HISTORY OF VARLACK VENTURES, INC... Rodney Varlack, patriarch and founder of Varlack Ventures, Inc. began his career in the 50s as the first to manage the sole gas station on the island, the still operating Texaco Station.

In the 70's Enighed Enterprise evolved into Tropical Motors through which the island's demand for jeeps and utility trucks was filled and keeping 2 cars for the company the Varlack rental fleet began.

Tourists were now starting to find their way to St. John. Rodney always seemed to know what he should do next. He expanded his services and moved into escorting St. John guests around the island, showing them the sights, telling them of the history and regaling them with local folklore and anecdotes.

As the number of visitors grew in the 70s transportation to and from the island was becoming fiercely competitive. The Transport Service and the St. John Corporation were battling for the lead. This "war" created great inconvenience to independents who were trying to provide their public with a reliable service. Frustrated by long delays and determined to transport his people to and from St. John in a timely and comfortable manner, Rodney Varlack stepped forward again and jumped right into the melee. He bought his own ferry, the Fein Capital! Rivalry in the ferry business was strong but with his second boat, the Cindy D, and a franchise for ferry service, the Varlack concern started to thrive.

These were the times to get serious and incorporate. In 1972, before the Cindy D, Rodney's long time assistant and right hand, Ms. Hansen, boldly took steps to formally organized the intrepid but informal Rodney. Gathering together his assorted concerns and his funds, tucked away in odd places, Varlack Ventures, Inc. was created.

With the arrival of the first big cruise ships in the 80s, Tours Tendering Franchise, the original tour agents service for boat and vehicle transportation, was added to the Varlack umbrella servicing the guests from such ships as the Queen Elizabeth 2, the Amsterdam, the Veendam and the Rotterdam.

Meanwhile the Varlack ferry service grew - 2 boats became a fleet: the Bomba Challenger (#3), the Venture (#4), the Pride (#5), the Venture Star (#6) and the Lady Venture (#9) were bought and are all still in operation. The Missy V (#7), Niki V (#8) were also members of this fleet but have since been sold. The original Mein Kapitan, the fist double decker ferry, was eventually lost at anchor during a tropical storm in the early 80s and is now starting a new life as a tropical reef, nature's way of keeping an ecological balance.

The Varlack vehicle rental service has also grown immensely: 2 cars became 4 jeeps and 3 Minimokes and now stands at an impressive assortment of 47 cars and jitneys.

And always Rodney Varlack is out there, still giving personal accounts of the island to the lucky visitors who find their way to his cab.