Gary Briggs, founder of Wayzata Marine in Minnesota, is retiring after 50 years in business.
Gary and his wife, Darlene, founded Wayzata Lake and Lawn in 1967, a retail store offering boats, lawn tractors, snowblowers, snowmobiles and garden supplies.
Through the 1960s and ’70s the store grew and changed with customer demand. By 1980 the company was focused completely on marine sales and service. In 1982 the corporate name officially changed to Wayzata Marine and the company said its notoriety as a leader in the boating industry began to grow.
Darlene Briggs died in 1986, but she left a valuable legacy. Her husband helped launch the Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year Award, which is sponsored by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and Boating Industry magazine.
Son Dave Briggs began running the company a few years after his mother’s death and will continue to do so.
The company will hold a retirement party for Gary Briggs on Aug. 26.
