THUNDER BAY - Fifty-odd years ago a local Thunder Bay resident established a recreational vehicle business to cater to Northwestern Ontario’s love for camping and the outdoors.
New owners Murray and Cindy Gleeson along with Corey and Becky Jonasson, took over the dealership back in October 2021 after the previous owner was ready for retirement. The Gleeson couple were both looking for a change from the mundane grind of a nine-to-five job, and in the market to own their own local business once again; Corey had worked at Woody’s for the past 10 years; Murray had known the previous owner since he was a child.
The pandemic had a significant impact on travel and tourism, and the RV business was no stranger to it. As this is the luxury goods industry, along with the impact of inflation, has led to RVs and trailers being the first expenses in most cases to be scrapped from the personal budget. The production process around the globe has steadily decreased due to parts demand-supply shortages. six to eight months’ delay in shipping and vaccination rules has resulted in a backlog for new inventory.