T-L Photos/ROBERT A. DEFRANK From beginning to end – Bob Stewart, owner of Stewart’s Mobile Home RV & Farm Supply, holds up the shop’s sign from his father’s and grandfather’s time, when the business began as a chicken hatchery. After 80 years and four generations, the store is closing its doors.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The area is saying goodbye to a long-time business as Stewart’s Mobile Home RV & Farm Supply Inc. is preparing to close its doors after almost 80 years in operation.

“It started out as a chicken hatchery,” owner Bob Stewart said in a reflective tone of voice Wednesday. “Right now the plans are to be closed in 60 days, and we plan to have an auction here on May 5-6.”

The business, spanning four generations of the Stewart family, is marking down and liquidating its entire inventory, including accessories, fixtures, equipment and tools.

Stewart said his is one of the oldest family-owned RV dealerships in the country.

The business has been voted Best of the Ohio Valley in Readers’ Choice contests sponsored by The Times Leader and Wheeling Newspapers more than 28 times and has received other awards for customer service during the past 30 years.

“We prided ourself on service. That was how we rebuilt and built the business through the years that I took it over,” he said.

Stewart has been operating the dealership for almost 40 years. He said the industry has “dramatically changed” in those four decades.

Stewart’s RV is another casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the owner, having never fully recovered from changes in buying habits.

“COVID presented a lot of obstacles. It changed a lot of things in that when COVID hit, we were shut down for a couple months to start with. We saw how that taught people to do a lot more shopping on the internet,” he said.

He reflected on the losses.

“We know what that normal two-month spring period would allow us as far as accessory sales … what would normally occur,” he said. “After COVID had ended and we got through the first year and got into the second and third year of coming out of COVID, we never saw those numbers climb back up to that level. They didn’t even make it halfway, because more people had learned to do a lot of their shopping on the internet, and that’s understandable, but it changed the dynamic of the parts and accessories business, which is a very important part of our business.

“The other thing that’s changed a lot in our industry is you have a lot of very large corporations that are RV dealerships now, and it seemed like they had less trouble getting inventory than the smaller dealerships, and it made it very difficult. When you don’t have inventory, you don’t have inventory to show your customers, and that makes it very difficult to sell them because you don’t have enough product to show them, and that made me realize that the industry seems to be catering more to the larger dealerships,” he said.

“We had an opportunity to sell the property, and we’ve very blessed for all the years we’ve been able to be in this business and be successful in this business. We have a lot of wonderful customers, and a lot of wonderful friendships have developed from those customers over the years. We’ve been very fortunate to be part of this industry during the good times, and probably a good time to be exiting this industry.”

Stewart had little to say about the future use of the property.

“A large corporation bought it, and they will be coming out with a press release. It’s not RV-related,” he said.

According to the Belmont County Auditor’s Office, the property was purchased by Getgo Portfolio III LLC of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Stewart said he looks forward to spending time enjoying faith, family, time with his wife and grandchildren, as well as pursuing outdoor activities such as camping, golf and Ohio State Buckeyes football. He said he will remain in the area.

“St. Clairsville will always be my home,” Stewart said.

Stewart described the final days of the store as “bittersweet,” with many familiar faces dropping by to wish him well and express their best wishes.

Joe Copeland of Morristown was among those shopping Wednesday.

“I’m a very satisfied customer and a very heartbroken customer,” Copeland said. “The first camper I got here, I bought many years ago. … Recently we just bought a camper off of this fella two years ago. The Stewart family is just outstanding.”

Tammy Mitchel of Colerain was another customer who stopped by to shop Wednesday to stock up on camping supplies.

“We’ve been coming here off and on for 10 years at least, maybe even longer than that,” she said. “We don’t need a camper, but we’re kind of looking at getting a camper since they’re on close-out pricing.”

She added that Stewart’s RV will be missed.

“You hate to see the businesses locally leaving the area, but it sounds like he’s going to retire, so God bless him.”

Bill Nolte of St. Clairsville also stopped to wish Stewart well.

“We’re going to miss you,” Nolte said. “You got me my first camper.”

“We appreciate having customers like you,” Steward replied.

Wendy Anderson, director of the St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce, said the loss of the long-time business will be felt.

“I’m sad, because it’s another business that we’re losing in St. Clairsville,” she said. “That’s amazing that he’s held on that long, and it’s good quality stuff. He’s always had the good quality service and product, so he deserves to go ahead and retire, but it’s just very sad for the tri-state area.”

The business is located at 50863 National Road East, St. Clairsville.