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POLK CITY, Iowa — Saylorville Lake was packed with boaters enjoying the final holiday of summer, and marked the completion of the first full season for the new owners of Fleetwood at Saylorville.

People who came to the restaurant and bar on their day off gave those who are working plenty to do on Labor Day.

“Back when I had an office job that meant a day off, but to us it just means celebrating the people that are in the labor industry who are working,” Julie Burroughs, one of the owners of Fleetwood, said. “And it’s a great day for them to come here and celebrate and take a load off.”

This is the first summer Julie Burroughs, Emily Gross, and Andrea Williams took ownership, and they’ve learned a lot over the past few months.

“We have so many challenges here that you wouldn’t have at a normal bar and restaurant like storage, the water, weather is a huge thing,” Burroughs explained.

But unlike many other eateries, finding staff isn’t one of them.

It’s because we are a seasonal bar. I think it’s because we’re on water, and it was under new ownership so it’s a great place for college kids to work,” Burroughs said. “They know that when they’re here we’re going to be busy, they’re going to make a decent amount of money as compared to a restaurant that might be open 12 months out of the year.”

As summer comes to a close, Burroughs says their goal is to keep Fleetwood open as long as possible, weather depending. This winter, they plan to open up a second restaurant location nearby.