If you’ve owned an RV or ever shopped for one, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Camping World. It’s one retailer that RVers either love or love to hate.
Those who hold animosity towards the company tend to direct their feelings to the top of their corporate ladder and work their way down.
So who owns Camping World?
Let’s take a deep dive into the ownership of Camping World.
The Scoop Camping World
Camping World is one of the largest retailers of RVs and RVing gear/accessories in the United States. They have more than 180 retail and service locations in 46 states. You’ll frequently see their name pop up in sports as they have Camping World Stadium and have major sponsorship deals with Major League Baseball, NASCAR, and many others.
While many shoppers still walk onto the dealership lot to peruse inventory, Camping World also offers its inventory online. Shoppers can now shop online or in-person to help pick out the perfect rig.
Who Owns Camping World?
Camping World is a publicly traded company on the stock market. This means that if you’d like to be a partial owner of the company, all you have to do is buy a few stocks in the company and you can consider yourself a shareholder.
However, you better have pretty deep pockets if you want to own a large percentage of the business. At last count, the largest shareholder owns just over 600,000 shares of the company’s stock, which is worth an estimated $16.5 million.
Who Owns the Most Stock in Camping World?
The largest stock owner in the company is the company’s CEO, Marcus Lemonis. At the start of November 2022, Marcus Lemonis owned approximately 872,000 shares of stock.
However, on November 22, 2022, Lemonis sold 272,097 of his shares to leave him with 600,171 total shares worth approximately $16.5 million.
What Is Camping World Net Worth?
According to Stock Analysis, Camping World Holdings (CWH) has a net worth of $2.33 billion as of November 2022.
With so many RVs sold since 2019, they’ve done well financially and continue to do well through servicing RVs, selling accessories, and selling RVs.
What Does Camping World Sell?
Camping World is a great place to start shopping if you’re in the market for an RV. Because of their large inventory, you can walk through various potential options and get a feel for what is available on the market.
Let’s look at what you can expect to see on the sales lot and in the stores.
New RVs
If you’re shopping for a new RV, you can find pop-up campers, travel trailers, fifth wheels, and motorhomes at Camping World. They offer some of the most respected brands in the RV industry, including Thor, Keystone, and Forest River. Because they have so many locations, you can quickly and easily shop their entire inventory if you’re looking for a specific model. Whether you’re looking for an RV with a bunkhouse, rear living, or something completely different, you can find a new RV to meet your needs at Camping World.
Used RVs
Camping World accepts RVs as trade-ins from time to time and then sells them in their used section. What you’ll find in this selection can vary and be a bit sporadic as their inventory constantly changes based on what people are trading in. Buying a used RV can be a great way to save some cash and still get a quality RV.
Buying used from Camping World can be an excellent option, especially if you’re not in a hurry. You may be able to keep your eye on their used inventory and pounce on a deal when the perfect rig becomes available. You don’t want to wait long because once one of these deals is gone, there’s no telling when another will be available again.
RV Gear, Parts, and Accessories
Camping World offers a wide variety of camping gear, parts, and accessories in their shop. You’ll find everything you could possibly need to maintain your RV and make your entire RVing experience easier.
Just keep an eye on how much you’re spending or you may be surprised when your credit card bill arrives. You may feel like a kid in a candy shop when shopping in their online and in-person stores.
Service Department
The Camping World service department can help keep you and your RV on the road. They offer a wide range of services like slide-out maintenance, wheel bearing packs, and some same-day services like recall work, appliance concerns, and LP leaks.
In addition to these many services, you’ll also find some locations that offer assistance with collision repairs. Some maintenance and repairs are better left to the professionals, and Camping World has some quality service people that can get you and your RV ready for your next adventure.
RV Rentals
If you’re new to RVing and want to test the waters before making such a major purchase, you can use the Good Sam RV Rental Program. This is a network of RV owners who rent out their RVs to individuals who want to get a taste of RVing.
You can find driveable and towable RVs in various sizes and with room for even the largest families. This is a great way for potential future RV owners to experience RVing and for RV owners to make some money when they’re not using their rig.
What Is the History of Camping World?
David Garvin was 23 years old when he founded the first Camping World in 1966. Garvin saw the potential in creating a business for RV accessories, and it quickly grew into a massive empire. Garvin served as the owner until Good Sam Enterprises purchased the company from him in 1997. Unfortunately, Mr. Garvin passed away in August 2014.
After Garvin sold the company in 1997, it experienced tremendous growth. Between 2000 and 2009, the chain opened an additional 58 stores in 32 states. They expanded to sell both new and used RVs at some of their locations and in 2003. However, one of their biggest milestones was opening their 100th store in 2013.
The company became a publicly traded company in 2016 and raised $251 million. The company acquired Gander Mountain and Overton’s Gander Mountain in 2017. The company continues to progress and grow its position in the RV market.
Who Is Camping World’s Biggest Competitor?
Camping World’s biggest competitors are dealerships like Lazy Days and General RV. These are massive dealerships with hundreds of RVs at each location. They all sell a lot of RVs and claim to have the largest dealerships in the nation.
Is Camping World a Good Company?
You’ll hear both good and bad experiences when it comes to Camping World. Many shoppers have very high expectations for their dealerships, especially after the sale. These buyers often end up disappointed that the dealership isn’t doing backflips for them whenever they have something wrong with their RV.
Camping World offers a tremendous variety of RVs and can be a great option for purchasing your RV. However, like with most RV dealers, buyers should lower their expectations when it comes to servicing their rig, or they’ll likely be let down.
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