Boat dealership opens on Washougal waterfront

A central Oregon-based boat dealership is promising to elevate Camas-Washougal’s boating community to new heights. Lifestyle Wake, which has provided boat service, storage and sales out of its Bend, Oregon, facility since 2015, has expanded into east Clark County, offering a wide variety of services and products just a few steps away from the Columbia River in Washougal. The company moved into a building owned by the Port of Camas-Washougal, at 115 S. “A” St., after purchasing and assuming the lease of the previous tenant, Riverside Marina. It opened for business in early August. “We are stepping up what’s being offered,” said Lifestyle Wake’s general manager, Bob Holloway. “We’re trying to give people a local alternative for some of the things they’ve been traveling to Portland for, or even all the way up to the Battle Ground area. (We’re) trying to keep those services local.” The Port’s business development director, Derek Jaeger, said Lifestyle Wake presented the Port with “an exciting opportunity.” “They see the benefit (of being here),” Jaeger said during a May 1 Port Commission meeting. “There’s not a lot of boat dealerships that have direct access to a waterfront, so this is a huge (opportunity) for them in this market. They see the good demand and, of course, the future growth. (Lifestyle Wake owner) Tim (Baggs) wants to contribute to the vibe and feel of what we have here and tie into the community aspect ... here at the Port.” The company is currently providing maintenance and storage services out of its new location and plans to add additional offerings in the next several months. “My focus was to get service up and running, then we’ll start working on getting the retail side for new boat sales and accessories dialed in,” Holloway said. “But everything starts with services.” In addition to previously provided services such as winterization, maintenance and storage, Lifestyle Wake also plans to offer fiberglass repair, detailing and custom modifications, as well as retail products such as clothing, surfboards, wakeboards, and water skis. “I don’t want to lose the history of the building,” Holloway said. “I don’t want to lose the past of all of the people who have put in a lot of hard work for the boating community here. I don’t want to change any of that. Maybe we can enhance it and make it a little more streamlined and (provide) better communication with customers, fine-tune the process.” Baggs had been looking to expand into Washington state before the opportunity arose at the Port, according to Holloway. “Our owner is an avid boater. He has family in the Vancouver area, comes up here quite a bit,” Holloway said. “I think he just kept crossing that river thinking this would be a really good place for a great boating dealership. He’s 100 percent behind it. He wants to see this thing be big. He wants to see it be a big part of the community. And we’re really excited to be part of the development that’s going on here in the Port of Camas-Washougal area.” The new business also plans to renovate the building, which Holloway called an “eyesore.” “We’re working with the Port to try and do an upgrade and update of the exterior of the building,” Holloway said. “We are also adding some really nice, clear glass roll-up doors to the facility, so in the summer we can roll those up and create an open-air experience.” They also plan to install a “high-end” coffee shop in the building. “What we’re really focusing on during this remodel and this rebirth of this facility is wanting to capture that vibe for all of these boaters that go in and out of this boat ramp,” Holloway said. “Our plan is to get people walking through and flowing and talking and thinking about boats.” The company plans to be fully operational during its renovation period this winter and tentatively hopes to hold a grand-opening ceremony in the spring of 2025. “Considering the tenant improvements, I think this is a really good destination for our marina,” Port Commissioner Larry Keister said during the May 1 meeting. “This is a good thing for us. The upgrade of the building will make it look more professional and nicer.”

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