Great River Outdoors got its start with the Meschers’ passion for the outdoors and the need for accommodations for a large family vacation. Tony’s grandparents owned a cabin on Abel Island for many years, and Tony spent countless summer weekends in Guttenberg until making the move permanent in 1996. Beth was converted into a self proclaimed river rat while dating Tony in college. “We were both raised with the outdoors playing a big part in our lives. As we’ve starting raising our family, we work to carry on the tradition our families have instilled in us by enjoying the recreational opportunities that exist in the Guttenberg area,” said Beth.
In February of this year, Tony and Beth’s parents were looking for a place to stay in Guttenberg during a family vacation planned for July. When they were unable to find available lodging large enough to accommodate three generations, the couple started putting serious thought into a business venture. “Once we started doing some research, we noticed a void in the local market,” the couple said. The opportunity arose for the Meschers to purchase the house next door to theirs to start sharing the beauty of their neighborhood and community. “This past week, we hosted our family vacation. We had 14 people staying overnight, and during the day, 30 of us relaxing inside and out! This was very exciting as we were confident this property could be a great location for our guests to host family and holiday events and we’ve now proven that!” Beth explained.
The couple is working not only to market their vacation rental, but also the activities available in Guttenberg and the surrounding area. They love meeting their guests and sharing ideas about how they can best enjoy their stay in Guttenberg. They hope to build a recurring clientele base allowing them the opportunity to expand vacation rental properties and then services that would complement those rental properties. “We have partners exploring options for providing guided hunting/bowfishing/fishing packages, summer/winter river trips, UTV trips, historical tours, and many more things that we love to do in this area!” said Tony. This winter, the Meschers plan to add another bathroom to the rental and will continue making upgrades to keep customers coming back. Follow them on Facebook or visit their website for information on booking your next getaway!
Upcoming Events:
Aug. 11-13: Celebrate the River, includes live music, youth fishing tournament, boat tours, Crazy Day sidewalk sales, and more!