CREEL-MS-L Archives

From: "Pat Creel" <>
Subject: Seven C's Marine in Biloxi
Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2006 09:20:35 -0500

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/special_packages/renewal/before_after/14951150.htmAFTER AND NOWSeven C's Marine in BiloxiIn 1960, Biloxi trawl maker Francis R.C. Creel, better known as Junius, wentto a Louisiana man who was in the boat business to collect money owed fornets. The man claimed he had no cash, so the Biloxian pointed to twooutboard motors.That's how the Creel family boat-motor sales and service business was bornon Reynoir Street near Back Bay. Creel's four sons worked across the streetin the trawl shop and soon learned boats and motors.In 1979, one of the sons, the one named after his dad's nickname, bought thebusiness and named it Seven C's Marine after his family of seven, includingfive children and wife Sylvia. The family reference is appropriate because athird generation now works there.As Katrina approached, the Seven C's team secured the shop for the worst,lifting things up to the Camille water mark, lining seven unsold boats upacross the stre!
et against a building for wind protection. All together,Junius had 18 boats and 28 motors.Monday morning, Junius' brother Dale, who weathered the storm at the oldtrawl shop-home, photographed boats floating in front of Seven C's. When thewater receded, the boats headed to Keegan Bayou and neighborhood yards.Seven C's got 6½ to 7½ feet of water inside. Junius had to sell 28 motorsfor salvage. As for the boats, he was able to fix any damage - they floatedwell - and has since sold all but one of them, plus lots more."We've been so busy it's unbelievable. People are buying boats like crazy. Isold four boats to people who didn't even have houses," said Junius, wholost his own house."Every time the phone rings, people want a motor put on before the holidayweekend. We've lucky. We've been very busy. We're fortunate."He had the shop open five weeks after Katrina, and the phones haven'tstopped ringing.- KAT BERGERON

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• Seven C's Marine in Biloxi by "Pat Creel" <>