Family Turns Dream into Reality with Successful Campground Venture
Jackie Banas set about radically changing her life nine years ago after a fateful overnight visit to the St. Louis West KOA. On their way back home from visiting her husband’s family in California, Jackie struck up a conversation with one of the campground’s owners who raved about her own family’s ownership experience. “I came back to our motorhome that night and told my husband, Jason that we needed to buy a KOA campground,” she says. “He admitted that he had already been thinking about it.” [1]
Soon after, the family purchased the Brighton/401 KOA Holiday, a well-cared for campground that was not quite living up to its potential. Since taking over the business, Jackie and Jason have nearly tripled their revenue and turned it into a family-friendly “must visit” hot spot.
Part of Banas’ strategy for success is to give her customers what they want. For a growing market that means a chic glamping experience. “I’ve known Evan and the Bunkie Company forever,” she says. “I always thought their bunkie’s are fantastic but because my campground is extremely family oriented, they weren’t quite big enough for our business. Hearing my feedback, Evan went to work designing a bunkie that would be a perfect fit for us. The loft version of the bunkie still provides a lot of floor space if it’s raining and campers need to sit inside but it now has 2 queen beds to accommodate 4 people sleeping!”
Banas installed three Alpine Bunkie’s in August 2022, so their rental track record has only just begun. “Campers started to book them as soon as they became available,” Banas says. “So far everyone has said they are great; using words like “cute,” and “pretty” to describe them. They have expressed comfort with the design and layout of the bunkies as well as the outdoor experience we have created for them.”
Banas says the ordering process was easy and quick, “I personally sat with Evan to go over the options I wanted to include in our order,” she says. She even took the time to visit the shop to see how the bunkie’s are built and assembled.
When asked if she would recommend purchasing a Bunkie or even several units, Banas says, “I’ve told quite a few other KOA owners about them. Plus, the quality inspection team that comes to the KOA once a year were very intrigued by them. My main recommendation is to other campground owners that want to create additional gross revenue from accommodation income. They were fairly easy to obtain and assemble. Campers think they look amazing. I have high hopes for them being even more successful in the next two years as people get to know them more.”
We’re holding an open house at the Brighton KOA on Saturday, April 22 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., so come and see the Alpine Bunkie for yourself! Bunkie staff and Jackie and Jason will be on site to answer all of your questions.
Those attending the open house will also have the opportunity to enter a draw for a free stay Friday, June 16 to Sunday June 18, 2023 (no purchase necessary). Campground information, including driving direction can be found here.
Check out the video below of the Alpine Bunkie X Brighton/401 KOA Holiday Brighton build in action!
[1] The opening paragraph is has been reworked from this KOA story: https://ownakoa.com/2021/05/05/ontario-owner-finds-successful-koa-partnership/