In 1973, 55-year-old James Dobson built a little building on McAllister drive in East Saint John, Canada.
One day, a man named Malcolm Barrett, who worked at a company called Wholesale Distribution in Woodstock, pulled into the building’s lot with a bunch of trailers.
That was the beginning of Leisure Time Sales, an RV and outdoor equipment company that’s celebrating 45 years in business this year. The company has moved around a few times since 1973, but today it’s headquartered in the town of Quispamsis outside of Saint John, according to Huddle.
Like Leisure Time, the RV business has come a long way in the past 45 years. Back in 1973, the industry was still quite young. Trailers were oversized, bulky, heavy and with interiors that would remind you of the sofa in your grandparents’ basement.
Much like cars, today’s RVs, trailers and motorhomes have evolved with technology. The market has also evolved as well, it’s not just families with three or four kids looking to buy an RV anymore.