Frederick's Top 50: Beckley's Camping Center

As the #1 RV dealer in the State of Maryland, Beckley’s opened in 1980 and today, does over $50 million in annual sales. The company employs 124 in Frederick County and operates on 30.5 acres.

What do you forsee for your business and/or the economy in 2018?

Beckley’s expects to continue to benefit from the unprecedented increase in the desire for camping and outdoor recreation that has experienced an unparalleled upward trend since the 2008 recession.

A return to the desire for family time, and an influx of millenniums into the market have caused the forecasters to project continued industry growth well into the 2020s. RVs support a balanced and active lifestyle. Owners report that RV travel enables them to experience nature and outdoor activities and enjoy quality family time. They report stronger bonds with loved ones and benefits to children as they eat together, sit around the camp fire and talk together, and sleep in their own beds.

RV shipments through August 2017 showed an increase of 15.1% from the same period in 2016. This continues seven consecutive years of growth as the industry has bounced back from the effects of the Great Recession.

What would surprise people about your business?

Our customers are most surprised by the size and scope of our dealership. Beckley’s is the number one single lot dealer in Maryland for the past 15 years, with well over 120 employees, employee incentive programs, a 401k program and health care benefits, holidays, vacations, and many other benefits.

Our sales numbers continue to grow at a rapid rate as we emphasize customer satisfaction, honest business dealings and delivering real value to the customer.

Why did you choose Frederick County as a business location?

Frederick County was chosen years ago by our founder Robert Beckley. Mr. Beckley, himself from Frederick County, felt that the location, the availability of an energetic, enthusiastic, and intelligent workforce was the ideal community in which to establish and build his recreational vehicle business.

Cashing in on the traffic patterns along RT 15, and the proximity to many nearby campgrounds in the mountains and in and around Gettysburg, it made sense when it came time to relocate to a bigger and more visible location, that RT 15 at Thurmont was a natural choice.

What’s keeping your business in Frederick County?

We stay in Frederick, for all the same reasons that we opened in Frederick County. Plus, we have unwavering support from the community and enjoy a workforce for the most part, lives, worships, and is schooled in this community. For the most part, we’ve had great relationships with the councils and commissions, law enforcement, and first responders in Thurmont and Frederick County.

What awards or accolades do you want to brag about?

For the past 15 years, we’ve been named #1 RV dealer in the state of Maryland (as determined by Statistical Surveys). We’ve won over 1,000 awards for both sales and achievements and service excellence. We employ certified service technicians, most of which are classified as “master”.

We participate in hundreds of community activities, events and fundraisers. We’ve supported veterans events like the Wounded Warrior Project, Biking Across America and others.

 

About Frederick’s Top 50

Frederick’s Top 50 for 2018 marks an inaugural list of businesses who have the largest potential to contribute to Frederick County’s vibrant economy. The metrics-driven list was created by OED with assistance from Hood College, using research from InfoUSA, tax records, CoStar and internal data collection. Data was analyzed using a weighted scoring system in the following areas: Number of Employees in Frederick County, Annual Property Taxes Paid, Square Footage Occupied in Frederick County, Location Sales Volume and Year Established.