Whitehorse RV owners may be waiting longer for service now, as 2 shops prepare to close

Yukon campgrounds officially open later this week, but some RV owners in the territory might have a tricky time getting ready for camping season.

That's because two longstanding RV shops in Whitehorse are set to close.

Philmar RV Centre is one of them. It's been servicing RVs in Whitehorse since 1983.

"Basically we were looking for work and headed north," owner Mary-Anne Phillips recalled, about setting up shop four decades ago. "We flipped a coin and it was either Fort McMurray or Whitehorse.

"It's been a good long run but I'm ready to retire."

Five kilometres south down the Alaska Highway, Fireweed RV Services is also closing up shop. The family-run business has been fixing RVs and storing motorhomes since 1994.

"A couple of years ago, Mom, Dad and I discussed it and we decided it was about time to figure out the exit strategy," said owner John Robertson.  "We actually had a good offer back in November so we took it. It's bittersweet, everybody asks me what I'm going to do and I say, 'yes.'"

It's been a tsunami- Alex Kohler, technician at GoNorth Yukon

The loss of the two businesses will leave just two other options for most RV services in Whitehorse: GoNorth Yukon, and Fraserway RV.

"There will be a void for sure," said Robertson. "But it's also an opportunity for someone to fill those shoes."

Alex Kohler is the lone technician at GoNorth and he also manages the office there. He says he's already noticed a difference, with his business doubling from last year.

"It's been a tsunami," said Kohler. "I underestimated how many people there are that have RVs," he said.

"We're doing the best we can. I'm going to get more parts, we're going to hire an extra technician this summer.  We'll see how it goes, just one-day-at-a-time kind of thing."

Kohler says right now they're booking appointments six weeks out.

Fraserway RV, meanwhile, is booking into next month.

And back at Philmar, Mary-Anne Phillips is preparing to do something her customers have done over the years. She's going to head down the highway on a new adventure.

"I'm hoping to retire," said Phillips. "I'm gonna go explore the east coast for a while and see if I like it there or not."