Email
PrintJason Schwinger: Buffalo’s urban outfitter
An interview with Buffalo's king of kayaks
When we met at Ulrich’s for a working man’s lunch, I nearly missed him as he came through the door. Dressed in a dapper grey suit and striped tie, Jason Schwinger looks more the part of successful businessman than granola beach bum. As it turns out, however, the suit is more than appropriate. Creating a fledgling start-up—renting individual and tandem kayaks at the Inner Harbor—is about a lot more than just sun and fun.
It’s your third year now; how’s business?
Business is good. On nice days all the boats are in the water all day long. This year we’ve added Thursdays and Fridays because the demand is there now. We also had success last year opening up during the week to groups. We had busloads of Boys and Girls Clubs from Albany. But overall, there are a lot of walk-ups of people who are just looking for things to do. Canalside is on its way up. People come down out of curiosity; they’ve heard about us. Now I have two years of history and they’re coming back.
Tell me about these Stand Up Paddle Boards you’re introducing this year. I have to admit, I’m used to seeing them in Hawaii, not around here.
That’s because they started in Hawaii.
But you fall down.
You don’t fall down much. And in the river, you’ll never fall down. They are basically gigantic longboards surfing instructors stand on while they teach, and you have a single long paddle with an angled blade on it you get around with. They started in Hawaii and got rolling in California. The last few years I’ve seen them on Lake Erie, especially up in Canada. So we decided to introduce them because they’re fun and we’ve gotten to the point in the business where we’re able to do that. When I lived in California I surfed, and while you can surf in Lake Erie, it’s not necessarily practical. And if it’s glassy smooth water you can’t windsurf either, but you can launch a stand-up off the dock, paddle around, and not get too wet. It’s a great place to learn, and being six feet above the water, as opposed to two in a kayak, you see a different view of wildlife and the mills.
You sponsor tours as well. Where do you take people?
We go from the wharf down the Buffalo River, through the grain elevators and industry. It’s a historic look at Buffalo from the other side, that other side being not just from the water, but from the turn of the last century. It’s about ninety minutes; we have enthusiastic tour guides who know the history, and most people love it. The majority of people who go out have never kayaked before. We do about five minutes of instruction, and after that, no one needs it. We picked open-top boats that are safe and steady so everyone feels comfortable.
Are you worried that most of your clientele are first-timers? Aren’t you eventually going to run out?
There’s, what, 400,000 people within fifteen minutes of the Inner Harbor? If everyone comes down once I’m good for the next twenty years.
How did you get started renting kayaks at the Inner Harbor at all?
I was biking with some friends down there right before they opened the big boardwalk and wharf. We could look at the water, but I asked how we could play in it. The only answer was, you have to own a boat, and you have to put it in at the marina, and I thought, that’s not cool. I’m not a huge kayaker, but I like the outdoors, and I figured other people would ask the same question. So I talked to Buffalo Place and the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. and we worked out the insurance and got it all set up. I’m the first for-profit business on Canalside, and I’m proud of that. Once the build-out happens, I’m going to want a full-time shack and ticket counter, and we can be open every day.
I’ve seen you post on various social media, “Everyone says there is nothing to do at the Inner Harbor. We’re here—come on down and kayak.” Are you still battling that impression?
I’m still battling it. When the ECHDC set up their public meetings, it drove me nuts when people who obviously have never been down to the water chimed in and said, “It would be great if you could rent kayaks down at the waterfront.” Fortunately, there are enough people now who know about us [and] respond and spread the word.
It seems like the entrepreneurial drive led you to this business more than an intrinsic love of the sport. So do you consider yourself a part of the outdoor community in Buffalo? How would you characterize that community?
I’m more of a biker and a skier, but I always wanted to play in the water. There are a lot of people in town like that. They strive to be outside doing something, whatever it is, and simply gardening or going to a festival doesn’t cut it. And they can’t drive to Ellicottville or go for a hike all the time, so they want to be active in the city. The urban explorer types and bike community have exploded, and it’s trickled down to everywhere. We’re a city on the water. There are a lot of cars parked downtown in the summer that have bikes and kayaks on top, and people are figuring it out. Now you can walk out of the biggest building in the city, strip out of your clothes, put on a bathing suit, and be kayaking four minutes away.
We’re both repats to Buffalo. How’s that working out for you?
I love it. Can’t you tell?
BFLO Harbor Kayak is open Thursday through Sunday and holiday Mondays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., from Memorial Day to Labor Day. They are located on the wharf next to the Commercial Slip in Buffalo’s Inner Harbor. Check them out at www.bfloharborkayak.com.
