Living in Traverse City, Michigan is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. With access to the stunning shores of Lake Michigan, the rolling hills of the Leelanau Peninsula, and the miles of trails in nearby state and national parks, there is never a shortage of adventures to enjoy. Traverse City offers the perfect blend of outdoor recreation and natural beauty.
Traverse City is located in a region of Michigan known as the “RV capital of the world” due to the high concentration of RV manufacturers and suppliers in the area.
If you live in Traverse City, you’ve probably heard of the #1 RV dealer in the area — TCRV. It’s likely you even bought your camper from them. TCRV has been selling and servicing RVs in Traverse City for over 30 years.
TCRV recently made the decision to become part of a larger family-owned business — and is now Bish’s RV of Traverse City.
Why TCRV decided to become a Bish’s RV dealership
Many people are asking TCRV owner, Kevin Brinkerhoff, why his #1 RV dealership made the decision to become part of Bish’s RV. His response is, “TCRV is #1, but we’re relatively small compared to those mega-corporate RV chains. Now that we’re part of Bish’s, we have greater opportunities to serve more people, but we’re still part of a family-owned business.”
TCRV: Customer Service is King
Kevin Brinkerhoff got into the RV business over 30 years ago so he could provide a place for average, hard-working guys like himself to shop for RVs and not be pressured when looking to buy quality campers to enjoy time with their families.
Mission Accomplished!
TCRV Award-winning Service
- 1995: #1 Folding Trailer Dealer in the Midwest
- 2020, 2021, 2022: Traverse City Record Eagle “Simply The Best” Winner
Awarded for Best RV Dealership (Voting by the residents of Traverse City) - 2014-2023 Recognized as one of the nation’s top Jayco RV service centers
If you’ve done business with TCRV you know they genuinely care about you. Customer service is not just some feel-good slogan; it’s who they are. They truly want to take care of you. They’ve even been known to drive out to your house after you’ve bought a camper from them to fix any problems you may have to make things right. Now that’s customer service!
TCRV: Becoming Bish’s RV
Making the decision to sell TCRV and become part of the Bish’s RV family was not an easy decision for Kevin, but as he says, everything worthwhile in life is usually difficult.
He had several large offers from other potential buyers, but those offers never went very far because the buyers did not share the same values.
“Bish’s RV has the same culture as TCRV,” says Kevin. “Fairness. A place where employees are taken care of. Taking care of the customer. These are the values TCRV was built upon. These same qualities are why we chose to join Bish’s RV.”
Bish’s RV Authenticity
Before making the decision to join Bish’s RV, Kevin did his research. He wanted to be sure what he was finding out online about Bish’s was for real. Could this large family-owned RV dealer really be this in line with his own core values?
Kevin told me how he found the answer to that question. “I went to several other Bish’s stores and talked to other former-owners who did what I was wanting to do. I got to see for myself that Bish’s does more than talk the talk, they’re one of those companies that walk the walk— genuine, authentic.”
TCRV and Bish’s RV: Selling Relationships
“We’re not just selling campers; we’re selling relationships.” — Kevin Brinkerhoff, TCRV Owner
Kevin told me what selling RVs means to him. “What we’re selling is family togetherness. Comfort and peace of mind the average, hard-working guy needs when he’s going to spend this kind of money to spend time with his family. He wants a product that works the first time he uses it. He works hard and he deserves to play hard, and he deserves a product that is going to perform. That togetherness is what TCRV — and now Bish’s RV — sells.”
He continued talking to me about the value of relationships. “Good customer relationships start with good employee relationships.”
“Once a week, on Fridays, our employees have a meal together. No business talk, but things like, ‘how’s your family?’ ‘What are you doing this weekend?’ We’re all human. Creating relationships and building relationships — that’s what we do.”
Bish’s RV of Traverse City
Kevin confidently told me, “The day Bish’s takes over is just another day we’re open, serving our customers. The only thing different is the name.”
TCRV becoming Bish’s RV means Traverse City residents can expect to start saving more money on RVs. Large family businesses like Bish’s RV are able to make larger camper purchases for less money per unit. When Bish’s saves money, you save money. Bish’s passes the savings onto you. Win-Win!
Kevin gets excited thinking about the future of Bish’s RV of Traverse City, “It’s about relationships. As Bish’s RV we’ll be able to offer more people jobs, able to serve our customers better. We can offer better support and offer more product solutions.”
Before our conversation ended, Kevin said, “The more I know about Bish’s RV, the more excited I am to be part of the Bish’s Family.”
We’re excited too, Kevin!
Let’s build new relationships!
