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Who We Are
Lambrecht Marina, formerly Markley Marine, has a long history. Jeff and Jim Lambrecht are the current owners, but their father was their inspiration. Bob Lambrecht and his wife Ginny loved boating on the Great Lakes, especially Lake St. Clair, moving through the years to ever larger boats. Their first boat was a 23-foot Chris Craft Lancer, and Jim and Jeff learned to tie knots and the terminology of boating at an early age.
The origins of the marina, however, go all the way back to 1901, when a man named Edgar N. Kalthoff was born. Edgar was the son of Robert and Mathilda Kalthoff, who owned Kalthoff Hardware Company in Detroit. In 1935, while Edgar was working as a Sears Roebuck store manager in Battle Creek, his son, Edgar W., was born. In 1950, the elder Edgar was named president of the Michigan Retail Hardware Association. At age 59 in 1960, Edgar opened Kalthoff Marine, and it was operated by his son, Edgar W. Kalthoff. The oldest buildings at Lambrecht Marina – the marina office and the “Carpenter Shop” where Blue Water Marine is today - date from 1958.
Into the picture comes William J. Markley, the long-time namesake of the marina, and a colorful character. Born in 1934, Bill grew to love both cars and boats. A collector of antique and classic cars, Bill eventually owned Bill Markley Chevrolet at 6250 Woodward in Detroit from 1967 to 1973. Markley parlayed his success in the business world into the marina industry. In 1974, he bought out the Kalthoff family, and renamed the property Markley Marine. The elder Edgar died in 1987, and the younger Edgar moved up north to Roscommon, where he passed away in 2021.
During the 1970’s, using the storage building along North River Road as a boat sales showroom, Bill Markley sold Bertram, Donzi, Luhrs, and Magnum boats. By 1980, he was the chairman of the Michigan Marine Dealers Association, which used to host the Greater Michigan Boat and Fishing Show in Cobo Hall. The recession of the early 1980s took a toll on business, so Bill started looking for a partner to buy into his marina.
Fate stepped in when Robert Lambrecht met Bill at a cocktail party. At the time, Bob was chairman of Lambrecht Company (formerly Lambrecht Realty Company), which had 11 offices around the Midwest. Lambrecht Company was involved in many aspects of real estate: brokerage, acquisition, appraisals, management, tax appeals, and most importantly, mortgages. Initially, Bill Markley was interested in getting a mortgage, but he ended up finding a partner – actually, two partners.
Since the 1970’s, Bob Lambrecht and his business partner, Saul Waldman, who met when Saul needed a mortgage, developed several light industrial buildings in metro Detroit. In 1984, Bob invited Saul to join him as majority owners of Markley Marine. From 1984 to 1990, Bill Markley continued to operate the marina as a minority owner. In 1991, he retired from the marina business, and sold his share to the remaining partners. As 50% owners, the Waldmans managed the marina for the next 30 years. Bill Markley passed away in 2006.
After the sale of Lambrecht Company in 1990, Bob Lambrecht started Lambrecht Properties Incorporated to bring his sons, Jim and Jeff, into the family business. The focus was on the acquisition and management of income-producing commercial properties, primarily light industrial buildings. Jeff and Jim are the fourth generation in the real estate business, dating back to the Lambrecht-Kelly Company in 1926.
The brothers made their mark early on the marina, convincing their father and Saul Waldman to put in a swimming pool in the early 1990s. They also convinced them to change the marina colors from brown and beige to blue and white. At one point in the 1970’s, Markley Marine had more covered wells than any marina in Michigan. But as fiberglass boats replaced wooden ones, the covered buildings had to come down.
In the 1980’s, the A wells lost their buildings, followed by the B wells in the 1990s. Later, the C and D docks were rebuilt when the buildings came down. In the depths of the Great Recession and after the death of Saul Waldman in 2009, Bob asked his sons to get more involved in the management of Markley Marine. One of their first and most significant decisions was to hire the current marina manager, Julie Angst, in 2010. To read about Julie’s contributions, go to the tab “Parade of Lights.”
Sadly, Bob Lambrecht passed away in 2016 with his dream of someday owning Markley Marine unfulfilled. When the long relationship with the Waldman family was finally dissolved with the trading of several jointly owned properties including the marina in 2020, Jim and Jeff finally became sole owners. In a tribute to their father, the marina was renamed Lambrecht Marina in 2021.
No history of the marina would be complete without mentioning the longest-serving employee, Bob O’Connell. Bob was with Markley Marine almost from its inception, and growing up in the area, he remembers Edgar Kalthoff and Kalthoff Marine. Since 1976 – that’s 47 years ago – Bob has worked at the marina. That’s an impressive run.
