Life & Work with Brian deBest

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian deBest. 

Hi Brian, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Lake Arvesta Farms was a long-term vision created 17 years ago. As my landscaping, excavating, and construction businesses expanded, the need for property and natural resources grew alongside. I decided to invest in 188 acres of property that could be utilized in multiple facets to help with evolving business needs. The property was heavily wooded with a small section of cleared farmland and sat on 48 feet of sand. The purchase allowed us to mine sand for our projects, sell it to contractors, and use all of the natural materials on the property as needed. Shortly after the purchase, a good friend of mine gave me one piece of advice; he told me not to strip the land to the point it would be unusable and suggested I think of a way to use the ground once the sand was cleared. As I thought about what that by-product could be, I immediately envisioned a recreation park. As a lifelong South Haven resident, I had always wished there was a place to go that would offer fun things to do outdoors that was more than just a beach, and most importantly, wasn’t reliant on Lake Michigan conditions. South Haven beaches are some of the most beautiful in the country. People travel from all over to visit them. However, beachgoers rely on calm water and sunny days to fully enjoy the experience, which is hit or miss during our short summers. If the water is too rough or too cold for swimming, there are no alternatives for family recreation in the immediate area, which can ruin an entire summer vacation. If you are a resident or visiting South Haven and do not have access to a boat, you will not have an opportunity to wakeboard, tube, or ski- all the reasons to live or visit a lake town! I wanted to build a place where anyone could experience the whole lake life experience and safely enjoy beaches and water activities while visiting our beach town. 

Once I had the park design concept in mind, I started developing it. Every load of sand we sold was dug strategically to create the four lakes and the beaches. After 15 years of digging, I began construction of the rest of the buildings and amenities that would support the recreation park, which now offers cable wakeboarding, floating obstacle courses, three waterslides (with more coming), kayaking, paddleboarding, disc golf, indoor and outdoor pickleball, and event space. In 2022, we are opening a putt-putt course and a restaurant and have just broken ground on an amphitheater. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Bringing my vision to life has been a fantastic experience, but it has not been without its challenges—the biggest of those being COVID-19. Like most businesses, it upended us in many ways and certainly in ways we’ve never experienced. 

COVID derailed our timeline. Finding supplies became nearly impossible. As the shut down continued into spring, the uncertainty of the opening date was very stressful. Thankfully, because the park is outdoor, we were able to soft-launch the park in July 2020 for a short season to limited crowds. Navigating a new, large operation through these times has been very challenging. Patience is a must. We’re still perfecting that. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I started my lawn business in 1980 and haven’t stopped since. I was 12-years-old when I purchased a 21-inch push mower and started mowing my neighbors’ lawns for $1 hour. I mowed lawns and shoveled snow throughout my school years. After graduation, my lawn mowing business, deBest Inc. transitioned to a full-service lawn care business. As business kept growing, the company evolved to include residential landscaping services and eventually commercial landscaping. Throughout the 90s and 00s, I continued adding services to meet area demands and built a strong reputation for commercial work. I purchased the Lake Arvesta Farms property to support the growing commercial side of the business. Today, deBest Inc. specializes in landscaping, site development, and Lake Michigan erosion control.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
South Haven is absolutely breathtaking. I’ve lived here all of my life and I never get tired of the views. South Haven’s scenic Black River riverfront leading down to Lake Michigan is unmatched. Pair that with a charming, quaint downtown, and you get a look that cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the country.

South Haven is a seasonal town. Our population grows from 4000 to over 25,000 in the summer. The dramatic influx of people makes it difficult for businesses to predict and adjust to inconsistent and unpredictable business volumes. However, an upside to COVID has been that it has pushed the “work from anywhere” practice forward and South Haven has directly benefited from that. Many professionals can now work from anywhere and they are choosing to reside permanently in their second homes or relocate to locations that support their lifestyles versus being limited to locations with heavy job opportunities. We’ve had a population increase for the first time in many years and hopefully more to come. We’ll continue to roll out activities to accommodate the full-time residents in the South Haven area to meet the demand for a year-round entertainment and recreation venue. 

Pricing:

• Wibit/waterslides $30
• Cable Wakeboarding $40
• General Admission $10
• Disc Golf $10

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.lakearvestafarms.com
• Instagram: lakearvestaofficial
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArvestaSportComplex