Harbor Marine Founder Hands Business Over to New Owner
After nearly 50 years of serving the boating community at the Port of Everett and beyond, Harbor Marine founder Lauren Bivins is handing the baton to a new owner, Steve Carver, who plans to continue the legacy of the longtime marine supply business.
On Aug. 11, the Port of Everett Commission authorized a new 12-and-a-half-year lease with Northwest Marine Services for approximately 56,000 square feet across two Harbor Marine buildings; the new lease began Sept. 1. Steve Carver is the CEO of Northwest Marine Services and bought Harbor Marine.
Carver said he plans to operate Harbor Marine under the same name, according to the company, and that the business will continue to offer marine service and repair, maintenance, supplies and light grocery retail services to the boating community. Bivins will remain involved in the business for the next three years to help ensure a smooth transition before retiring to spend more time with his family.
“Harbor Marine has been a valued tenant at the Port for decades, and we’re glad that it will continue to be part of our waterfront community,” Port of Everett Commission President David Simpson said in a news release. “We thank you for the time you’ve invested in building up our community as you’ve built your business, Lauren, and we look forward to the ways it will grow under Steve’s leadership.”
Harbor Marine Over the Years
Bivins started what would eventually become Harbor Marine in 1979 when he began servicing boats while working out of his truck at the Port of Everett Marina, according to the company. The Port had recently built the South Marina basin – becoming the largest public marina on the West Coast – and Bivins decided to take advantage of the new opportunity to grow his business. He bought Northwest Marine Exchange, which was located in a building on 14th Street, and changed the name to Harbor Marine.
Harbor Marine moved to its current spot in the Port’s Craftsman District on 10th Street in 2010. Bivins said being in close proximity to the largest public boat launch in Washington state was the perfect location for his business.
“The foot traffic and the marina size helped my business grow and flourish alongside the Port,” Bivins said in the news release. “We feel like we’ve been a cornerstone for the boating community in Everett and beyond, and I am personally very grateful for our patrons support for our business and my family over the years.”
New Ownership
New owner Carver said he plans to continue operations at Harbor Marine while trying some new ideas such as an inventory website geared toward commercial operators and new ways to encourage young people to get on the water. Harbor Marine already supports the events Everett Coho Derby, Salmon for Soldiers and Wheels to the Waterfront, and started new ones like North Sound Marine Expo, all of which are ways the team has tried to draw people to the waterfront.
“We need to engage the next generation, so they grow a passion for fishing and boating, and they keep the Marina full,” Carver said in a news release. “There is a lot of growth happening at the Port, and I want to build on what’s here at Harbor Marine and at the Marina.”
With more than 2,300 slips and 5,000 feet of guest moorage, the Port of Everett Marina presents an opportunity for boating and marine businesses to grow and thrive. Amenities like restaurants, shops, public spaces and community events in the surrounding area at Waterfront Place also create a draw that further supports businesses like Harbor Marine.
