TopSide Marinas Acquires Larsen Marine on Lake Michigan, located just north of Chicago, IL
TopSide Marinas recently acquired its fourth marina, Larsen Marine, located in Waukegan, IL, on Lake Michigan. Approximately 850+ boats annually call Larsen Marine their home for indoor, indoor heated, outside and dry stack storage. Most boaters also take advantage of Larsen Marine’s extensive service center, staffed with highly skilled and certified mechanics, riggers, and fiberglass professionals.
“Since 1933, three generations of the Larsen family have worked to provide the Lake Michigan boater with all their boating needs, including quality service, excellent storage facilities, and a professional staff. We were excited to find TopSide Marinas, and we quickly realized that their business practices and concern for quality customer service aligned with what three generations of the Larsen Family have provided for 89 years. We were very impressed with Stephen and Jacob and the TopSide team. We are confident that TopSide Marinas will continue with the same standards and commitment. We believe that our customers are in good hands.” Greg Larsen, President of Larsen Marine
Started by two friends with a passion for the outdoors and a love of the water, co-founders and boating enthusiasts Stephen Lehn and Jacob Boan put a strong emphasis on customer service and fun.
“Acquiring Larsen Marine is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We are excited to continue the Larsen’s tradition of serving Lake Michigan boaters,” said Jacob Boan, co-founder of TopSide Marinas.
“Everything we do comes back to hospitality. We want to foster environments where families and friends feel welcome to come and enjoy their time on the water. I grew up boating with family on inland Texas lakes and along the Gulf Coast and those are some of my favorite childhood memories. We want to be the destinations where families and friends come to connect and have fun together,” said Stephen Lehn, co-founder of TopSide Marinas.
TopSide Marinas approaches every transaction with a high level of integrity and puts a strong emphasis on understanding the history of the marinas it acquires.
“We partner with marina owners who have spent an immense amount of time, effort and energy building impressive businesses. We take that to heart and believe it’s our job to first understand that legacy, and then continue it,” said Jacob Boan, co-founder of TopSide Marinas.
TopSide Marinas has acquired four marinas since 2021: Beavers Bend Marina located on Broken Bow Lake in Oklahoma, and Galveston Yacht Marina in Galveston, Texas, located minutes from the Gulf of Mexico and right off the Galveston Ship Channel, North Point Marina in Temple, TX, located on Lake Belton, and most recently Larsen Marine in Waukegan, IL, located on Lake Michigan.
TopSide Marinas plans to continue acquiring marinas and will consider all opportunities within the United States, including properties located on lakes and the coast.
“We are incredibly proud to be carrying on the legacies of these four marinas. Our focus moving forward is to serve Lake Michigan, Lake Belton, Broken Bow Lake, and Galveston communities impeccably,” said Stephen Lehn, co-founder of TopSide Marinas. “We’re also continuing to grow our family of marinas, meeting marina owners, and expanding throughout the U.S.,” said Jacob Boan, co-founder of TopSide Marinas.
About TopSide Marinas:
TopSide Marinas is a family-owned company that acquires and operates high-quality marinas around the country. To learn more about TopSide Marinas, visit www.topsidemarinas.com.
Partners in the Transaction:
- TopSide Marinas’ Equity Partners: Miramar Equity Partners & TRT Holdings
- TopSide Marinas’ Lender: MapleMark Bank
- TopSide Marinas’ Legal Counsel: Winston & Strawn LLP
- Larsen Family’s Legal Counsel: Clark Hill & Bellavia Blatt, PC