THE STORY OF A MAN, A CANOE LIVERY, AND CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

Hocking Valley Canoe Livery is proud to say that it has been in business since 1976. There are probably many successful small businesses that have been in operation since 1976. However, the numbers are small when it comes to one owner for 33 years.

Legend has it that in 1973 Lew Barbini moved to Hocking Hills from Akron to become a probation officer. Upon moving to Logan, he realized the vast potential of the area’s natural resources. Old Mans Cave, Ash Cave, and Cedar Falls were starting to draw hundreds of tourists per week. At this time Hocking Hills was starting to become known for its outdoor activities. There are 9 different state parks and hundreds of miles of hiking trails in Hocking County but there were no recreational activities along the waterways. There was a need for more outdoor activities to support the growing number of tourists. Lew and his wife, Connie Barbini, came up with the idea of opening a Canoe Livery. The idea of a Canoe Livery would not only support the areas growth in tourism but also continue the areas reputation as an outdoor paradise.

Lew left his job as a probation officer and opened the Hocking Valley Canoe Livery in 1976. He faced two difficult challenges, one was finding river access and the second was determining where trips should launch and conclude. Eventually, the location of the Canoe Livery forced all trips to end at the office. The Canoe Livery is located about a quarter of mile upstream from the old Falls Mill Bridge. Fall Mill is the only real rapid on the Hocking. Since all trips conclude at the Canoe Livery he decided the first trip would start in Crockets Run and the second trip would start in Rockbridge across from the Sunoco Gas Station. These locations gave customers a choice between a 1-2 hour or a 3-4 hour canoe ride. With all the logistics in place the Hocking Valley Canoe Livery opened its doors on May 10 th 1976. Hocking Valley Canoe Livery had only 10 aluminum canoes when they first opened. (The operation has grown considerably; today we have 139 canoes, 50 kayaks, and 10 rafts. In addition, we only had only 100 customers in our first year of business and in 2008 we had over 15,000).

One thing that has not changed over the years is Lew’s relationship with customers. Customers are the lifeblood of any successful business. Provide great customer service and they will come back has been an essential concept. Lew has effortlessly lived out this concept by taking a genuine interest in all of our customers. When you visit we want to know where you are from, how long is your Hocking Hills visit, and how did you enjoy your canoe trip. This kind of owner/ customer relationship can only be found in small businesses’ and especially at Hocking Valley Canoe Livery.

Not only does he like meeting people but he enjoys joking with customers. In fact, he has become well known for his jokes with customers. Don’t forget to bring your library card and our dress code is suits and dresses only, are two favorite jokes. His funny stories are designed to lighten the apprehension for customers who have never been canoeing. However, the stories do go a long way in creating rapport with our clients. He must be doing something right because customers have been coming back for over 30 years.

33 years is a tribute to Lew’s personality and ability to relate to customers. There is no doubt that Lew’s personality has given us a blueprint in which to take Hocking Valley Canoe Livery. Continue to provide the kind of superior customer service that our customers have come to expect and we should anticipate another successful 33 years.