Let’s Hit the Lake

The Lake House on Winona Lake Turns 12

Writer / Julie Yates
Photographer / Jubilee Edgell

The Lake House, located in The Village on Winona Lake, sells and rents equipment and clothing for outdoor fun – not just in the summer, but all year. Situated on the lake, it’s also right on the canal. The business, owned by Jake England and his wife Ashlee, is a surf and water-sports shop that doesn’t shut down at the end of the season.

“We are open seven days a week, 360 days of the year,” Jake England says. “Once fall hits, we switch over to winter clothes, and bring out the fall and holiday lines plus downhill-ski clothes. We have all the apparel and stuff people need to play outside.”

The Lake House opened in June of 2010. Born and raised in Warsaw, England grew up on Winona Lake. He had been living in Indianapolis when the economic climate spurred him to return to his roots. After missing the lake life for 10 years, he came home with an idea.

“I was working in the homebuilding business when the 2008-2009 slowdown happened,” he says. “I got a job at a ski shop and water-sport store in Indianapolis. I learned the business and developed a business plan of my own. We opened our first store where The Olive Branch is now. In two years we outgrew it and moved to this prime spot in The Village.”

Today The Lake House carries many lines of apparel. Not only do they sell clothing, but they also offer footwear and accessories from O’Neill, Roxy, Hurley, Billabong, Salty Crew and more. During the warm months the store overflows with bathing suits, cover-ups, sandals, casual dresses, hats and even trendy biker shorts. These give way to cold-weather garb during winter sports months.

In addition to clothing, The Lake House sells and rents sporting equipment. Wakeboards, paddleboards, skateboards, longboards and mini cruisers are available for sale. Rentals, which can be launched from the docks right outside the building, include stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, double kayaks and even pontoon boats. The pontoons are dog friendly, and customers love anchoring at the sandbar and making a day out of it. Cross-country skis can be rented in the winter. Instructions and safety information for everything rented is given to customers before they venture out on their own.

England, who was a history major, loves sharing the colorful past of Winona Lake while driving those who charter a captained boat cruise. The area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Once a summer retreat with private residences, it is evolving into a destination location with unique shops, restaurants and outdoor sport opportunities. It boasts a large bike-trail system. Most of the businesses in The Village were once homes and several of the buildings are more than 100 years old.

“We do groups of up to 12 people on the captained cruises,” England says. “I really like telling people about the ecology and history of the lake. The famous Billy Sunday preached here. In the first half of the 20th century, it was home to the world’s largest Bible conference and the Chicago Boys Club had a camp here.”

The Lake House is the only place on the lake where boats can pull up to a dock to get gas. Nine years ago England installed a 2,000-gallon fuel system. The gas is marine grade with no ethanol in it, which makes it perfect for boats.

The Lake House owners are looking toward the future. This winter an ice-skating rink is opening in The Village at Miller Sunset Pavilion. England plans to sell ice skates and offer services such as blade sharpening. He is also looking into providing custom Winona Lake clothing in the shop.

“I have a great staff,” he says. “Manager Hayleigh Danner has been with us for 10 years, ever since she was in high school. My wife Ashlee is a huge support. She’s my right hand and my left. Besides being mother to our five kids, she does all the buying on the women’s side. Winona Lake is such a good place to raise kids. My parents and brother live here and Ashlee’s parents retired here. I’m proud of the part The Lake House plays in The Village. It’s all about our big, beautiful lake. It’s my forever home.”

The Lake House is located at 720 East Canal Street in Winona Lake. For more info, call 574-265-6945 or visit lakehousesurf.com.