Silver Beach Resort Offers Summer Fun For Entire Family

Silver Beach Resort was established as a business in 1907 when the arrival of Panhandle Lumber Co. put Spirit Lake on the map. The Carlton Family originally built the resort by the lake, and it was operated by that family until Terry Schlabs and his wife Beverly bought it in 1991.

Early in Spirit Lake’s history, Tsemini Outing Club developed on the 80 acres east of Silver Beach Resort as summer vacation homes.

Frederick Blackwell promoted Spirit Lake as the ideal place to live and visit.

The resort is located at 8350 W. Spirit Lake Road and can be reached at 623-4842 or at www.silver-beach-resort.com on the Internet.

The Schlabs provided answers to the following questions about their business.

Q. What services does Silver Beach Resort offer?

A. We offer cozy lakefront cabin rentals, boat launching and dock facilities. Our tent and RV camping sites skirt our sandy beach where swimming and other water sports are enjoyed. We have great fishing, hiking and biking.

Q. How many employees do you have?

A. Silver Beach Resort is a family-run business. Myself, my wife, Beverly, and my mother, Ella, run the show.

Q. What kind of training do you need to run the business?

A. One must have a genuine like for people and appreciate why they visit here. We are family-oriented and children are our first priority at Silver Beach. It is necessary to be a “Jack of all trades” in order to operate this type of business. A resort is like a small town. You are everything from mayor to maintenance man.

Q. What is your estimated economic impact on the North Idaho area?

A. There are no hard figures available as to our economic impact in North Idaho. Our guests, who number in the several hundreds each summer, explore the city of Spirit Lake and the surrounding area while visiting us. They return with stories of adventures to everywhere from Silverwood to the factory outlets, the golf courses, Sandpoint and Farragut.

Q. How has the resort grown? What changes are planned?

A. Each year we have faithfully organized and improved the grounds and facilities. Hours and dollars spent are rewarded by the compliments we receive from guests when they return each spring. Sometimes we can’t see the progress we’ve made, but when our guests are impressed, we know we are doing something right. This is our home, and we treat it as such. Each year we experience a larger number of visitors, both new and returning guests. Many are rediscovering Silver Beach after years of being away. We have become acutely aware of how few safe, clean, waterfront campground and cabin facilities still remain in the Pacific Northwest. We don’t plan to make any major changes, only to make it more comfortable while maintaining its natural setting.

Q. What is your target market, in terms of customers?

A. Word of mouth from our happy campers has been our best market advertising. Many of our guests return year after year because they know they will be treated right. Our customer base ranges from Germany and Australia to California. Much of our new business is coming from Seattle and Portland as well as our neighbors from the Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, and Spokane area.

Q. Who are your biggest competitors?

A. We seem to be in a league of our own out here. We are the only resort/campground on Spirit Lake at this time. The Fireside Lodge has bed and breakfast facilities, great food and entertainment. We work together with other area campgrounds like Silverwood, Farragut and Alpine. When we are full we refer the customer to each other to accommodate the travelers’ need.

Q. What is your biggest challenge?

A. Keeping up with the requirements of the different agencies that govern Idaho land use. Presently, there are at least 10 different government entities that we deal with. Each one makes a small change in their fees or policy from time to time. When you add those changes together it can have a significant economic impact on your business. The most unfortunate thing about it is that it eventually has to be passed on to the customer. Maintaining a high standard of quality at a reasonable rate is a challenge we encounter.

I don’t think the public appreciates enough the opportunities we have here to enjoy the great outdoors. Good neighbors like Inland Empire Paper Co. provides the public with thousands of private acres for us to explore and enjoy. The impact of the abuse of these privileges could soon be felt if people don’t show respect for what is so graciously afforded them. We are even seeing our state-owned lands being denied us, as a few selfish people cause public lands to be closed off to the public. It’s time for all of us to really appreciate what we have to enjoy here before it’s gone.