The office.

• Author: Heffes, Ellen M.
• Position: Randy Lay from Lazydays RV Center Inc. - Interview

How did the company get started?

Lazydays was founded--with $500 and two travel trailers--in Tampa, Fla., in 1976 by the Wallace family, who are no longer active in the business. The business relocated to its current Seffner facility in 1996 and established an RV "Superstore" with a 330-site campground and sales and service facilities on 126 acres off Route 1-4. The Tucson facility was acquired in 2011.

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How has the business model changed?

Our model has always stressed customer relationships as a key sustainable advantage. We seek to make "customers for life" and to create a unique experience for our customers. We have been described as "Disneyland for RVers."

We sell both motorized and towable RVs, and we have a very significant presence in the motorized market with sizable share in the market in Florida and nationally. We typically sell 4,000-5,000 RVs annually from the Seffner location.

What are some significant events in its evolution?

Early in its history, the business began to focus on potential customers outside its geographical boundaries. At that time, these efforts focused on direct mail and quickly migrated to the Internet, as that platform developed. This focus allowed the business to establish a national presence at the high end of the market--diesel and gas motorized vehicles--that persists to this day.

The other major shift in Lazydays' history was the move to the Seffner site and the establishment of an RV destination location featuring extensive camping facilities, service and repair facilities, a broad selection of inventory, restaurants, retail establishments and other amenities.

What are some current challenges/pressing issues?

Recreational vehicles are a discretionary purchase and one that can be heavily influenced by consumer confidence and credit availability. Not surprisingly, the industry was severely impacted by the 2008-09 downturn.

A recovery is underway, and the RV business tends to be a leading indicator of future economic performance, so it should recover somewhat faster than the economy at large.

RVs have always appealed to families and those who enjoy an outdoor lifestyle. The key demographic for the business is the baby-boomer generation and younger enthusiasts.

A key challenge and opportunity for the business is finding ways to meet the needs of customers for whom time is at a premium--a somewhat different group than the previous generation of owners who tended to be primarily those...