Thanks to Hollywood, the term “RV” conjures up images of Robin Williams, and spewing sewage. Although most RV’ers have tales of their own, the truth is that the RV business has a more serious side. The men and women who built the industry were survivors in a true sense. They were entrepreneurs who thumbed their nose at the Great Depression. About the time they laid down roots, along came World War II. Only those who could adapt could survive the shortage of raw materials and manpower.
The economic boom that followed was good for the industry, as returning soldiers and their families were looking for new ways to enjoy their new-found prosperity. But the coming decades were still full of challenges for the pioneers who built the industry, their successors and the thousands of people whose depended upon the RV industry for their livelihoods. There were wars, gas shortages, recessions, and inflation. An industry built by dreamers, that was once associated with gypsies and ne’er do wells, survived to become a fulltime lifestyle for many.
The Dumb Things Sold Just Like That reveals why the RV industry is certainly more than motorhomes.
