they also have summer clothing, and rent paddle boards, pontoons and kayaks. They even have ice and snacks.
Entrepreneurship runs in the family. Their parents are Rod and Shana Mayer.
Rod is a longtime executive in the orthopedic industry. He was an executive at Nextremity Solutions and is now the president and CEO of Ortholazer, a growing company that’s in the process of moving its headquarters to Warsaw from Rochester, N.Y.
“He’s definitely been a great counsel with this,” Jack said.
His uncle, Scott Woods, and his wife, Natisha, own Noa Noa Wood Grill and Sushi Bar in Winona Lake.
“My uncle Scott, obviously, being a self-made entrepreneur with his restaurant, he started with a dream, and I’m kind of in the same situation now,” Jack said.
The store seems perfectly positioned. It’s next to The Boathouse restaurant, across the street from Miller Sunset Pavilion, and has a large parking lot outside its front door.
What did he learn from his college experience?
“Treating people well … How you want to be treated goes a long way.”