George VanOstrand becomes a partner in a manufactured housing dealership and manages a park located across the street from Pratt and Whitney Aircraft in East Hartford, CT. The dealership is named VAN'S Aircraft Trailer Sales.
History of Pete's RV Center
1963
1966
The Dealership expands into RV sales and begins selling Shasta Travel Trailers. A former laundromat is converted to a small parts store and a two bay garage is built for service. We become incorporated as Leisure Living, but do business as VAN'S LEISURE LIVING.
1971
Mark VanOstrand joins the company as a sales person. Dealership begins selling and renting Starcraft Folding Campers.
1972
George and Mark fly to the Shasta factory and drive the dealership's first motorhomes back to Connecticut. The 20' model sells for $6,995 and the 22' sells for $7,995. Both are sold within a week.
1973
Mike Couture is brought onboard as a sales person. Together, he and Mark make up the entire sales team.
1980
It's all in the family now, as Mark purchases the capitol stock owned by George's partner.
1981
We acquire Prowler Travel Trailers built by Fleetwood Enterprises. Sunline Coach is brought in and Van's begins selling its first lightweight trailers. This is the beginning of a relationship that lasts more than 20 years with both brands.
1985
Van's receives delivery of its first Bounder motorhome. This “working mans” motorhome is an instant success and sales sky rocke
1987
Van's is the largest Bounder Dealer on the East Coast, out selling much larger dealers from the South East. Additionally, we are the # 1 selling Prowler and Sunline Dealer in New England.
1988
As sales rapidly increase, the present dealership is quickly out grown. George and Mark purchase a 5 acre parcel of undeveloped land north of the East Hartford location. It's exciting times as construction begins. Mike Couture becomes a partner.
1989
We move into our new facility in South Windsor. We now have 7 service bays, a much larger camping store and plenty of room to display our growing selection of RV's. We begin doing business as VAN'S RV CENTER. We're on our way!
1991
Roadtrek Van Campers are acquired, but initial sales are slow. One year later Van's is a top 10 dealer in North America.
1994
The Allegro Motorhome line is introduced. Sales are strong, and we quickly become the # 2 dealer in New England.
2001
Van's remains the largest dealer in the state according to Statistical Surveys. Allegro Motorhome sales soar and we bring in Phaeton, our first diesel Motorhome line. Our best seller is a 40' model with 4 slide-rooms and retails for over $200,000.
2004
We begin selling Jayco Trailers, 5th Wheels and Motorhomes. Their products are well received by our customers and we maintain the #1 ranking in Connecticut.
2006
Van's is the largest travel trailer and motorhome dealer in Connecticut according to Statistical Surveys. Sales of Allegro motorhomes in Connecticut surpass Winnebago for the first time. We are setting sales records state wide with Jayco.
2015
Van's is acquired by Pete's RV Center and becomes their third store.
2018
Pete's RV Center officially retires Van's RV Center name. In June, the transition was finalized with the Van's RV Center sign being lowered for a Pete's RV Center replacement.
2018
Pete's RV Center acquires Macdonald's RV in Plainville, Massachusetts, just a two hour drive from our Connecticut dealership.
March 2020
Pete's RV Center acquires Gayle Kline RV in Mountville, Pennsylvania.
July 2021
Pete's RV Center acquires our sixth dealership, The Trail Center in North Charleston, South Carolina.
1800s until 1952
Our current Vermont property was once the Thibault Farm. It consisted of a farm house, barn, and several outbuildings on a 4.3 acre lot.
August 22, 1952
Peter and Trudy Dispirito purchased the property and started a welding business as well as travel trailer sales called Pete's Trailer Mart. They built a 2 bay metal building as their shop.
March 23, 1973
Richard and Virginia Compagna purchase the business and real estate continuing to sell RVs until December 1983.
December 20, 1983
Terry and Mary Shepard purchase the business and real estate. They operate it until 1986.
November 28, 1986
David McGinnis and Larry Shepard bought out Mary Shepard and became partners with Terry Shepard. The company was renamed Pete's RV Center. See related and highly interesting story on the Pete's RV Center ownership team.
November 1989
Pete's RV Center builds Vermont's first climate-controlled indoor showroom (5,544 square feet!).
(Circa 1989)
Pete's Trailer Mart
(Circa 2001)
Owners Terry and Larry Shepard, and David McGinnis
2001
Pete's RV Center becomes Keystone RV Dealer in 2001. Beginning with Springdale, Cougar and Sprinter, Pete's RV Center becomes a Keystone RV dealer.
2004
Pete's RV Center completes construction of their new 20,600 square foot state-of-the-art RV dealership on their current Vermont location. The all new steel building is outfitted with modern wiring, security, sprinkler, and heating and cooling systems. The service center gets new shop equipment including heavy-duty vehicle lift. On the exterior, the lot is leveled, paved, and high-intensity lighting installed.
2009
The new PetesRV.com website is unveiled. It allows visitors to easily search our entire inventory as well as get better acquainted with the dealership's sales, service, and parts and accessories departments. The Pete's RV Center Info Blog is incorporated into the site and provides helpful information and news on everything RV!
