Eight Bells. Nick Genco

Nicolo Genco

Dec 19, 2024

For boaters in Toronto, there was once the luxury of choice for boat parts and supplies. Davidsons on King Street, the legendary Tom Taylor on Adelaide, a couple on Pier 4, the Dock Shoppe in a mystery building on Queen’s Quay. Holland Marine on Dundas next to the pizza place.  And of course, Genco.

Genco was the go to for years – founded by a gang of cousins with sailmaking roots in Italy (Genco is a family, not corporate name), the King Street store was a palace of boating apparel, parts and supplies. A sail loft and canvas works upstairs. The Gencos ran it and everyone knew them personally, counted them as friends.

Nick on the left, brother, Nat Jr centre and Nat Sr right  

The Genco family appeared to thrive on confusion and made it their brand  –  Nick and Nat Jr were brothers, Nat Sr  (who passed last March) was their cousin. Ongoing  “Nick, Nat, and Nat” ads added to joke.

It’s been some time since the glory days. Genco expanded to Pickering into what had been Neptune Marine’s store. Not long after, the Genco cousins went separate ways – the retail store and canvas works moved to Range Road in Port Credit where boat covers and bimini tops still rule with Nat Jr at the helm.

Nicolo Genco passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 28,2024 at the age of 86 years old.

Born on February 4, 1938 in Sicily. Nick lived a full and vibrant life from beginning to end and touched the lives of many people.

In 1953 at the age of 15, his mother Michelina and his brother Jim followed their father from Vita, Sicily to Canada. At 16 Nick started his career in the sailing industry at Tom Taylor Marine Supplies. Eleven years later he started Genco Marine which he ran with family until 2022.

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