Ross and Laurie Kieffer, longtime owners of Burch’s Landing and the new owners of Leighton’s on East Reservoir have Portage Lakes ties in their background. Ross and Laurie arrived in the Portage Lakes from Canton by accident. In 1974, they were driving around the Portage Lakes area and spotted a lakefront home for sale. On a whim they made an offer and to their surprise it was accepted.
Ross’s ties to Portage Lakes can be traced back to 1920 when his maternal grandfather, John Ross, an employee of the M O’Neil Company attended a company picnic on Long Lake. A photo of the employees and guests was taken at Long Lake Park on July 12, 1920. Grandpa Ross was photographed with Ross’s mom, Charlotte, then 4 years old, in his arms. The photo hangs in a place of honor at the new establishment. Among other photographs displayed is one of a 1948 GarWood boat on Turkeyfoot Lake with Ross’s parents, Ted and Charlotte Kieffer seated in the boat. Charlotte was pregnant with Ross in the photo.
Their ownership of Burch’s Landing came about in 1982. Ross was on his OK Potato Chips delivery route and noticed a For Sale sign in the window at Burch’s. He stopped to inquire and talked with the men wanting to sell the establishment. He was a little hesitant after talking with them. He laughed when he recalled he had been reading - Making it Rich in Real Estate and thought it best to check the Summit County courthouse records on the ownership of the facility.
He discovered that Mrs. Ethel Burch, who was living in Florida, was the true owner and the men were leasing the facility. Ross contacted Mrs. Burch regarding the sale. She was interested in selling and offered to help by carrying the mortgage until they were able to secure a bank loan.
Laurie and Ross fondly recalled the trust and faith Mrs. Burch had in selling to them. After securing the business, they left their jobs - Ross with OK Potato Chips and Laurie an art teacher - devoting full time to their new business.
Originally, Burch’s Landing opened in 1920 as Edgewater Barbeque and in 1936 an addition was built to house canoe rentals. When the Kieffer’s bought Burch’s it was primarily a canoe rental business, 30 wood canoes were included in the inventory along with their purchase. The wood canoes leaked and were eventually replaced with aluminum canoes. Kieffers survived the early years by selling Christmas trees, restoring Chris Craft wood boats, offering a general gift shop along with rentals and boat sales.
Of historic interest, Burch’s still hold the license for the oldest continuous operating Canoe Livery in the state of Ohio.
Initially they only could afford to purchase one pontoon boat to sell. If it didn’t sell then it was offered as a rental the next season. They spoke with genuine appreciation of the trusting people who enabled them to move ahead, Mrs. Burch and later a marine dealer who placed 2-3 pontoons on consignment to help them along.
As their business continued to grow they saw some drawbacks to Burch’s. -- limited room for service work- much of it done outside; and no inside area for boat sales. They often looked over at Leighton’s and marveled at their spacious surroundings and what they might do if they had the larger facility.
Going back in time, again, there is also a connection to Leighton’s.
When Ross was a youngster his parents often visited with friends, Elton and Ellie Mollett who had a cottage on Whyem Drive. Dr. Hoge also a Whyem Drive resident owned a 1956 Chris Craft boat and invited Ross and his sister to join his four girls to learn how to water ski. Ross fondly remembered the ski morning breakfasts of hot chocolate and cinnamon toast. He said the cinnamon toast was the best ever. After skiing they would stop at Leighton’s West on Mud Lake for gas. Owner, Lenny Leighton always treated the kids to a 5 cent bottle of Coke or Grapette.
Ross recalled that the bottles were in the “old” Coke machine chests where the bottles were on a rail. You deposited your money and guided the selected bottle to the end of the rail for release. That was a highlight of the ski trip. Ross never dreamed that one day he would own Leighton’s on East Reservoir.
Their plans for the newly acquired boat house includes bringing the nautical gift shop over to Kieffer Marine. At the new facility they are able to offer various sizes of pontoons for rent, dock/slip rentals, outboard motor service of Honda, Yahama, Nissan/Tohatsu.
Kieffer Marine now can service I/o’s and inboards and offer indoor and outdoor storage. Year round in/out service and marine accessories. They will continue to sell Sweetwater, Aqua Patio, Sanpan pontoons.
They are proud to have, Wayne Smith, their mechanic at Burch’s for 15 years and Carl Lange, long time employee of Leighton’s to continue working with them at Kieffer Marine
The Keiffers have one daughter, Brooke, who grew up in the business and now resides in Florida. I’m sure during the winter months Brooke will be seeing quite a bit of her parents.
Keiffer Marine is located at 252 Portage Lakes Drive, hours are 10-6, 7 days a week. They will close after Thanksgiving and reopen April 1.
Burch’s Landing is now in their memory book and they are looking for a tenant to rent the facility.
