The Ontario-based dealership began with an automotive-centric mentality in 1972. Then it started renting out VW camper vans. Business grew. Now, Owasco RV is laying down the foundation for a $10 million, state-of-the-art dealership with drive-through, 100-foot service bays.
The new location will move 8 miles from its Whitby location to 570 Rundle Road, Clarington, Ontario.
Scroll down for photos.
The dealership’s expansion is a common story shared by many dealerships in this time of the ever-burgeoning RV industry.
“We have a lot of people that have been with us for a very long time who’ve helped us grow the business,” said Amy Closter, sales manager and third generation of family-operated Owasco RV. “We just ran out of room about five years ago. And it just took a long time for us to find the right location.”
What they found was a scenic bit of 41 acres that was 10 minutes east of the dealership’s current location. Construction has begun, and the dealership plans to move in by spring 2018.
Currently, the dealership is on an 11-acre lot shared with an auto dealership as the old Owasco RV site, which stood for 17 years, is torn down to make room for a revamped Audi and VW dealership that falls under Owasco’s umbrella.
As the new $10 million Owasco RV dealership is being built, it’s difficult staying on 11 acres for a company that’s grown significantly.
It’s a nuisance considering the 300-plus new and used units in Owasco RV’s inventory. During the summer months, the numbers of units can reach more than 600. That’s why, despite a separate storage center, the upcoming move to 41 acres is a breath of fresh air.
“A little bit of pain for a lot of gain,” said Closter, laughing. “Literally, I saw the last wall of our old building torn down this week. I was in that building from day one, so it was definitely a little bit of an emotional time.”
That’s not to discount the immense upside.
The old facility had four service bays for customer repairs with an additional four to service products internally, and no more than a 10-person staff. The new dealership lot will have 14 service bays, including a canopy in the building’s rear where customers can inspect newly arrived RVs from out of the rain and snow, as well as the creation of 50-plus jobs.
The Clarington state-of-the-art dealership will be decked out in LED lighting, large ceiling fans to cut down heat costs, and will include large floor-to-ceiling windows for natural light as natural air flows off from the lake.
Closter said her family has been waiting for something like this for years.
“We built our RV store 17 years ago,” she said. “And it’s like building a home: You don’t really know what works for you and what doesn’t until you start living in that home. But it’ll make our lives, and our customers’ lives, so much better.”
