When the founder of Oudoorsy, a type of Airbnb website for RVs and campers, discovered Durango while camping on a trailer tour, he realized it was the perfect place to open the firm’s first brick-and-mortar shop.
The array of outdoor recreational activities possible in Southwest Colorado struck founder Jeff Cavins, and they were key in his decision to open the firm’s first physical location, which is dubbed an “outpost,” in downtown Durango.
Robert Casanueva, Outdoorsy special ops project manager in charge of opening the Durango shop, said, “Jeff came here and said, ‘Man, this is the most outdoorsy place I’ve ever seen. In Durango, when people ask each other what they do, they’re not asking about work. They’re asking, ‘Do you mountain bike? Do you whitewater raft? Do you rock climb?’”
Outdoorsy, which first went online in 2014, had grown to the point where a physical shop would not only help increase brand awareness, Casanueva said, it would allow the firm to develop closer ties to the camping, outdoor adventurers and RV communities.
“The idea of the brick-and-mortar place is to connect with people about how they want to travel, where they want to travel, and how we can grow as a company to better support the Outdoorsy community,” Casanueva said.
A physical location builds brand awareness, and Casanueva said other “outposts” might be coming across the country.
“TBD” is what Casanueva said about future outposts.
But the experience in Durango, for the past month and a half, has Casanueva convinced the outpost idea is solid.
The Durango Outpost already has allowed Outdoorsy to gain a better understanding of the market for RV, camper and trailer rentals, and Casanueva thinks other physical locations will only deepen the understanding of the market.
“I think they’re a great idea. I'm going to champion getting as many of these all over the country,” he said. “I think we should have them all over, one in every state.”
The Outdoorsy outpost also benefits Durango, Casanueva said.
“We don’t compete with any other business downtown, but we complement the restaurants, the bike shops,” he said. “I think we’re a great introduction to people about the outdoor possibilities that are out here in Southwest Colorado and the Four Corners.”
Typical vehicle rentals range from $50 to $200 a night for trailers, $150 to $275 a night for camper vans and Class C (smaller RVs) with prices going up for big rigs like Class A RVS, the big bus-size recreational vehicles.
Outdoorsy also provides insurance options for people renting the RVs, campers and trailers.
Outdoorsy takes a 20% cut of the rental price and the owner gets 80%.
Owners can determine how many miles are allowed on a trip, where the vehicle can go and set other requirements for use of the rented vehicle.
Casanueva said Outdoorsy currently has 35,000 vehicles registered on its platform available for renting.
Outdoorsy is currently in the process of getting a bump-out approved with the city of Durango. It will showcase various RVS, campers and trailers in the bump-out.
Currently, the Durango outpost is showing a 2021 Winnebago Solis, which is parked in front of the outpost.
Showing RVs in front of the store has piqued the interest of passersby.
“You put a Sprinter van or you put a vehicle in front, and people are so curious about what is this experience,” Casanueva said. “They don't necessarily go to an RV dealer and try to go buy one, but they want an appetizer. They want to look at it, see what it looks like inside.”
parmijo@durangoherald.com
