For Karyn Dietz, owner of Airstream of Spokane, Wash., business hasn’t always been good. Sales of the steel capsules-on-wheels slumped in 2008 due to the recession, and for two years Dietz didn’t take home a paycheck.
This story by Will Campbell originally appeared in The Spokesman-Review.
But now that the economy is climbing, regional RV sales are reaching record highs.
In Spokane County, the number of RV businesses has doubled since 2009. And RV sales and maintenance revenue have increased almost fivefold since 2009, according to the Department of Revenue.
The growth is due partly to more RV dealerships in Spokane, but dealership owners don’t know exactly why so many more people are buying RVs. Some speculate a few causes: baby boomers retiring, a better economy, younger buyers and fewer international travelers due to fears of terrorism.
Dietz said the county’s increase in RV revenue roughly reflects the growth of her business since 2009, and the manufacturer, based in Jackson Center, Ohio, is struggling to keep up with demand. It built 3,000 Airstream units last year, but sellers like Dietz have more people wanting to buy them than they can provide.
“Everything is tight,” Dietz said. She said it would take up to four months to get an Airstream from the factory that isn’t already ordered. More are on the way now.
In response to the increased demand, Airstream has issued a 1 to 2 percent price increase every year, Dietz said, and that cost gets transferred to buyers.