Wilkins RV acquired Great Outdoors RV’s two New York dealership locations.
The acquisition was completed Nov. 3, according to Performance Brokerage Services. Wilkins RV now has six dealerships. The new dealerships are located in Fulton and Clay.
“We are proud and excited to take over and build upon the proud heritage that has been built by Great Outdoors RV and its employees,” said Brian Wilkins, president of Wilkins RV. “They have a great customer following and we look forward to supporting that customer base and continuing the growth they have experienced for over 30 years.”
Great Outdoors RV was established in 1988 in Fulton, New York, by Bill Clark and his late business partner, Jerry Fitzpatrick. Together, they served central New York for more than 33 years. The Fulton location includes 25 acres and is the home of Campers Village, an outdoor showroom that displays RVs in a campground setting.
In 2019, Great Outdoors RV expanded to Clay. Clay’s dealership features an indoor showroom that can display as many as 75 vehicles year-round. In honor of Fitzpatrick, who was an avid Disney fan, the RV Dealers Association of Syracuse planted a tree at the Fulton dealership with a quote by Walt Disney that reads, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
“It truly has been an honor to have been a part of the central New York recreation market for over three decades,” Clark said. “Our employees have always been the driving force behind our success and of utmost importance was to seek a suitor with the same culture, reputation and customer service. Wilkins has dominated the western RV market for well over 70 years and I could not be more pleased to pass the baton on to Brian and his team as they take what we started to the next level.”
Clark, who is retiring after the sale, praised Performance Brokerage Service’s assistance in the sale. Clark said the company brought Clark a deal within weeks and closed 90 days later.
Over the last five years, Performance Brokerage Services has advised on the sale of more than 250 dealerships. In 2021, the company expects to consummate more than 70 transactions, marking a record-breaking year.
“After 33 years of ownership, the sale of a dealership is naturally emotional. This responsibility put upon us is one that we do not take lightly,” said Jesse Stopnitzky, partner at Performance Brokerage Services and the director of the RV Division. “The opportunity to work with such gentlemen in both Bill Clark and Brian Wilkins was extraordinary.”
Wilkins RV was founded in 1936 by Charles Wilkins as an auto detailing shop. He began selling RVs in the 1950s alongside his son, Ronald Wilkins, who took over the business in the early 1960s and changed the name to Wilkins RV. In 2004, Ronald Wilkins sold the business to his son, Brian Wilkins.
Clark was represented in the sale by Gerald F. Stack of Barclay Damon, and James Bandoblu, CPA of Syracuse.
