Today we’d like to introduce you to Jill Prager.
Jill, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Our business started in 1954, with my partner’s grandparents, Irene and Bing Harrington. At that time, it was located on the town pier in Wellfleet and was primarily a boat rental and tackle store operating in the summer months. 64 years later, Wellfleet Marine now encompasses 2 boatyards, one fish market, boat rentals, tackle store and our retail store which I have been the buyer for the last 30 years. I admit I’m a wash ashore. Grew up in New Jersey, the only girl who has never been to the Jersey Shore… didn’t need to… my family had a summer house here in Wellfleet and I have been here every summer since birth. Met my partner, Alfred Pickard, one of Bing’s 3 grandsons when I was 16 and we have been together ever since… graduated from college in Boston with a degree in Marketing… I knew I wanted to start my family here and am proud to say that my kids and their cousins are the fourth generations keeping the business going. Our store has a mainly coastal vibe since we are on the cape and mere steps from the water… I pride myself on having goods that other stores don’t… and am a strong supporter of locally crafted wares… we carry everything for the beach, from the beach and beyond.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My motto is do what you love, love what you do… several years ago, I started to hone my creative side when my love of collecting sea glass from the beaches became borderline hoarding. After covering a vintage window with my finds, my middle son suggested I try selling them in the store… it was nerve-wracking as I wasn’t sure how they would be received. Good thing I listened to him… they are now, with my sea wrack rope wreaths, two of my most popular items in the store, to the point where I’ve begun wholesaling some out… I love retail. Period. Always have. Knew it what was what I wanted to do. It’s not just about buying… who doesn’t love to buy stuff?! It’s about the merchandising, the creating, the marketing and the connection you have with people on a day to day basis. That’s what makes it worthwhile… believe in yourself. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes… lots of them…
Please tell us about Wellfleet Marine Corporation.
Anyone can have a store… what sets a person apart is how you treat your customers. I consider mine family… they don’t have to shop with me… I try to connect with people, to get to know them, their families, their history… they are the ones that keep me going… go the extra mile… if you are in the store, you are open. Period. That one person could be the biggest sale of the day.
Who have you been inspired by?
There are two people who inspire me on a daily basis.. my mom pat and my daughter, Olivia. my mom, who works for me in the store a few days a week at the age of 83, still kicks ass… she is amazing and a fantastic salesperson and connects with everyone in the store. They love her and she loves them back. She gives the best advice, knows her stuff, and always makes me feel like the most important person around. as for my daughter, everyone says she is a “mini-me”… but way more talented… although she is still high school, she has shown herself to be an amazing artisan working with silver and creating one of a kind pieces of jewelry. No one merchandises the store better than her… in a family comprised of mostly men, she holds her own. She works just as hard as her brothers when out in the boatyard and isn’t afraid to speak her mind, ever… she is everything I could have asked for in a daughter… makes me proud every damn day…
Contact Info:
- Address: 25 holbrook avenue
Wellfleet, MA 02667 - Website: wellfleetmarine.com
- Phone: 508.214.0677, 508.349.6417
- Email: wellfleetmarine@msn.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellfleetmarineretail/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/wellfleetmarineretailstore
Image Credit:
Jill Prager
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