A new business will be setting up shop at Wrangell’s boatyard.
At its meeting last week, the Port Commission recommended transfer of Lot 6 at The Marine Service Center, belonging to Josh Young of J&R Fiberglass, to Steve Christensen of CTT Marine. If approved by the Borough Assembly Tuesday, the deal between the two business owners can be concluded this weekend. It would also be the first lease lot transferred since the yard was built.
“We’ll try to build on the reputation Josh has already built with that,” Christensen said.
He and his wife, Lynne, arrived in Wrangell just over two weeks ago with their eight children. The family had previously been living in the Bristol Bay area, where Christensen had worked for B&C Fiberglass for three years.
He has 25 years of experience in the trade, plus eight years spent divided between the Army and Washington National Guard serving in the Corps of Engineers. Christensen had spent a tour in Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War, and after concluding his service has worked in the marine industry since.
Acquainted with Young through work projects, Christensen said he was interested in acquiring J&R Fiberglass after Young transitioned to running a restaurant at the start of this year. After reading up on the area and devising a business model, the Christensen family committed to the decision to move. After selling their house they made the trip to Wrangell in their RV, and have since been settling in.
“We’re loving it,” Christensen said. He explained his wife had grown up in a rural community, and that Wrangell suited them. “We’ve been wanting to get back to something like this.”
For the time being, Christensen said he would continue to use the J&R business name. He intends to build up the 60-feet by 60-feet lot at the yard, adding a permanent wooded or steel structure there for his projects.
“We’ll probably work on getting that up first,” he said. “That’ll be here in the next year, couple of years.”
The business will continue catering to commercial and charter fishing boats, motor yachts and pleasure craft. In addition to fiberglass and gel-coat repair and fabrication, Christensen explained he can do rigging, navigation, mechanical and hardware installations, electrical, systems repair and refurbishment. A full listing of services is available at http://www.cttmarine.com.
The business is now listed with Wrangell’s Chamber of Commerce, and Christensen said with the transfer of ownership he will maintain J&R’s online presence.
“There are lots of ways to visit us,” he said.
In addition to his site and Facebook page, his business can be reached by calling 907-660-7774, or email christensentnt-llc@outlook.com.
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