We are nowhere near the cheapest," Kevin Molick says, "In fact, we are probably one of the most expensive. But we are that way because we are trying to be the very best with the highest quality possible." Molick is the owner of Timberleaf Trailers, Inc, based in Grand Junction, Colorado. Timberleaf makes two trailers, the Classic Teardrop and the Pika Teardrop. Both are beautiful campers that have all the amenities a teardrop should have and quite a bit more.
Timberleaf Trailers started with an idea about 3 and a half years ago. "I was always a woodworker and contractor in Denver and I started searching for a teardrop trailer for my wife and I to camp in," Molick recalls. He says that he was never one for the big campers, just wanted to enjoy the outdoors with his wife. "I found a few that came close to what I wanted and then it dawned on me - I can build one. And, honestly, I believed I could build one better than the ones that were out there. So I did," he says. He made plans and showed them to a few friends and one of the friends asked if Molick could build one for him, too. It was then he realized that this could be a business opportunity.
At the time, Molick had a general contractor business with four employees. "I told the guys - I know this is not what you signed up for, but this is where I am thinking of going and you all are welcome to join and they all did," Molick recalls. He was worried about presenting the idea to his wife, but, "She was absolutely on board with it almost immediately."
A glimpse of the process of building a Timberleaf teardrop. [Photo/Timberleaf Trailers, Inc.]
In a town like Denver, which has been in a huge boom for nearly a decade, one would figure that being a general contractor would be a great gig. When it started booming, though, Molick found this was not the case. "My reputation went way back as I have been in Denver for over 40 years, but I was losing money," Molick says. What kept happening is that he would give a quote that included subcontractors for something that is about 3-6 months out and by the time the work was being done the subcontractors' rates would go up tremendously due to demand. "Even when I adjusted the quotes to accommodate, it wouldn't be enough," he says.
Needless to say, building teardrop trailers was a welcome change. What came as a surprise was how quickly Timberleaf took off. "I originally set the goal to work full-time on trailers in about 2 years," Molick says, "It took 3 and a half months, mainly because of the publicity we got. As they say, we went viral." They worked in Denver until about 7 months ago when they moved to Grand Junction. They didn't go to gain more business, but because "the real estate is cheaper and I like the lifestyle," Molick says.
So what are the two trailers they sell? The Classic teardrop is just that - a classic. It is a 10' by 5' trailer with a queen mattress and an expertly designed galley kitchen in the back. It comes in a variety of packages that are designed for different consumers and price points. The classic package is made for folks that are looking for the retro look and to cruise it down the highway with that vintage flair. The All-Road is meant for all-wheel-drive vehicles. It has a Timbren Axle-Less suspension, 15" tires, and drum brakes. It is meant to go everywhere a Crossover SUV would go. The Off-Road is beefed up from the All-road by adding in a 4" lift and BFGoodrich tires and everything else that makes it able to go anywhere boondocking or off-roading. The base price is about $20,000.
The Pika is smaller. At 4'6" X 8', it is meant for one or two people and people looking for a quality tear drop at a more affordable price (about $12,000 base). Folks comment that it is smaller than almost all tear drops, but little things, like a skylight and doors on each side make it feel airy and roomy. It also has the three different packages. Both trailers have accessories that can be added like Rhino Racks, solar panels, shelving, and more.
Many things are hard when running your own business, but if it is a quality product, customer satisfaction is not one of them. “Many of our clients have been researching and looking for the right trailer,” Molick says, “And almost all of them say that the first time they saw a Timberleaf, they knew right away it was the one.” He says that one of his favorite things are when people come to the showroom to pick up the trailer they ordered. “The first thing they always say is that it is better than they imagined,” he says.
So did Molick and his wife ever get a chance to go camping? “Oh yeah,” Molick chuckles, “When the weather is good, we take our teardrop out about every other weekend. We love it.”
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