|
|
|
|
Suzanne and Eric Bates the new owners of Lincoln Outdoor Center in Lincoln, and their dog Harley, are looking forward to continuing the type of service that has been provided to customers over the last 25 years . Some things may change, others remain the same, is true of Lincoln Outdoor Center in Lincoln--"Big Al and Donna Scully have officially retired, but the new owners plan to change very little in the store. Eric and Susanne Bates of Lincoln are the new owners of the Lincoln Outdoor Center. However, Eric is not "new" to the business. he has worked there for 16 years as the mechanic for lawn equipment and chain saws. He has an associate degree in business. Eric is the son of Lorraine Bates, who was a business woman in Lincoln for many years. His father, French Bates, who is deceased, owned a gas station in Hawks, Mich. for many years. He grew up in Lincoln and started working for Al and Donna Scully at age 15 and has continued off and on for the last 25 years. Susanne Bates is the daughter of Wayne and Pat Somers. She and her family moved to the area in 1976 when she was 10 years old. Her parents owned and operated a dairy farm until 1988. She moved to Lansing, Mich. until 1996 when she moved back to the area and started attending Alpena Community College. She graduated from ACC in May 1999 with an associate degree registered nurse. She works at Tawas St. Joseph Hospital on the medical surgical floor and is attending Michigan State University to obtain a bachelor of science degree in registered nursing. Eric and Susanne met in 1998 and were married in 1999. They are purchasing the former Ted and Isabel Somers farmhouse on Somers Road. The Lincoln Outdoor Center has been in business for over 20 years and , according to Susanne, had been for sale for several years prior to their taking over in January. "Eric and Al have always gotten along and Eric thinks the world of Al and Donna," Susanne said. "Eric told me they wanted to retire and wanted to make it a corporation and he could buy into it. Al has been wonderful to stay on to help smooth the transition." The Lincoln Outdoor Center offers a variety of services to area residents with a large selection of hunting and fishing equipment, licenses, generators, and metal detectors. It also is a dealer for White and Simplicity lawn and garden equipment (mowers, weed whackers, tillers etc) and is the largest Stihl chainsaw dealer in the area. In addition to sales, the business also repairs most chainsaws and lawn and garden equipment. Susanne plans to help out in the store whenever she can, but Eric is also looking forward to the arrival of his two brothers, Brian and Dale. Brian and his family are moving to the area from Arizona and Dale and his family are moving to the area from Kalamazoo, Mich. Eric is pleased with the transition and is looking forward to the arrival of his brothers. "I've always wanted to own my own business," Eric said, "I've always been in this industry since I was 12 years old. (This situation) is ideal. I've been here for 16 years and I know the faces of our customers and neighbors. I will continue to do mechanic work, and look forward to continuing the service Al and Donna and I have provided over the years" The Lincoln Outdoor Center is
located in downtown Lincoln and is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5:30p.m. and
Saturday from 9a.m.-4p.m.
Originally published
|
Photo
and Article originally published by the Alcona County Review, July 6, 1999 by
Cheryl Peterson. Reproduced here with permission.