The Shuswap鈥檚 one and only Shark Shack has new owners.

A recent post shared on Facebook announced the distinctive yellow floating restaurant will reopen on June 17 under new ownership 鈥� Ian, wife Holly and George Gray.

Ian Gray, of Ian Gray鈥檚 Salmon Arm GM, said he will be spending a lot of time this summer at the Shark Shack. 鈥淐o-owner鈥� George, the Grays鈥� Great Dane, not so much.

鈥淗e won鈥檛 be joining us officially, but he鈥檒l be happy to know that he鈥檚 part of the action,鈥� laughed Ian, explaining the post started courtesy of Old Town Bay manager Colleen Anderson.

鈥淪he sees us on weekends with our boat and our oversized boat dog, George, so she said, 鈥楥an I say that Ian and Holly and George Gray are the new owners?鈥� And of course we said, 鈥楩or sure!鈥欌��

The Grays purchased the Shark Shack in February from longtime owner Geoff Lightle.

鈥淕eoff and his family have been involved with the Shark Shack from day one鈥� and they were just looking for a change鈥�,鈥� said Ian, explaining Lightle was looking for someone who understood the atmosphere they were trying to create with the Shark Shack 鈥� something the Grays came to know after moving to the Shuswap nine years ago.

鈥淲e love boating and we ran into the Shark Shack multiple times and realized it was a pretty iconic place to go,鈥� said Ian. 鈥淚t was definitely a once or twice a season visit, for sure, just to say you鈥檝e gone, especially if you鈥檙e taking visitors from outside the area.鈥�

Read more:

Read more:

Last year, when the Grays found out the Shark Shack was for sale, they contacted Lightle.

鈥淲e worked with them for a few months and we ended up purchasing it from them in February,鈥� said Ian.

When it reopens in June there will be some familiar faces at the Shark Shack, including the kitchen and restaurant managers, and some new ones, as well as the Grays, who鈥檒l be spending weekends there and dropping in on Wednesdays, 鈥渂ecause we like to be hands-on people.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e brand new to the business,鈥� said Ian. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been in the people business for 30-plus years and we don鈥檛 want to go in there and make any radical changes to what鈥檚 already successful and what people have come to expect when they get there. Like any business that gets bought out, we鈥檒l want to, over time, put our twist on it and hopefully make it even a greater place to come and visit and make memories.鈥�

The Grays visited the Shark Shack on Sunday, April 24 鈥� their first time since looking as prospective buyers in August.

鈥淚t was surreal to stand on that and go, wow, we鈥檙e going to be part of something that thousands of people have come to and enjoyed, and so we think it鈥檚 a huge responsibility and a huge honour to carry on the tradition of having this floating restaurant on Shuswap Lake,鈥� said Ian.

Known in town for his Salmon Arm GM slogan, 鈥淲hen you treat people right, word gets around,鈥� Ian already has a slogan ready for the Shark Shack.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just super excited to have everybody come out and have a great time, make some memories,鈥� said Ian. 鈥淎s we鈥檙e saying, 鈥楥ome take a bite out of life at the Shark Shack.鈥欌��

For more information, visit .

to get Salmon Arm stories in your inbox every morning.