May | 2019 | Greenwich Bored And Razed

Turner Franco and Josh Lewis, standing by (whilst seated), ready to talk boats. They both are hugely knowledgeable about the inventory and you can try before you buy, a relative rarity in the kayak business!
(Gideon Fountain received no compensation of any kind for this free plug)

For my entire life, “Ole’s Boat Yard”, 350 Riverside Avenue, Riverside, CT, was mostly a decrepit old dump of an establishment. Boats were theoretically sold and serviced there, but the amount of business done seemed pretty meager.

Now it’s been bought and restored by the same couple who spear-headed the restoration of many of the old Tod’s Point buildings, Chris and Rachel Franco. It’s safe to say that no other buyer in this town would have gone to the trouble of restoring this building. It was destined for the dumpster and would have been replaced by a nice, big & ugly spec house, and one more little Greenwich landmark would have disappeared , a loss for all of us.

Instead, the building now looks brand-new: there’s an art gallery, a luxury waterfront apartment upstairs, offices in back, a deck, and sandy “beach”, all quite amazing.

In addition, the Franco’s son has re-started the boat-selling business offering kayaks, paddle boards, etc. All this takes place dockside, so if the tide’s up, you can try before you buy. That alone makes this place unique, so go take advantage. High tide today, Saturday, Memorial Day weekend, is around 5:15 PM. That means, by 4:00, there should be sufficient water. Go buy a boat!