Wally Kennedy: RV dealership picks Joplin for expansion
Dec. 2—Joplin has a new RV dealership that's up and running.
Craig and Viktoriya Goldrich, who operate an RV dealership in Tulsa, Oklahoma, picked Joplin as a site for expansion. They are now transforming the former John Q. Hammons Convention and Trade Center into Joplin RV & Marine, 3535 Hammons Blvd. The deal to transfer ownership of the long-vacant trade center was handled by Alan Buttram, with Buttram Commercial Real Estate.
With 30,000 square feet of space, this will be a massive undertaking, but the new owners see it as an opportunity waiting to happen because of its nearness to Sam's Club and to 32nd Street Place, a $188 million mixed-used, retail and residential development on land east of Range Line Road and south of East 32nd Street.
The structure will have a large indoor showroom to display recreational vehicles and eventually some high-end boats. To do that, the structure's ceiling will be reconfigured to allow for a 14-foot clearance. The reworking of the structure will take some time. A grand opening is planned for March. In the meantime, a sales office has been set up in one of the campers moved to the site. Several models are now on display.
Apparently, this business is off to a good start. Craig Goldrich said Joplin RV & Marine opened Tuesday and had its first sale the next day. The structure also will house a service department.
"We will service what we sell," Goldrich said. "We'll have a state-of-the-art parts department. Right now, we're hiring for everything from custodians to RV mechanics."
Bring your resume to the dealership and apply in person. Ask for the general manager, Kim Siex.
Joplin RV & Marine will offer several brands of trailers and motor homes, including Alliance, Holiday Rambler, Winnebago, Gulf Stream, Keystone, Forest River and Shasta. The business also will offer used trailers, and has consignment programs for recreational vehicles and boats.
During the pandemic of 2020 and 2021, sales of recreational vehicles skyrocketed, creating a shortage of RVs. Parts were affected, too. Goldrich said the industry is "back to normal. The shortages are gone."
New look
A longtime Main Street business, OK Bar & Billiards, 1516 S. Main St., is getting a new look.
The pool hall's Main Street side has been upgraded with a new facade of gray stone and modern windows. The top half was recently painted black to complement the stone. The new look features a garage door-like opening that will let fresh air into a room that has been designated as "The Smokin' Hole" by patrons.
Amanda Love, who owns the bar with her mother, Jean Harmon, daughter of the original owner, said the improvements are not done yet. Plans call for an awning to be added to the front of the building.
"We are a nonsmoking establishment. We added the room to accommodate the smokers," she said. "Our customers gave it that nickname. It's a good place to sit at a table, get some fresh air and watch Main Street."
OK Bar & Billiards, a Main Street fixture since 1939, has a large number of pool tables, including some new ones, according to its website. It also has a restaurant that offers a wide range of sandwiches, appetizers and pizza.
I have a special fondness for the OK. My father loved playing pool. The OK, he said, had the best tables and the best players. He had his own personalized cue. He was known there as "Lefty" because he was left-handed. When Jean Harmon heard me say his name, she said, "I knew Lefty. In fact, I've got a picture of him somewhere."
That doesn't surprise me in the least bit. I hope she can find it.
Contact Wally Kennedy at wkennedy@joplinglobe.com.
