Hinckley shows off Port of Egypt upgrades and plans for marina’s future

The Hinckley Experience Port of Egypt event brought together longtime and new customers on a warm summer night for oysters and finger foods following the April 21 sale of the 80-year-old business.

“Our goal was to acquire like-minded businesses that are in wonderful locations with great staff and a strong history, bring them into the Hinckley family and make one plus one equal three,” said Hinckley chief development officer Peter Clark.

The gathering offered a look at a new waterfront hangout area with cushioned chairs, stools, tables and renovated bathrooms.

One customer remarked that “the building is smiling.”

Port of Egypt was founded as a fishing station in 1946, and the families of cousins Yvonne and Will Lieblein date back to its founding. The Lieblein family wasn’t actively selling the marina when Hinckley reached out. Other prospective buyers had approached the family over the years, but Ms. Lieblein said the two sides “aligned.”

“As we got to know them, we could see they had a lot of integrity and that they ran their business the way that we run ours,” Ms. Lieblein said Friday. “A deal has a lot of components, and for us, preserving the legacy was an important part of it.”

A crucial part of the deal for the Liebleins was keeping the staff. Ms. Lieblein said it was important for customers to see the same faces they’ve always dealt with.

“When people first heard about the sale, some were concerned because they didn’t know what it meant,” she continued. “We spent a lot of time talking to our customers and explaining that our team was staying. It’s also been great meeting our new customers. If we keep the customers first, we’re not going to have any trouble because that’s the key to any successful company. When customers give feedback–even constructive criticism–you have to listen and get better.”

Along with the returning staff, Will and Yvonne Lieblein have remained in leadership roles, with Ms. Lieblein shifting her focus to marketing, sales and public relations.

Getting better was described as the “Hinckley Way.” Ms. Lieblein said a company does not remain in business for nearly 100 years without continually improving — a philosophy her family shares.

For Hinckley, the location made sense because it allows technicians to reach customers across the East End more quickly, whether by road or water.

“We have a lot of customers out here, whether they own Hinckleys or other boats that we service through our Portsmouth location,” Mr. Clark said. “Portsmouth isn’t very close, and we were sending technicians out to the North Fork, South Fork, Sag Harbor and surrounding areas multiple times a week. Having a service operation here allows us to better support our existing customers while also reaching new ones.”

Ms. Lieblein described the change in ownership as “enhancing” what she and her family built. Hinckley officials said the marina’s next chapter will include heated indoor boat storage, expanded diesel service, upgraded facilities and faster service for East End boaters, while preserving the character and longtime staff that made Port of Egypt Marina a fixture on the North Fork.

“You’ll notice it’s still called Port of Egypt,” Mr. Clark said. “It’s not “Hinckley Southold” or “Hinckley Greenport.” It’s Hinckley Port of Egypt. the legacy here is incredibly strong, and it would have been foolish to change that. The legacy of quality and service is something we intend to preserve while building on it.”

Photos by Nick Mongiovi