Cover Story: Pik-A-Dilly RV Centre

RYAN MAIN, GENERAL MANAGER

Camping without Compromise

Nature and the comforts of home

BY GEOFF KIRBYSON PHOTOS BY STUDIO 78

The days of heading out into the wilderness and trying to put up a tent in the middle of the night or lighting a fire in a torrential downpour are long gone.

You could do that but why would you when modern camping is an option?

Ryan Main, general manager of Pik-A-Dilly RV in Brandon, says you can pull your RV into a campground late in the day, scan the latest offerings from Netflix and watch a movie with all the comforts of home.

Does that sound like roughing it to you?

“An RV is a home away from home. You can get wifi so your kids can play games. It’s all geared towards getting away, even if you’re just going a few kilometres down the road,” he says. “I know a lot of people who have a seasonal spot set up for their camper very close to town. They’re out in nature. It feels like a getaway. If something happened work-wise or they’re commuting, they’re not too far away. It’s a different experience from being in the house.” Manitoba is blessed with an abundance of RV campgrounds, many of which are located in and around provincial parks.

“There are beautiful spots for golfing, hiking and fishing,” Main says. “There has been a big shift towards more seasonal camping. You leave the RV (at the campground) and drive back and forth. It’s similar to having a cottage except you’re not locked down. If somebody is getting married and you want to camp, just hook it up (to a vehicle).”

“With everything that’s going on in the world right now, it allows you to go on vacation but also be secluded enough that you are following the most recent restrictions.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has convinced a growing number of people to give camping a shot as it’s one of the few activities permitted by the province. “A lot of people are going to experience it for the first time. They’re going to love it and stick with it. It allows people to get away from the house and have a vacation. You’re still regulating yourself with social distancing,” he says.

Pik-A-Dilly is the oldest RV dealership in the province, having been started by Main’s paternal grandparents, Frank and Shirley, six decades ago. They operated a service station at the corner of 10th Street and Victoria Avenue and decided to expand their offering to include RVs in 1962. As the business grew, they started selling bigger trailers and mobile homes, and moved to the site of what is now the Victoria Inn. They also opened a second location on the North hill, where the company continues to operate today.

THE KODIAK ULTIMATE

Shirley Main came up with the corporate moniker because she was a fan of Piccadilly Circus, a popular junction in London, England, that’s close to shopping and theatre districts. She simply tweaked the spelling a little bit. “People say we spelled it wrong. Companies that we’ve been dealing with for years still don’t get it right sometimes,” he laughs.

Ryan became Pik-A-Dilly’s acting general manager in 2011 and general manager in 2013 as his dad, Don, started to step back from the company’s operations.

“We still pride ourselves on being a mom-and-pop company,” he says of his 15 full-time employees.

What does it cost to get into the RV game?

Entry level models can set you back around $25,000 while high-end versions cost about $60,000. The Kodiak Ultimate is definitely in the latter category as the luxury RV has not one, but two fireplaces — one in the bedroom and another in the living room.

“We brought the Kodiak in to be our Cadillac product. It has all of the bells and whistles. It’s 37 feet long and some units have four or five slide-outs (expansions). If you push a button, you can expand your living space by 24 square feet,” he says.

Main realizes that not everybody will make the switch to become lifetime campers and some will put their RV up for sale when the world returns to normal. But there’s no questioning that the average age of first-time campers has dropped dramatically, pandemic or no pandemic.

“It used to be Baby Boomers. They had a lot of disposable income and they were able to spend a little more on luxury items. Now the fact that you can finance an RV in a similar way to how you finance your house has opened up RVs to almost everybody,” he says.

For example, it’s possible to get an RV loan with a 20-year amortization period and low monthly payments of less than $150 per month.

On the flip side, though, the pandemic has had a negative impact on supply. For example, Main has seen a shortage of everything from microwave ovens and refrigerators to circuit breakers, which has affected the manufacturer’s output.

“If you came in today and wanted to order an RV and we didn’t have one on the lot or on order, we’re looking at a minimum of six months to get it in. Normally it would be six weeks. That’s been a big challenge,” he says. If you’re holding off on buying an RV because you don’t own a truck and have no way to tow it, Main would like to put your mind at ease.

“Delivery and set up is part of the deal. If you need it moved, you can call us up or have a friend move it. A lot of customers have no desire to own a truck,” he says.

They do, however, have a desire to get away from it all and reconnect with loved ones. This can be particularly true for families with young people who are often glued to a screen of some kind. Many modern campgrounds have hiking trails, pools or splash pads and other features to keep the kids interested and occupied.

“Today’s RV lifestyle is camping without compromise. It can be as con-venient and comfortable as you want it to be. We’ll help you every step of the way so you can focus on your family and making memories,” he says. 

Pik-A-Dilly RV Centre 320 Highland Ave Brandon, MB Toll Free: 877-218-3511 Call or Text 431-400-4571