Co-Owner Mary Frederickson Discusses The Trials & Tribulation Of Making A Fully Realized RV Park
Owning a campground is an immense undertaking for anyone, but for those with the resolve and passion to take on the challenge, the rewards may outweigh the risks. Mary Frederickson, along with her husband Tim and son Corey, co-own Michigan City Campground in Northern Indiana. Previously, the Frederickson’s had owned two other businesses including a pre-existing park, but had always dreamed of running their own campground from the ground up. In 2002, after two years of searching for the perfect location and visiting over 20 other prospective parks, Michigan City Campground in Northern Indiana came on the market. The Frederickson’s family leaped at the opportunity.
When they first purchased the space, “it was a running campground [that] needed a lot of work [but] the location was everything. That was a main draw,” expounds Mary Frederickson. The campground itself is positioned between I94 and I80, two major highways in the Crossroads of America. Michigan City is also in close proximity to Chicago, Illinois with access to the city through the South Shore commuter train which is the most popular secondary form of transportation beyond driving in the area.
After finding an RV park with all the potential they’d hoped for, the Frederickson’s started off laying a ground plan for turning their bare bones campground into the beautiful, family-friendly campground they’d envisioned. The first step was to restructure the layout of the park to fit campers’ needs. “We were getting many requests for pull-through sites and other amenities like 50 amp service and strong Wi-Fi,” said Mary, noting that the park was originally built in the early 1970s.
To accommodate the request for pull-through sites that would make it easier for “people who might only be stopping for a night and want the convenience of hooking up to electric, water, and sewer, but don’t want to disconnect their vehicle or mess a tow dolly,” the Fredericksons cleared out the south side of the park that was overgrown with trees and carved out the larger sites with dual entry and exit points. “We actually used a logging company that took out three or four huge truckloads of trees after we cut them down.”
The family avoided the hassle of dealing with outside contractors by doing all of the legwork themselves. Most recently, they have added nine rental cabins with running water, electricity and air conditioning. “The rental cabins are very popular,” said Mary. “You’d be hard pressed to get in for the weekend from the middle of June to the end of August.”
Throughout the renovation process, the Fredericksons encountered several obstacles…including some that left them ankle deep in muck and grime. “We had to install a new sewer system, and let me tell you that was a project,” said Mary, admitting that revamping a campground isn’t without its challenges. In order to install a new sewer system, they were required to submit all of the engineering blueprints to the state and wait for approval. Fortunately, that process went smoothly, but the actual installation of the sewer system wasn’t the same story: “We basically had to strip down and leave all our muddy clothes at the front door just to go inside for lunch.”
Building a campground “requires long hours and a lot of hard work” Mary tells The Buzz. “You do not get a summer vacation, and because we’re a family run business. It’s [also] difficult to find help that can handle things while you’re gone.” All things considered, the hard work seems to be paying for the Fredericksons who now have a loyal, repeat customer base that have become more like extended family. Every year, the family hosts a few potluck dinners during high season and have even expanded holiday weekends to include activities like golf cart parades and pumpkin carvings on Halloween to cultivate the community-like atmosphere.
“We were so fortunate for the people who saw the vision with us, rented their seasonal spots and have been with us the entire time,” said Mary who feels that most of their business relies on their reputation and word of mouth. “We really try to treat people with respect so they feel safe here and they feel like their kids are safe here.”
For those who may someday be interested in owning a campground of their own, Mary advises to “get support by being involved in your state and national organizations, have a good relationship with your loan office and listen to what your campers are wanting.”
Now, years after pursuing their personal aspirations of owning an RV park, the Fredericksons couldn’t be more pleased and have even invested in another park about two hours south of Michigan City Campground where they’re able to implement the lessons they’ve learned along the way. It is that kind of entrepreneur spirit that engages Mary and her family every day.
Jannie Schaffer
A graduate of the Fashion Institute Of Technology in New York City with a degree in Interactive Marketing, Jannie has worked both for FOX and ASA Electronics. She enjoys traveling and whitewater rafting.
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Michigan City Campground, located 1.5 miles south of I-94 and 2.5 miles north of I-80/90, is nestled on 40 acres just 5 miles from Lake Michigan and 10 miles from Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.