Kunes Auto & RV Group Acquires 2 Wisconsin RV Dealerships

ELKHORN, Wis. – Kunes Auto & RV Group, with more than 40 auto and RV dealerships spanning the Midwest, today (Sept. 23) announced it has added two new Wisconsin-based RV dealerships to its already robust roster. The family-owned auto group purchased from Todd Oberg his Fathead’s Country Campers and Fatheads Rapid RV in Lake Mills and Wisconsin Rapids, respectively. The RV dealerships now operate under Kunes RV Lake Mills Inc. and Kunes RV Wisconsin Rapids Inc., giving Kunes a total of 42 dealerships, 14 of which sell RVs. 

 “Covid-19 and the financial turmoil that followed turned business on its head,” Tom Hamil, RV director at Kunes Auto & RV Group, stated in a release. “In many industries, business ground to a halt, but the ability to work remotely and the desire to travel safely during the pandemic propelled RV sales by more than 15%.” 

RV sales aren’t the only part of Kunes’ business that thrived despite a volatile market; Kunes more than doubled its operations coming out of the pandemic, growing from 23 locations at the start of 2020 to 42 today.

“The real test in the auto industry came after the pandemic when supply shortages left many dealerships with nearly empty lots,” says Chief Operating Officer of Kunes Auto & RV, Scott Kunes. “When people were ready to buy cars again, we were fortunate to have inventory that other dealerships didn’t. This helped us offer better selection and keep prices moderate to stay competitive, and largely contributed to our success.” 

In a separate release, RV Business Solutions, a leading buy-sell advisor to RV dealers, announced it was the exclusive sell-side advisor to Oberg in the transaction.

Coming from the software/technology industry, Oberg bought Fatheads RV in 2014, the release continued. It was a single-location dealership located on the current Main Street lot in Lake Mills. In 2019, Oberg purchased his second location in Wisconsin Rapids.

“I came to know Scott (Degnan) and RV Business Solutions in 2021 when I was looking to expand my business into a third location,” Oberg stated. “Scott and Mike (Lankford) were representing the seller, and I came to appreciate the way they were interacting with me as a suitor as well as the way they were representing their client, the selling dealer. Scott and Mike brought several offers to me from various buyers, but in the end, we felt that the Kunes RV group was the best fit for us and our employees. I would highly recommend RV Business Solutions to any RV dealer looking to sell their business.”

Since 2021, RV Business Solutions has advised on the sale of over 40 RV dealership locations totaling over $350 million in Transactional Value. Degnan, co-founder and partner at RV Business Solutions, stated that it was, “a pleasure helping advise Todd in the sale of his dealership. He was very clear with us from the beginning that we had to find the right buyer for his company, not just any buyer. Todd had the opportunity to sell to several dealers, but in the end concluded that Kunes would be the best fit for him and his employees.”

Source: https://rvbusiness.com/kunes-auto-rv-group-acquires-2-wisconsin-rv-dealerships/