RV Retailer acquired 12 dealerships after purchasing Blue Dog RV. The purchase matches RV Retailer’s acquisition of 12 Family RV locations in January as the company’s biggest to date.
RV Retailer said the Blue Dog RV deal is expected to close in September. The purchase includes locations in Washington, Idahon, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, California and Pennsylvania.
“This acquisition provides us with major expansion in the Western United States with our entry into seven new states, giving us a sales and service network of 70 stores across 24 states,” RV Retailer President and CEO Jon Ferrando said. “These stores are all in excellent RV markets providing a strong platform for future growth and advances our strategy to build a network of leading RV stores that can take care of our customers wherever their travels may take them.”
Blue Dog RV co-owners John and Rebecca Asplund will leave after the sale, but Chief Operating Officer Marc House will remain. RV Retailer said he would lead the Blue Dog RV group, reporting to Western Region President Jim Humble.
“We are pleased that Marc Hauser will continue to manage the Blue Dog RV stores,” Ferrando said. “Marc is a proven leader, both in RV retail and manufacturing, and an excellent addition to our talented management team.”
The Asplunds thanked their associates for contributing to the dealership’s success.
“This is an exciting next chapter for Blue Dog RV,” they said. “RV Retailer is the right partner to take our business forward. RV Retailer offers exciting career opportunities for our associates and a great opportunity for continued growth in all of our markets.”
The acquisition includes more than 400 Blue Dog RV associates.
“I look forward to joining the RV Retailer team and partnering with the RVR leadership team to drive further growth at Blue Dog RV and future expansion in our markets,” Hauser said.
Blue Dog RV has stores in Post Falls, Idaho; Spokane and Pasco, Washington; Bend, Redmond, Portland and Medford, Oregon; Kalispell, Montana; Las Vegas; Bakersfield and Redding, California; and Fleetwood, Pennsylvania.
The Fleetwood store will join RV Retailer’s East Region under President Don Strollo’s leadership, the company said.
