**Embargo: Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, PA** Many people are switching gears with how they hit the road for vacation. RV dealerships are working to keep up with the increased demand.
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WPMT) — The COVID-19 pandemic has forced everyone to make adjustments to their lives, including how they vacation.
However, there is one area that is booming right now as families find a way to alter their original plans but still find time to enjoy themselves.
RV sales on the rise amid the global pandemic — people itching to get out of quarantine and for some sense of normalcy.
Kris Bratcher, General Sales Manager, at Pete’s RV Center in Mountville, Lancaster County says he first started his job there on a Wednesday. A few days later, pretty much everything shut down.
At first he said he didn’t know what to expect, everything changed. But then things just went crazy for the industry.
Customers were calling saying that they wanted a unit right away so they could get away for the weekend.
Bratcher said, it wasn’t a problem if the unit they had was in stock.. but unfortunately they had to tell a lot of people that it was going to be a couple of months.
“We came to the issue where it wasn’t about helping all of the customers, it was about being able to find enough units to help the customers,” Bratcher said.
It was standard to sell up to ten RV’s, campers, or mobile homes a week. However, since COVID-19 Pete’s RV Center then started selling as many as 300 units a week!
“Everybody was ready to find a way to get away from everything,” Bratcher explained.
They were seeing everything from frequent campers, but mainly new RVers ready to hit the road.
“We were seeing more of the help! We need a vacation out of quarantine! People are coming in and are like we need to sleep six people… and we have this much that we can tow, what can we have and what’s the most we can get for the best bang for our buck,” Bratcher said.
He says the increase in wait times are due to the manufacturers not having all of the supplies needed for the mobile homes, trailers, and RVs. Bratcher said the unit would pretty much be ready to go but would be waiting for windows, air conditioners, and refrigerators.
They still have a decent amount of units for customers to purchase at the moment, especially for those looking to get away for the holidays.
He said they’re starting to see some people come in saying they want a camper to take to their families house for Thanksgiving or Christmas. That way they don’t have to stay at a hotel.
Whether you’re a family looking for a change of scenery — some bunk beds for the kids, a flat screen for the parents, or an older couple enjoying retirement but also putting their health first. Pete’s RV Center can make it work, you’ll just need to have patience!
“This is the way they don’t have to miss out on that fun and let 2020 go away,” said Bratcher.
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