Vermont RV distributor plans to enter Maine with new dealership in Saco
Courtesy / Pete's RV
In a video, Pete's RV co-owner Chad Shepard makes a pitch for his company's recreational vehicles, some of which may be sold at a planned dealership in Saco.
As more Mainers ply the roads in recreational vehicles, a Vermont RV dealership group is opening a new location here to keep pace.
Pete’s RV Center, which operates dealerships in six states, said it will begin construction in January of its first Maine location. The dealership will be sited on a 60-acre parcel of land in Saco, and will open in early 2023 with a showroom, parts and accessories store, and multiple-bay service center, according to a news release last week.
The dealership, near U.S. Route 1 and state Route 98, will offer a wide variety of travel trailer, fifth wheel and motorhome brands, including a full lineup of RVs from manufacturer Jayco Inc., the release said.
A call to Pete’s RV for more information was not immediately returned. Pete’s RV co-owner Chad Shepard said in the release, “Maine is called ‘Vacationland’ for a reason. We’re thrilled to get the opportunity to become a community fixture in the Saco and greater Portland area, plus be surrounded by amazing campgrounds, beaches and national parks.”
Along with a flagship dealership in South Burlington, Vt., Pete’s RV Center has branches in South Windsor, Conn.; Schererville, Ind.; Plainville, Mass.; Mountville, Pa.; and North Charleston, S.C.
The expansion into Maine wouldn’t be the first recent entry for an RV chain.
Earlier this year, Lee’s Family Trailer, an RV seller in Windham, was purchased by a national RV dealership group, Camping World Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CWH), for an undisclosed price. Lee’s, which was founded in 1984 and had $40 million in sales last year, is Camping World’s first branch in Maine. The company has said it plans at least one other.
Both Camping World and Lee’s appeared to be enjoying the ride as the pandemic and even earlier market shifts have led Americans to the open road.
Since 2017, sales volume at Lee’s had multiplied sixfold and the staff had tripled, previous owner Dan Craffey told Mainebiz in February.
Camping World, which reported revenue of $5.4 billion last year and operated more than 170 dealerships nationally, acquired 12 dealerships — including Lee’s — during the first six months of 2021 for a total of $99 million, according to the company’s SEC filings.
Peter's RV also has been acquisition-hungry, buying three of its current locations since 2018, including the South Carolina dealership in July.
New numbers suggest the RV business will keep cruising at high speed.
According to the RV Industry Association, the latest forecast for year-end RV sales ranges between 567,000 and 587,400 units with a most likely total of 577,200 units, a 34% gain over 2020’s total of 430,412 units.
The 2021 sum would represent a 14.4% increase over the current record sales of 504,600 set in 2017.
“The remarkable production from the RV manufacturers and suppliers is nothing like we have ever seen before, and our new forecast shows the record-breaking streak will continue,” said RV Industry Association President & CEO Craig Kirby.
“Over the past year, millions of people discovered that RVs are the best way to experience the great outdoors and the many benefits of an active outdoor lifestyle. The demand from these new RV owners, as well as our returning customers, is driving the increased RV production we will continue to see through the remainder of 2021 and into 2022.”
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