Indiana water sports equipment company going up for auction
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A 51-year-old water sports equipment company in Kosciusko County could soon have a new owner.
North Webster-based Bart’s Water Sports, which provides a variety of equipment such as wakeboarding and water skiing products, floatation devices and wetsuits, is set to be auctioned off in September.
The auction is being handled by Columbia City-based Schrader Real Estate and Auction Co. A spokesperson told IIB the auction is the result of the retirement of Bart’s Water Sports founder Bart Culver.
The company operates on a 44-acre property in North Webster, about 130 miles northeast of Indianapolis and 43 miles northwest of Fort Wayne. It includes a 42,000-square-foot building that houses a warehouse, office and retail space.
The property itself is being sold in four tracts, with two more tracts covering the company’s intellectual property and water sports equipment inventory.
“Bart’s is a leading e-commerce water sports retailer with a spacious brick and mortar retail operation based in north central Indiana,” Schrader Real Estate President R.D. Schrader said in a news release. “The inventory is vast and diverse. We’re excited to offer a unique opportunity for a buyer to continue the legacy of a well-established heritage brand.”
The company has six full-time employees, and the Schrader spokesperson said it is unclear if those jobs will be negatively affected by the sale.
Culver declined to be interviewed by Inside INdiana Business.
The auction is scheduled for Sept. 5, and Schrader said Culver will entertain non-contingent offers made by Aug. 4 on the business, inventory and some of the real estate.
You can learn more about the auction by clicking here.