Current Issues in Journalism

At 1411 B west 23rd Street is not only the address for George’s Hobby House, but that of an open lot half-filled with boats stored by The Captain’s Shop. The Captain’s Shop, started in 1966 – run by Bruce Leinminer, George Leinminer’s son – is a boat sales and service shop (843-2585). Boats have been stored in the lot next to the shop since 1973. The boats currently stored in the lot have been there for various lengths of time, most of them for years, according to George’s Hobby House employee Roger Miller – 843-5087. Miller could not say for sure how long some of the boats have been in storage, but for the most part they have remained where they are for years. Some of the boats were bought, others accepted as trade-ins. Many of the boats in the lot are becoming filthy and surrounded by trees and weeds as well as a small, steady collection of liter and garbage. As a result, unwanted wild animals and stray cats have started to make their homes in the area. According to an anonymous source, after a private accident occurred several years ago, Leinminer has sold fewer boats each year, sometimes selling one, or no boats at all. However the boats continue to stay in storage and remain for sale, despite their poor condition. Leinminer did not return repeated phone calls for comments on the condition of the boats in storage, or the condition of the storage lot itself. With every year the storage lot is increasingly overrun with weeds, trees, bushes, garbage and wild life. The garbage threatens to overflow into the parking area that surrounds the storage lot. The wild animals may suffer from exposure to the collecting garbage. The boats are falling apart and turning to rust, exposed to the elements and completely unattended. The storage lot could definitely be put to better use, or improved to be a clean and safe environment for boats to be stored in.