2011
Pete's RV Center acquires our second dealership, Rollin-On RV in Schererville, Indiana.
2011 - 2015
Pete's RV Center named the number one Vermont dealer by Statistical Surveys. A significant portion of the travel trailers, fifth wheels, and motorhomes purchased in the state are sold at the South Burlington dealership.
August 22, 2012
Pete's RV Center celebrates 60 years in business.
2013
Along with adding Keystone RV brands Bullet, Outback Terrain and Passport Elite, Pete's RV Center doubles inventory selection taking on Forest River's Vengeance; Heartland's Bighorn, Silverado, Prowler and Sundance; and Crossroads' Sunset Trail, Hampton and Gateway-branded campers. In late 2013, they ramp up for 2013 by adding Evergreen Bay Hill, Crossroads Rezerve, Forest River Wildwood, R-pod, and Coachmen Clipper.
May 2013
South Burlington location expands its lot by 12 acres allowing for another 200-plus units to be stored and displayed at the dealership.
June 2013
South Burlington Business Manager Kyle Williams ranks in the nation's top fifty administrators of EasyCare's Vehicle Extended Service Contracts for 10 straight years-twenty-fourth overall in 2012 and number one for RV warranties seven out of the last ten years.
September 2014
Gearing up for 2015, Pete's RV Center takes on Cherokee and Grey Wolf travel trailers from Forest River and Oakmont fifth wheels from Heartland.
November 2014
Pete's RV Center named to the 2014 Top Ten Club by Evergreen Recreation Vehicles. The honor goes to them for the combined sales of Evergreen RVs at both dealership locations. In addition to strong sales with Bay Hill fifth wheels, is also selling Evergeen Sun Valley and I-Go travel trailers.
Also in November, Pete's RV Center is presented with a Thirty-Year Membership Award from The National RV Dealers Association (RVDA).
January 2015
With the retirement of Terry and Larry Shepard, and David McGinnis, the second-generation ownership team consisting of Chad Shepard, Todd McGinnis and Scott Borden take over at the helm. The trio start their tenure with nearly 100 years of combined experience in the family business.
March 2015
Pete's RV Center presented by Forest River with the 2014 Largest Vengeance Dealer in the Northeast United States Award.
September 2015
Pete's RV Center acquires our third dealership, Van's RV Center in South Windsor, Connecticut.
February 2018
Pete's RV Center acquires Macdonald's RV in Plainville, Massachusetts, just a two hour drive from our Connecticut dealership.
March 2020
Pete's RV Center acquires Gayle Kline RV Center, our fifth dealership in Mountville, Pennsylvania.
July 2021
Pete's RV Center acquires The Trail Center in North Charleston, South Carolina as our sixth dealership and first venture into the Southeast.
1947
Irene and Alvin Macdonald travel across the country and purchase a 1947 Westcraft in Las Vegas, refurbished it, and resold it for a higher value back home in New England. The business was born in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, soon selling mobile homes and adding mobile home parks.
1950's
Alvin Macdonald, Jr. and his wife Eileen join the business. They started manufacturing Kon Tiki Truck Campers by Al-Mac at a plant in Rhode Island, until Alvin Sr. had a serious heart attack. Alvin Jr. then decided to sell the manufacturing portion of the business, and started to sell off the mobile home parks.
1960's
Alvin Jr. and Eileen's daughter, Karen, begins helping out with the family business as a young girl.
1976
Alvin Jr. builds a 4.5 acre facility at the current location in Plainville, Massachusetts, focusing the business on RV sales and service. Karen Macdonald begins working at the business full-time.
Late 1970's
Macdonald's RV Center sees the growing demand for smaller RVs, and begins winning awards as No. 1 in New England in sales with Holiday Rambler and Shasta Travel Trailers. Alvin Jr. regularly travels to RV manfacturing plants in Indiana to pick up coaches on Saturday nights, diligently returning each Monday morning.
1980's
Alvin Jr. makes the wise decision to leave the Shasta product line and begin selling Sun-Lite Travel Trailers, a popular light-weight option for many years.
1990's
Karen Macdonald becomes owner of Macdonald's RV Center, expanding to sell even more popular RV brands.
2002
Gillete Stadium opens just 15 minutes from Macdonald's RV Center.
2010's
Macdonald's continues to increase new and pre-owned travel trailer and growing fifth-wheel inventory.
2016
Macdonald's enters the RV rental market, partnering with Cruise America to meet increasing customer rental demand.
2017
Macdonald's RV Center celebrates 70th anniversary with a special celebration at the Pinewood Lodge and Campground. The dealership is proudly known as "The Oldest RV Dealer in New England."
February 2018
Looking to retire, Karen Macdonald sells dealership to Pete's RV Center, who makes Macdonald's their fourth dealership, and renames the Plainville location Pete's RV Center.
March 2020
Pete's RV Center acquires Gayle Kline RV, our fifth dealership in Mountville, Pennsylvania.
July 2021
Pete's RV Center acquires The Trail Center, our sixth dealership in North Charleston, South Carolina and first venture into the Southeast.