65 Years of Outdoor Furniture Done Right"

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Awesome. So I appreciate your time. We're over here at the OHCI conference as friendly neighbors in the vendor space talking to RV park owners and networking and all this. So tell us a little bit more about what do you guys offer and how do you serve RV park owners. [00:00:17] Speaker B: Like I said, the Pilot Rock brand of site amenities. We offer campfire rings, picnic tables, charcoal grills, trash receptacles, lantern poles, just kind of all those side amenities that you need on, on a primitive campground to, to RV sites, everything like that. [00:00:35] Speaker A: Yeah, they're important. Doll up those sites. [00:00:37] Speaker B: Yes, sir. Yep. And we've been, we've been serving the, serving the business for 65 years. We are a third generation family owned company out. [00:00:47] Speaker A: I like that. [00:00:48] Speaker B: Out of small town, northwest Iowa. [00:00:49] Speaker A: Yeah, I love, I love the, the family aspect to it. I've seen a few people like one of the wagons guys started 14 years ago and it's all seemed like family and, and so I like to hear that one. I don't really care for corporate. Corporate stuff, right? [00:01:01] Speaker B: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:01:03] Speaker A: So that's pretty neat. [00:01:04] Speaker B: They do come knocking every now and again. Anyways, yeah, we'll, we'll stay family owned for right now. [00:01:08] Speaker A: Yeah, that's cool. So like you said, primitive camping resorts, anywhere in between if they want to add some little touch ups to their sites. Is there anything kind of unique or different? Are you guys just driving through and. We got, we got what you need. [00:01:21] Speaker B: And, and you know, hon, I think our quality is really kind of one of our advantages. You know, we don't manufacture down to hit a price point. You know, we want to make sure everything is top notch. [00:01:35] Speaker A: So it's not the cheapest stuff from [00:01:36] Speaker B: China between you know, dipping our firings and grills and heat resistant enamel as opposed to powder coating. [00:01:43] Speaker A: Okay. Or does that make a big difference one year, five years down the road? [00:01:47] Speaker B: Oh, sure. You know, powder coating is not meant to withstand high heat, so that's just ultimately going to flake off over the course of time. Whereas heat resistant enamel, the more you utilize it and use it, it will, it will harden, it will cure and kind of add to the longevity of your product. [00:02:04] Speaker A: What kind of difference are we talking in lifespans between the two? [00:02:06] Speaker B: You know, I've seen charcoal grills out that were made in the 70s and 80s that still, you know, aside from the finish being gone, look like they're brand new. You know, there's no holes in the firebox. The grills are, the grades are just fine. I mean, so, so, I mean you're you're looking to easily get 40, 50 years plus if you, you know, if you maintain them, of course. [00:02:23] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So let them brought out or don't clean them out. They sit in puddles of water. You don't want that. [00:02:29] Speaker B: No, that's the worst thing that can happen to a grill is leaving ash and getting it rained on. [00:02:34] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:02:35] Speaker B: Kind of start your corrosion pretty immediately. [00:02:36] Speaker A: Yeah. Chew it up, eat it out. So that's cool. So you guys do nationwide? [00:02:40] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. Yep. [00:02:41] Speaker A: Okay. [00:02:41] Speaker B: Yep, yep. Nationwide. We do some, some international sales as well. But like I tell people, you know, there's a good chance that our three sided park grill is at the park just down the street from your house, more than likely. So. [00:02:52] Speaker A: Yeah. So I imagine a lot of campgrounds, but also a lot of city parks and. [00:02:54] Speaker B: Oh yeah, yep, yep. [00:02:56] Speaker A: And municipality parks, all that stuff. [00:02:58] Speaker B: Yeah. We worked for a number of years with the U. S. Forest service and park service on every level. Parks, state parks, national parks, local, local as well. So. But yeah, we, we're, we're like, like I said, definitely out there about everywhere. [00:03:12] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. My first park that I built, I definitely wish I would have taken a little bit more time to add a little fire pits or some little grills and stuff. So what we're doing now is we're just like, I didn't do that. Kind of dropped the ball on that one and I figured it was need later. So we're just doing like a community space and you know, doing a little cover and spot where somebody can grill out, having families over and stuff. [00:03:34] Speaker B: Absolutely. [00:03:34] Speaker A: It's little touches for parks, I think that really do make a difference. [00:03:38] Speaker B: I agree, I agree. [00:03:39] Speaker A: Because on the construction side, we'll talk to a lot of people and they're like, what's the cheapest way to do it? I'm like, you're missing the boat. You got to give people every reason to come to your park. Whether it's a freaking fire pit, whether it's a grill or whatever, where they're going to hang out and grill their meats on Sunday, you know, like. [00:03:52] Speaker B: Oh, absolutely. [00:03:52] Speaker A: Something, anything you can do is, is, is a benefit to the park which draws them in, which just, you know, helps build your parks. [00:03:58] Speaker B: I agree, I agree. I think I know one thing that I've heard a lot of over the past few shows. There's a lot of folks, especially with picnic tables. They're, they're, they've bought and purchased lumber, picnic tables, and they say, you know, every two to three years we're replacing tables. [00:04:16] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:04:17] Speaker B: You know, so they're looking at materials that are a little more resilient than just a standard lumber. So, you know, we offer recycled plastic, aluminum, like a coated steel as well. [00:04:25] Speaker A: Yeah. Last longer. [00:04:27] Speaker B: So, you know, it might be a little more investment right up front anyways. But it is. It is definitely worth that investment overall because you're not going to be replacing or reinvesting in those products. [00:04:36] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:04:36] Speaker B: Few years down the road. [00:04:37] Speaker A: Yeah. And even if you're just a park investor, you're still going to at least have that park for probably two years. A lot of times it's on a five year cycle. You go and improve it and everything. Man, those wood ones, even if you stain them right up front, you still could be a year or two into it. It starts warping, splintering, and it's like, oh, this is a liability. [00:04:53] Speaker B: Y always every show I hear that from at least three to five customers. Yeah. [00:04:57] Speaker A: But it was only 150 bucks to get it. I'm like, yeah, every two years. [00:05:01] Speaker B: Absolutely. Absolutely. [00:05:02] Speaker A: Awesome. Well, I appreciate your insight and I hope a few folks who hear this might reach out to you. So. [00:05:08] Speaker B: Yeah, no, I really appreciate that. [00:05:09] Speaker A: Yeah. Thanks for taking the time coming over and talking to us. It's helpful to just see what other people are doing, build contacts and. And have folks hear about what you got going on too. [00:05:18] Speaker B: Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, thank you very much for your time.