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It seems that every month Camping World makes the news. Recently, Camping World and LazyDays RV announced that they closed locations. These two mega dealers have over 230 locations between them.
Let’s look at which locations shut down and what we can expect as RVers in the future!
What Is Camping World?
Camping World is the largest RV dealer in the country, with approximately 215 locations. Texas, California, and Florida have the most Camping World dealerships.
Camping World Holdings, Inc. is headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois, and has served the RV industry since 1966.
Marcus Lemonis is the chairman and CEO. Partner companies include Good Sam, Overton’s, and The House. Camping World locations sell RVs, RV parts, and RV supplies and provide RV service.
What Is LazyDays RV?
LazyDays RV is another mega dealer with 22 locations. These dealerships are huge. In fact, LazyDays RV Tampa is the largest in the world!
LazyDays RV has served consumers since 1976 with its massive selection of RVs, from entry-level travel trailers to luxury diesel pushers.
This company also provides customer care with more RVIA/RVDA certified techs than any dealership in the country and their state-of-the-art service facilities.
How Many Camping World Locations Are Closing?
The Camping World dealership in the Duluth suburb of Hermantown, Minnesota, closed. Its last day was October 20, 2023.
Since Camping World owns Gander Mountain, this store will now become a Gander Mountain location.
Hermantown sits at the southernmost point of Lake Michigan near the Wisconsin-Minnesota border.
How Many LazyDays RV Locations Are Closing?
On October 13, 2023, LazyDays RV also announced that it was consolidating its Chicagoland location with its location in Elkhart, Indiana.
Located in Burns Harbor, Indiana, the Chicagoland dealership is about 70 miles west of Elkhart.
Most of the inventory from Chicagoland was transferred to Elkhart to continue to serve customers with a wide range of RVs.
Is Camping World Still Acquiring Other Locations?
However, just because Camping World closed its location in Duluth, Minnesota, the company is still acquiring other brands and setting up additional sites.
On September 12, 2023, Camping World announced that it would acquire Edmundson RV in Edinburgh, Indiana. The 18 acres will be Indiana’s first exclusive Forest River Camping World location.
A month later, in October 2023, Camping World announced that it would acquire the 12 Travelcamp RV locations in the Southeast. These locations are in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. These locations will primarily stock Forest River and Thor models.
Marcus Lemonis shared, “It remains our goal to increase our dealership count to over 320 locations over the next five years, through a combination of acquisitions, new store openings, and manufacturer-exclusive locations.”
What Happened At the Camping World Location In Chattanooga, TN?
However, Camping World hasn’t just made the news for its dealings. One of its locations in East Ridge, Tennessee, a suburb of Chattanooga, caught fire on September 22, 2023.
This 3-alarm fire destroyed the warehouse and damaged RVs parked on the lot, including RVs dropped off for service.
Thankfully, the fire crews were able to stop the fire from spreading from the main warehouse. No one was injured in the blaze, but numerous RVs were destroyed.
Should You Buy an RV from Camping World or LazyDays RV?
One of the biggest questions new RVers ask is where to buy an RV. Camping World is notorious for its poor service and interesting transactions. With so many locations nationwide, we’re not surprised by this reputation.
It’s like saying don’t buy any Forest River RV because the brand is known for poor quality, and owners complain about the customer service.
However, Forest River is one of the largest RV empires in the United States. There will be plenty of people who have had positive and negative experiences.
However, other people’s experiences matter. You get access to locations and inventory if you buy from Camping World that you won’t get at a mom-and-pop RV center. But this mega-corporation has a reputation for poor customer service.
On the other hand, LazyDays RV doesn’t have a similar reputation. Every dealership will have a technician ill-equipped to handle a repair.
Every dealership has a salesman who is not interested in helping the customer but in making money.
But from what we’ve heard, LazyDays RV doesn’t seem any worse or better than other dealerships.
If you purchase a luxury motorhome from LazyDays RV, you also gain entrance to the Crown Club, an exclusive club with perks and benefits to serve the consumer.
So, if you’re looking for an RV, we suggest starting with a local dealer who cares about earning your trust and loyalty. One sale makes a difference to many of these mom-and-pop centers. They want you to come back. They want you to tell your friends about them. So they’re going to do their best to serve you well.
Have you ever purchased an RV from a Camping World or LazyDays RV location? What was your experience?
