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I sell custom camper vans for up to $100,000 and business is booming since the pandemic
Dave Walsh, 39, owns Vanlife Customs and builds one-of-a-kind camper vans. “Many of our clients have planned for this their entire life,” he says.
As told to Jenny Powers
This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Dave Walsh, a 39-year-old van builder from Denver, Colorado It has been edited for length and clarity.
Like any small business owner, I’ve tackled my share of challenges, but nothing compares to when COVID-19 hit in March 2020.
Without knowing if it would be days, weeks, or months, our work at Vanlife Customs (VCL) came to a screeching halt when Colorado issued a statewide mandatory lockdown and we were forced to close up shop.
After being closed for four weeks, our team of 12 reopened with a split schedule to adhere to social distancing rules.
Despite the lockdown, more people seem interested in buying custom vans.
Just before quarantine, we quickly listed two pre-built vans we had in the shop for…
