Old school Airstreams enjoy pandemic-era popularity
Eilene Zimmerman, The Washington Post
Feb. 24, 2021
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1of5Denny Stone, owner and head of design at So Cal Vintage Trailer, polishes a refurbished Airsteam at his facility in San Diego.photo for The Washington Post by Sandy Huffaker.Show MoreShow Less
2of5An interior view of a refurbished Airstream camper at So Cal Vintage Trailer.photo for The Washington Post by Sandy Huffaker.Show MoreShow Less
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4of5Carpenter Chris Witte works on custom wood walls inside of an Airstream camper at So Cal Vintage Trailer.photo for The Washington Post by Sandy Huffaker.Show MoreShow Less
Despite being forced to close for six-weeks early in the pandemic, retail sales at Airstream dealerships jumped 22 percent in 2020 and demand is still on the rise.
February 24, 2021
Last June, Amy Geren bought a $42,000 Airstream trailer, sight unseen, from a dealer in Vermont. The 16-foot, 2020 Bambi floor model was the last one on the lot.
“And I could sell mine tomorrow for more than I paid for it,” Geren, 49, says.
That may not be an exaggeration. Despite being forced to close for six weeks early in the pandemic, retail sales at Airstream dealerships jumped 22% in 2020 and demand is still on the rise. It’s “beyond anything we anticipated,” says Airstream chief executive Bob Wheeler.
The growing popularity of Airstreams is part of a surge in sales of all recreational vehicles during the coronavirus pandemic. RV shipments set new records in November and December of last year, according to the RV Industry Association.