Last Updated on June 16, 2023 by Christina
General RV Center, based in Wixom, Mich., was recognized as one of the largest Michigan Family-Owned Businesses by Crain’s Detroit Business.
In May, the business publication released its annual list ranking Michigan businesses that are majority-owned by members of the same family and have reached a second generation of management. The 2023 list recognizes General RV as both Michigan’s largest family-owned RV dealership and the 14th largest family-owned business in Michigan.
“We are honored to be recognized as one of Michigan’s largest family-owned businesses,” said General RV President Loren Baidas. “I want to congratulate each and every member of the General RV family who helps our company continue to earn these awards. Without them, we couldn’t help our customers create lifelong family memories with their RVs.”
What Makes General RV the Top Family-Owned RV Dealer?
General RV has been operating out of southeastern Michigan for more than 60 years. During that time, the business has grown from a single store on 8 Mile Rd. in Detroit to a nationwide dealership with 14 different locations across seven states and a first-of-its-kind RV inspection facility. Here are some of the recent highlights:
General RV continues to be an award-winning dealership.
The recent recognition from Crain’s Detroit is the latest addition to the company’s accolades. In 2022, General RV earned “Fast 50” status, along with a spot on the publication’s Private 200 and 2022 Largest Family-Owned Businesses lists. The RV dealership also earned the Top 50 Dealer Award from RVBusiness, an annual list chosen from nominations by U.S. and Canadian RV manufacturers.
General RV shows another year of growth, even as the RV industry shows signs of slowing down.
The RV industry saw massive growth from 2009 to 2017, but shipments began to decline in 2018 and 2019. Despite the slowdown, General RV continued to steadily grow and earned a billion dollars in revenue in 2019. In 2020 and 2021, the RV industry boomed as travelers faced pandemic restrictions. Despite global supply chain issues, General RV expanded its reach and recorded a 31% increase in revenue from 2020 to 2021. In 2022 when RV shipments declined and returned to pre-pandemic levels, General RV continued to increase revenue and expand.
A 15th General RV dealership to open in 2024.
This year the RV dealership will break ground on a new store in Utah. This will be the company’s second dealership in the state. The current location was recognized as the leading family-owned RV dealer in Salt Lake City in 2022. The company plans to announce more store openings later this year.
General RV continues to expand its first-of-its-kind inspection facility.
In April of 2021, General RV invested in a dedicated inspection facility never before seen in the RV industry. The 77-acre complex houses a 150,000 square-foot building that inspects RVs for damage and repairs before it goes to the customer. Half of all General RV inventory passes through the facility before going to a dealership.
Visit Your Local General RV Today
Ready to take your RV adventures to the next level? Let General RV help you discover the RV lifestyle. We offer a huge selection of new motorhomes, travel trailers and fifth wheels, as well as used RVs for sale. Need RV parts? We’ve got those, too. And our highly trained technicians can help with all your RV service needs. Visit our RV Virtual Showroom to start browsing now. Or find a family-owned General RV dealer near you. Whether you shop online or in store, our experts will help you camp with confidence.