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Lambrecht Marina and Markley Marine. From the Kalthoffs to the Markleys to the Lambrechts, the owners have made 31300 North River Road a place where great memories are made.
The origins of the marina, however, go all the way back to 1901, when a man named Edgar N. Kalthoff was born. Edgar was the son of Robert and Mathilda Kalthoff, who owned Kalthoff Hardware Company in Detroit. In 1935, while Edgar was working as a Sears Roebuck store manager in Battle Creek, his son, Edgar W., was born. In 1950, the elder Edgar was named president of the Michigan Retail Hardware Association. At age 59 in 1960, Edgar opened Kalthoff Marine, and it was operated by his son, Edgar W. Kalthoff. The oldest buildings at Lambrecht Marina – the marina office and the “Carpenter Shop” where Blue Water Marine is today - date from 1958.
Into the picture comes William J. Markley, the long-time namesake of the marina, and a colorful character. Born in 1934, Bill grew to love both cars and boats. A collector of antique and classic cars, Bill eventually owned Bill Markley Chevrolet at 6250 Woodward in Detroit from 1967 to 1973. Markley parlayed his success in the business world into the marina industry. In 1974, he bought out the Kalthoff family, and renamed the property Markley Marine. The elder Edgar died in 1987, and the younger Edgar moved up north to Roscommon, where he passed away in 2021.
During the 1970’s, using the storage building along North River Road as a boat sales showroom, Bill Markley sold Bertram, Donzi, Luhrs, and Magnum boats. By 1980, he was the chairman of the Michigan Marine Dealers Association, which used to host the Greater Michigan Boat and Fishing Show in Cobo Hall. The recession of the early 1980s took a toll on business, so Bill started looking for a partner to buy into his marina.
Fate stepped in when Robert Lambrecht met Bill at a cocktail party. At the time, Bob was chairman of Lambrecht Company (formerly Lambrecht Realty Company), which had 11 offices around the Midwest. Lambrecht Company was involved in many aspects of real estate: brokerage, acquisition, appraisals, management, tax appeals, and most importantly, mortgages. Initially, Bill Markley was interested in getting a mortgage, but he ended up finding a partner – actually, two partners.
Since the 1970’s, Bob Lambrecht and his business partner, Saul Waldman, who met when Saul needed a mortgage, developed several light industrial buildings in metro Detroit. In 1984, Bob invited Saul to join him as majority owners of Markley Marine. From 1984 to 1990, Bill Markley continued to operate the marina as a minority owner. In 1991, he retired from the marina business, and sold his share to the remaining partners. As 50% owners, the Waldmans managed the marina for the next 30 years. Bill Markley passed away in 2006.
After the sale of Lambrecht Company in 1990, Bob Lambrecht started Lambrecht Properties Incorporated to bring his sons, Jim and Jeff, into the family business. The focus was on the acquisition and management of income-producing commercial properties, primarily light industrial buildings. Jeff and Jim are the fourth generation in the real estate business, dating back to the Lambrecht-Kelly Company in 1926.
The brothers made their mark early on the marina, convincing their father and Saul Waldman to put in a swimming pool in the early 1990s. They also convinced them to change the marina colors from brown and beige to blue and white. At one point in the 1970’s, Markley Marine had more covered wells than any marina in Michigan. But as fiberglass boats replaced wooden ones, the covered buildings had to come down.
In the 1980’s, the A wells lost their buildings, followed by the B wells in the 1990s. Later, the C and D docks were rebuilt when the buildings came down. In the depths of the Great Recession and after the death of Saul Waldman in 2009, Bob asked his sons to get more involved in the management of Markley Marine. One of their first and most significant decisions was to hire the current marina manager, Julie Angst, in 2010. To read about Julie’s contributions, go to the tab “Parade of Lights.”
Sadly, Bob Lambrecht passed away in 2016 with his dream of someday owning Markley Marine unfulfilled. When the long relationship with the Waldman family was finally dissolved with the trading of several jointly owned properties including the marina in 2020, Jim and Jeff finally became sole owners. In a tribute to their father, the marina was renamed Lambrecht Marina in 2021.
No history of the marina would be complete without mentioning the longest-serving employee, Bob O’Connell. Bob was with Markley Marine almost from its inception, and growing up in the area, he remembers Edgar Kalthoff and Kalthoff Marine. Since 1976 – that’s 47 years ago – Bob has worked at the marina. That’s an impressive run.
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Lambrecht Marina and Markley Marine. From the Kalthoffs to the Markleys to the Lambrechts, the owners have made 31300 North River Road a place where great memories are made.
