Camp-Site celebrating 25 years

It takes courage and determination to go into business, but it also takes perseverance and a customer-friendly staff to grow into one of the most respected companies in Howard County.

Camp-Site RV, Inc. is just that enterprise. The business originally had five employees (three of them owners) and four pop-up campers when they started in the fall of 1992. Twenty-five years later, they quadrupled their staff and expanded their inventory to over 300 campers and trailers of all sizes! 

This small-town, family business is owned by Steve McCarville and his brother-in-law, Tom Kubik. McCarville’s three sons, Ryan, Kelly and Kyle, as well as Kubik’s two daughters, Heather and Kayla, all work at the business. 

Sales Manager Ryan said, “Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many great people around the country. We’ve made a lot of great relationships, inside and outside the industry.”

Owners and brothers-in-law, Steve McCarville and Tom Kubik both agreed the biggest change has been floor plans and technology. “We’ve seen so much change in the last 10 years on how trailers have progressed,” said Kubik.

Steve added, “When we first started, the RVs had one slide out and were typically manually operated. It has progressed to as many as six slides that are now hydraulic and electronically operated.” Tom also noted, “Most of the units now have auto-level systems that can be done with a push of a button versus cranking the jacks by hand.”

Camp-Site RV’s business philosophy is simple—having great customer service, a wide selection of products, and quality workmanship equals repeat business. “We have evolved into a full-service RV repair shop to meet our customers’ needs. We are very fortunate to deal with many repeat customers,” Heather Johnson, Finance Manager said. “It is fun to hear them talk about their first camper and moving up the ladder into their dream camper. Some are on their fourth or fifth purchase with us!” 

Because of the quantity of units Camp-Site keeps on hand, along with the wide array of floor plans, it has helped the customer see and touch what they are looking to buy. This gets them camping much sooner than waiting for the trailer to be special ordered and built, which can take up to 10 weeks. The company tries to offer almost every floor plan the industry offers, and customers appreciate the selection.

 

Brief History 

of Camp-Site RV

Camp-Site RV Sales and Service, Inc. was founded in the fall of 1992 by Steve McCarville, Tom Kubik and Duane Dietzenbach. It was located in what is now the empty lot across from State Farm on Highway 9. Two years later, McCarville and Kubik purchased Dietzenbach’s share.

Their intent was to sell used RVs in addition to their auto service center and towing business known as Steve & Tom’s. Finding used RVs was difficult, so they decided to take on a new manufacturer. The business only continued to grow. 

In 1995, the owners remodeled the rear auto service center into an RV service center. In 1998-99, more manufacturers were added, giving customers a choice of four different trailer lines. 

The RV market continued to grow, forcing the owners to decide on a plan of action. Camp-Site was running out of room because trailers were getting bigger, as was their customer base. In late winter 2001, they sold the towing business as well as most of the auto repair tools. The auto shop was converted into a parts store.

In late 2007, Kubik and McCarville decided they had outgrown that location and needed to find a place to better suit their business. They had considered the old Walmart building in Decorah but really wanted to stay in their hometown. It was perfect timing as Bootie Kapler offered to sell them 43 acres by the airport. They decided to put up a new building big enough for their mega parts store, service center and a large sales lot. 

Camp-Site RV has added many special services to the business over the years. They currently offer moving trailer and camper rentals, LP fill station and mobile service, in addition to their mega parts store, full service center and camper sales. 

In 2015, they were asked to partner with Featherlite to sell their full-line of trailers. They decided to try it out. They found it really enhanced their business. “It is nice working with people you know, and this has really helped us get more nationally-known,” commented Ryan. 

With all the changes that have happened over the past 25 years, Camp-Site has decided to make another change and add on to their service center. The project will start this summer. They are going to add on four more drive-through bays for a total of eight additional bays to add to the nine they have now. “The expansion will help better accommodate all our service and repair work for our customers,” explained Ryan. 

He concluded “We would like to thank all our past and present customers and the community for helping us grow. It is a pleasure working with everyone. Also, we appreciate all the employees who have helped us to get where we are at today. It takes a team to succeed, and we are truly blessed to have a hard-working group of employees who all add so much to our business. We can’t thank them enough for what they do and the value they bring day in and day out!”

The public can celebrate with them at the 25th Anniversary Open House on Friday and Saturday April 6-7 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Stop and check out their mega store, service center and sales lot on Highway 9 West, Cresco. There will be discounts, door prizes, refreshments and fun for all ages. 

‘Your Relaxation Starts Here.’