Nation's Largest RV Retailer, FreedomRoads, Acquires Shipp's RV Center
LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill.--Aug. 3, 2004--| Successful Chattanooga RV Dealer Becomes Another Key Part of Rapidly Growing FreedomRoads Family |
FreedomRoads, LLC, the nations largest recreational vehicle retailer, today announced the acquisition of Shipp's RV Center of Chattanooga, TN. The acquisition positions FreedomRoads prominently in another key regional market.
According to Shipp's President Randy Shipp, "This was good timing for our family. We're on our third generation and it's not a small business anymore. We felt that this was the perfect opportunity to get to the next level by joining FreedomRoads," Commenting on his confidence in the company and the team which was already in place Shipp said, "When we approached by the company we were impressed with the caliber of dealerships who were onboard. These are people we have known and respected for many years. It gave it a lot of credibility. The combination made the decision fairly easy for us."
Mid-America Regional President and FreedomRoads Co-Founder Johnny Sirpilla commented, "It truly is a pleasure to work with a quality family like the Shipp's of Tennessee and their outstanding team. They have welcomed us in at their store and have demonstrated the true spirit of what makes FreedomRoads winning organization-- teamwork," he emphasized. "They are excited to be part of the team and we are honored to have them," he continued.
Shipp's RV Center, founded in 1967, is a sprawling complex covering 75 acres including a campground with full RV amenities. It is the largest dealership in the tri-state area. The dealership is in the process of reorganizing it showroom to accommodate a new Camping World store which will add to customer convenience and value. Part of that reorganization will include the building of a new sales office. The Camping World is scheduled to open on September 30, 2004 with a Grand Opening October 7-11.
Marcus Lemonis, Co-Founder, President and CEO FreedomRoads added, "I know that one of the biggest advantages that Randy sees in joining our team is the opportunity to become an even more effective service organization. In particular, he is keenly interested in taking advantage of the training programs we are developing which will be second to none and will ultimately serve to enhance our customers' RV experience."
As with all of the FreedomRoads dealerships, Shipp's will retain it's brand name and operate with the team that made it a market leader. This was underscored by Sirpilla commenting that , "Under the Shipp's brand name, we are looking forward to serving Tennessee and the surrounding markets. We are excited about the possibilities for growth and serving their customers with the quality of the Shipp's organization."
About FreedomRoads
FreedomRoads is a dynamic national network of well-established local and regional RV dealerships who have united to benefit customers, employees, suppliers and the RV industry. FreedomRoads operates as a multi-store retail chain engaged in the retail sale, finance and service of recreational vehicles.
FreedomRoads is America's largest RV retailer. It currently employs over 1500 associates and owns and operates 44 locations in 18 states including; Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington.
FreedomRoads stocks over 250 Million dollars of new and used recreational vehicle inventory and retails over 28,000 units annually. For additional information, please visit http://www.FreedomRoads.com, where more than 6,000 recreational vehicles are available for sale.
About Camping World
Since 1966, Camping World has grown from one store at Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, KY to 30 locations nationwide. Camping World is the world's largest retailer of RV accessories, supplies and services.
