River Veteran Expands River Delivery Service

After serving 30 years on the inland rivers, Capt. Larry Barnes had a sharp eye for opportunities on the water.

Five years ago, after retiring as a captain, he opened a river grocery and supply delivery service, Barnes Marine Service, in Paducah, Ky., one of the busiest hubs of the inland river system. Barnes Marine currently delivers supplies and groceries in and around the Paducah area on the Ohio River, lower Cumberland River, lower Tennessee River, and on the Mississippi River.

The company currently leases warehouse space on the south side of Paducah and uses Big John’s Grocery out of Metropolis, Ill., to supply its current vessel customers. “We have several vessels operating now, and four full-time employees,” said Barnes.

Business has been good; so good, in fact, that Barnes Marine is now expanding into the Wickliffe, Ky., and Cairo, Ill., area. The company is looking to hire, he said.

“We are already delivering there now,” he told The Waterways Journal. “We’ve had steady growth for the last five years, and we are looking to double our area of operations.”

Social Media

Barnes Marine has achieved this growth without having a website. Instead, Barnes credits social media for his growth, along with good old-fashioned service and word of mouth.

“Social media has opened up a lot of avenues,” he said. “That’s just the way it presented itself.” Barnes handled the social media accounts himself.

“The personal touch helps,” he added. “Service is what we’re selling.”

Caption for top photo: Larry Barnes’ son, John, waves from the deck of the smaller of the two vessels Barnes Marine uses to deliver supplies to towboats on the Ohio, Lower Cumberland, Lower Tennessee and Mississippi rivers. (Photo by Capt. Larry Barnes)