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(Credit: Photo provided, 2022)
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(Credit: Provided photo, 2022)
Michael Scidmore, left, and Claudia Vigorito stand on a dock at Brant Lake Marina. Vigorito bought the marina in September 2022.
The former Palmer Brothers Marina is now the Brant Lake Marina, and the new owner, Claudia Vigorito, has some big, year-round plans for the 3.3 acre facility.
The marina sits a few miles east of I-87 Northway Exit 25, on Palisades Road at the southern end of the lake.
“I knew that Peter and John Palmer, the Palmer Brothers, wanted to sell, and another marina owner and a developer were interested,” she told FoothillsBusinessDaily.com.
An accountant who lives in Boston with her husband and two grown daughters, Vigorito was kayaking on Brant Lake on July 4th near her family’s vacation home when she said she was almost capsized by speeding boats, the waves throwing her into her neighbor’s docks.
“I just didn’t want it to go into the wrong hands and attract more boats to Brant Lake. Imagine if there were more boats. I felt obligated to inquire about the property, and really wanted to preserve it.”
Vigorito said she has started expanding the business for year-round use.
First, she hired Michael Scidmore, an experienced local service manager and mechanic. He is her director of operations.
“I sought him out,” she said. “It turns out he lives two doors down from us. He’s a huge part of this company, and an amazing partner. I trust him with the business.”
She said she stays in the area quite a bit already, but will rely on Scidmore for some regular day-to-day help. Scidmore is ramping up snowmobile repair for the winter months.
“We have a snowmobile trail right behind us, so it only makes sense,” Vigorito said. “There really isn’t anything around us.”
She plans to open a bakery/cafe to offer prepared foods, beverages and a meeting place for customers before they go out on their boats.
“We’ll have muffins, sandwiches, drinks. I’m working with some upstate bakeries to keep things local.
“I’m all about giving back to the community and all about local. It’s so critical up here. It’s really important to collaborate with other local businesses,” she said.
New apparel is in the works, too.
“Marina swag,” she said, smiling. And Brant Lake Marina now has a vibrant social media presence, which is new.
Vigorito also plans pontoon boat and kayak rentals, along with indoor and outdoor boat storage. The marina has 16 slips, with dry-dock slips for occasional boaters.
The showroom is in the process of being remodeled and refreshed, and she’s looking to acquire a boat dealer franchise, she said.
“That’s in the works. I’m not looking to compete with our competitors. I think consumers should have a choice. If this was monopolized by another larger marina, the people would have no choice. It’s the only marina on the lake.”
She said Peter and John Palmer built the business over 32 years and had other opportunities to sell, but they would not sell to just anyone.
“I feel so privileged to be chosen. I felt so connected with them right away. They are genuine, hard-working, intelligent gentlemen. I’m honored to carry on their legacy,” she said.
Valerie Erceg of Davies-Davies Real Estate brokered the deal, representing both the buyers and the sellers.
“Valerie was a key player in making the marina mine,” Vigorito said. “She was thoughtful, thorough, and went above and beyond whenever I needed information.”
The property and business was sold on Sept. 30, 2022, for $984,000.
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Editor’s note: Valerie Erceg is an advertiser with FoothillsBusinessDaily.com.