BEND, Ore. — In an interview RVBusiness, Dave Hogue, co-owner of Host Campers, said that he and partner Mark Storch have sold the truck camper manufacturing company to Duane Walker and Duane Stevens.
Founded in 2000, the Bend, Ore.-based company produces high-end truck campers. The company name originates from the first two letters of each owners’ last names (“Ho” and “St”).
If their family names sound familiar it’s because their fathers Jim Hogue and Frank Storch were business partners and founded Beaver Coaches in the late 1960s. The company was named after the Oregon State mascot, the Beavers. Beaver Coaches sold to Safari in 1998.
The younger Hogue and Storch started Host Campers in Jim Hogue’s garage where they had every tool available. Host became the first truck camper to come out with a triple slideout, designed by Mark Storch.
“We use very industrial slide out mechanisms that could also be used for motorhomes,” stated Dave Hogue.
They branded the original unit, the Mammoth, and this year that unit and the company celebrate its 25th anniversary.
“We’re known for our options that a lot of other truck manufacturers don’t offer. We came from a motorcoach background and used to have pages of options for interiors and components. We always figured that if we’re selling them and the consumer is buying them; shouldn’t we accommodate them?”
As far as the truck camper market, Hogue explained, “We have a good market with a strong product with trusses in the roof and studs in the wall. Lithium has been very successful for us with off-grid packages supplied by Go Power!”
“We don’t flood the market with inventory and that produces re-sale value for the product, so return on investment is huge when a customer wants to sell their unit.
Hogue and Storch plan to stay on with the company for a year to help with the transition. As Hogue explained this was our baby, we want to see it succeed.
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