Dan Gamel, 57, considering closure of 6 RV dealerships

Anderson’s largest RV dealer may soon close.

“We are going to liquidate the inventory at all of our stores,” company chairman Dan Gamel told the Valley Post in a telephone interview Friday morning, June 27. In addition to the dealership in Anderson, Gamel operates two RV sales and service centers in Fresno and one each in Modesto, Bakersfield and Rocklin.

Gamel, 57, the nation’s fourth largest RV dealer, has an inventory worth $70 million.

“Our plan right now is to sell the inventory and close the dealerships,” Gamel said.

However, Gamel said he is not closing the door on a continued presence in the southern part of Shasta County just yet.

“We like it there in Anderson. In terms of total sales and the services offered, the Redding RV Center in Anderson is one of our better locations. We have huge service center there and we have the dealership’s only full-service body shop and paint shop there in Anderson as well. It has always been one of our top grossing sales and service centers,” Gamel said, although he declined to quote specific sales figures.

Gamel’s decision to close the Anderson store comes four months after he closed similar dealerships in Chico and Santa Rosa.

Gamel said he couldn’t say when Anderson’s last day of business will be.

“My goal is to find a way to somehow be a part of helping families enjoy the great outdoors and this wonderful country of ours, but we cannot afford to ignore the economic and political conditions in the world today with gas at $4.50 a gallon and the anti-business climate that is so prevalent in California today,” Gamel said.

Gamel first purchased the Anderson freeway frontage in 2002. The dealership opened in February 2003. He currently has 55 employees working in sales, service, parts, repairs and repainting departments. The dealership is located just west of Interstate 5 and south of Riverside Avenue “I could call all of the manufacturers and tell them to simply pick up their unsold inventory, but I would rather wholesale these vehicles at ridiculously low prices. We are selling these RVs and buses at 50 cents, 60 cents and 70 cents on the dollar. We are planning for the worst and hoping for the best,” Gamel said.

Gamel currently employs 200 people.

The worst case would have Gamel closing all of his operations completely, he explained.

“The best case scenario is that we right-size our inventory for the economic conditions and find a way to keep our service department and body shop there open and functioning.”

The best case scenario is also the hope of Anderson City Manager Scott Morgan.

“Hopefully, they can move enough inventory with their sales prices to save the dealership. We are hoping they can turn that around, although we are concerned since gas and diesel fuel prices are so high,” Morgan said Friday, June 27.

“We would hate to see them close. They are one of our top-20 sales tax producers year after year,” Morgan said.

Editor’s Note: David Benda of Scripps News Service contributed to this report.