After working for Laacke & Joys, Beth Handle decided to open her own kayaking business, Milwaukee Kayak Co., in 2013.
Based in the city’s Harbor District, Milwaukee Kayak Co. rents out its fleet of kayaks, tandem kayaks, canoes and standup paddleboards, allowing boaters to experience and explore the Milwaukee River. Staff members work with kayakers to find right-fitting life jackets and paddles, and assist them as they launch from the dock. Though it’s physically demanding, Handle said her job is a “nice, happy, fun place” to be.
The company also teams up with area organizations, such as Milwaukee Riverkeeper and Milwaukee County Historical Society, and hosts educational paddle tours to raise funds for the nonprofits.
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- Kayakers are instructed to paddle across the river from the dock to the right side and to treat river traffic as if it were street traffic.
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- Handle uses a detailed map to show kayakers major landmarks on the river and the time it takes to reach various destinations.
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- Handle hand-painted the signs around the Milwaukee Kayak Co. boatyard. Her aim was to make the space happy and fun.
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- Milwaukee Kayak Co. employees carry the kayaks down to the dock and help kayakers launch off to start their trip down the river.
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- Kayakers are fitted into a life jacket, given an appropriately-sized paddle and a kayak.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story indicated Beth Handle previously worked at Visit Milwaukee. While Milwaukee Kayak Co. works with Visit Milwaukee to promote the city as recreational destination, Handle has not worked for the organization and the story has been updated to reflect that fact.
