The journey wasn’t always smooth-sailing for Unlimited RV, a small yet rapidly-growing RV dealership in Missouri, but with a truckload of perseverance and the right mindset, the family-owned business paved its road to success.
The business came to fruition in the Clarks’ driveway in Liberty, Missouri way back in 2014. Stacy Clark, the dealership’s founder and president, told Modern Campground in an email exchange that it all started with a beat-up rig that the family rented out as another source of income, hoping to fund the adventures they dreamed of fulfilling.
Former marines Stacy and Jeanella Clark run Unlimited RV. With the couple’s thirst for adventures combined with business mindsets, the Clarks explored ways to grow from the company’s humble beginnings.
Unlimited RV rolled from the Clarks’ neighborhood driveway to Stacy’s childhood pasture, and even a house off A-Highway. In 2017, the business secured a commercial location that is now home to Unlimited RV & Trucks.
Located south of Liberty off of 291 and 210, Unlimited RV’s headquarters boasts a total of four bays, four offices, and four acres. Even so, Clark shared that the business had to venture into renting U-Hauls to leasing out some of its bays to cover electric expenses.
Soon enough, the Clarks’ hard work paid off.
Unlimited RV boomed in 2020, causing its expansion into six acres to the south, the creation of a brand-new dealership, and even the introduction of a lifetime warranty—Unlimited RV is currently the only dealer in the region to offer it.
When asked about the factors that led to the company’s success, Stacy mentioned outstanding customer service, supply chain diversification, business investment (growing from four acres to ten), and its lifetime warranty offering.
As a fruit of its labor, Unlimited RV’s customer service caused it to be the highest-rated dealer in Kansas City (Missouri), Google, Facebook, and Yelp.
Its supply chain diversification from ten manufacturers to 30 proved to be useful, too, as the RV industry and similar sectors experienced the impact of supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If we would have not diversified from ten manufacturers to 30, we would not have attained our goal of selling 800 campers last year (fourth in the state) and 1,000 this year,” Clark shared.
The company plans to shift some manufacturers to a second and third location once production improves “as we value our manufacturer relationships,” he added.
Furthermore, the founder mentioned how aligning with its customers helped overcome various issues brought by the pandemic, also noting the importance of offering a diverse inventory.
“More first-timers demanded more entry-level and compact campers—we grew most of our manufacturer portfolio there. I find most of my competitors cater to one segment of RVs; we cater to nearly all,” he shared.
After a “grueling” year of construction, Unlimited RV’s new dealership is gearing up for its opening this month. The latest expansion brings the dealership’s size to a total of ten acres, making it the largest RV dealership in Kansas City by size.
Today, the small business in the neighborhood driveway has worked its way up from the 40th RV dealer in Missouri to the 4th largest by sales.
Unlimited RV was also recently recognized by the RVDA as a Top 50 RV Dealer in North America.
From its humble beginnings to its unprecedented growth, the journey continues for Unlimited RV as it works its way to the top.
“Throughout this journey, we have gained so many friends and created a tremendous team. From the janitor to the general manager, we truly are a family here. If you join us on a busy Saturday, it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to see our girls running around and helping; and on special occasions, you may see our dog Duncan too!”
Isn’t it amazing how Unlimited RV’s story shows business success through dedication and innovation? It’s truly motivating!