We're really excited about an event that's coming up at Princess Craft this Saturday (March 30, 2013). We'll have Lance representative Scott Almquist down to show and share all things Lance! Yes, we'll have product tours, demos, and even a truck loaded with the all-new 2013 Lance 1172 double-slide truck camper!
So, here are the details:
-The open house will run this Saturday from 9am until 4pm.
-There will be door prizes & special "one day only" deals just for the event.
-Feature and product demonstrations will be done by someone who knows them best, Lance representative Scott Almquist.
-"Test Drives" will be conducted all day. Yep, hop into one of our trucks loaded with the 1172 and experience the ride and freedom!
Here's the reason we're excited about this:
Getting access to someone who can truly answer product questions from the vantagepoint of the manufacturer is HUGE. We love these products and the innovation that Lance brings to the market, but on a day like this, you don't have to just take our word for it! You can see and test it all for yourself! There's nothing quite like personal experience or personal attention. We want you to have both.
If you have questions regarding fit/finish, options, size/weight, etc. You won't have a better chance to get person to person with someone who knows the product line through and through.
Come on out!
Tell and bring your friends and family! You don't need to RSVP or anything!
Luscious greenery garnished around strong mountain peeks, white-water rapids and wilderness species that will awe any visitor are sites to enjoy while RV touring our country's wonderful national parks.
Before you plan your trip, take care of the little things you don't want to think about while you're gone. Check your electrical connections, water and sewage to ensure they're working and will continue to work, according to DMV.org. Bring your wooden leveling blocks, stabilizing jacks and bubble level. See what your insurance covers, so if you do need to use it, you'll know if you're covered. AARP insurance and similar companies offer multi-policy discounts and other discounts including a lay up credit, given the months you don't drive your motor home and one for belonging to an RV association.
Planning your vacation includes not just where you're going, but where you are going to stay along the way and when you are there. These national parks all have RV campgrounds for rest and relaxation. If you do not want to cook, there are terrific restaurants that will satisfy anyone‘s taste.
Below are magnificent national parks not to be missed on any RV adventure:
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Within the 277 mile stretch of the Grand Canyon are breathtaking views of the sunrise massed with brilliant colors. Canyons with strong and powerful rocky borders stand tall while protecting their mile-deep basins. Most visitors are truly overwhelmed by these majestic views. The canyons entail only a few of the amenities that this natural treasure offers. Hiking and rock climbing can challenge any visitor. Afterward, enjoy a nice southwestern meal at a local restaurant.
Death Valley National Park, California
RVers who enjoy the ghostly side of things should venture into Death Valley National Park. Eerie history and stories are told about its deserted ghost towns. These ghost towns can really get the adrenaline flowing, along with the bobcats, mountain lions and coyotes. What really makes this park unique, besides it being the hottest place in our nation, are the intriguing snow-capped peaks. With different scopes of elevation, gold and purple wildflowers will make their debut and fill the roadsides with beauty. Incorporated within the landscape are terrific sand dunes, badlands and canyons.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee
This magnificent natural wonder offers RVers a glimpse of massive rolling hills engulfed in smoky mist. Historic buildings sit along the traveling roads telling stories of years past. A diverse populace of animal, plant and invertebrate life total more than 17,000 different species. Fishing, horseback riding, hiking, bird watching and biking will surely make any adventurous RVer happy.
Yosemite National Park, California
Nestled within the 1,200-mile stretch of Yosemite National Park is the largest waterfall in North America — Yosemite Falls. Its powerful flow bursts into full action in the summer when the snow melt is at its peak. Within the 1,600 miles or more of adventurous hiking trails, wild species such as mule deer, bobcats, bighorn sheep and beautiful birds can be seen and watched.
Zion National Park, Utah
Along with the gleaming-orange sandstone cliffs, the Virgin River and the wonderful vegetation, this desert houses some of the most spectacular wild life. Zion National Park is not just known for its cacti, cottonwood trees and wildflowers; gray foxes, rattlesnakes and lizards lurk within this one-of-a-kind national park. Hiking, kayaking in the river, fishing and horseback riding can fill almost any day.
About the Author
Bonnie Randalls
Bonnie has been to every capital city in the U.S., including Honolulu and Juneau. She loves warmer climates, but has been known to write about weekend ski trip getaways as well.
The 2013 models have brought changes in almost every camper... ...but no one has made the leap like Lance. They really stepped up the décor with a brighter wall panel, warm, glazed cabinetry, a front cap, gel coat exterior and all LED lighting, inside and out. The next 2013 upgrade is the addition of the 1172 double slide camper. Wow. The rear sofa (complete with recliner style footrests) is comfy and stylish with a big window above it for a nice open feel. The dinette slide out has the facing booth style dinette with the easy glide table that makes a bed in seconds. The molded countertops are stunning and the flip up countertops on both ends of the kitchen add plenty of counter space. The bed area is Lance’s standard wardrobe with a true queen, Heki skylight and windows on each side. Wait till you see the bathroom. The countertop and sink are a good size as well as the shower. The larger medicine cabinet offers enough space for 2 people to keep their personal items. So now that we have determined that this is a stylish camper, let’s talk details. The biggest detail is the weight. Dry weight is 3690 lbs. That is only 170 lbs more than the Lance 1181 with a single slide. The fresh water tank is 42 gallons, the grey and black are 35 each. It has all the options you would expect, like the heated basement, double 30 lbs propane tanks, 2.5 Onan Generator options, double battery, etc. There is one large compartment with the outside shower, low point drains, satellite and cable hook ups, dump valves and battery disconnect… all in one easy access compartment. Gotta love it! The part that we cannot describe is the feel of the space in this camper. When you walk in, the open feeling and inviting layout is unmistakable. Lance has a winner with this one. If you have an opportunity to see this camper, take it. The Lance 1172 is a great addition to the 2013 line up of truck campers on the market that just keep getting better and better!
The next 2013 upgrade is the addition of the 1172 double slide camper. Wow. The rear sofa (complete with recliner style footrests) is comfy and stylish with a big window above it for a nice open feel. The dinette slide out has the facing booth style dinette with the easy glide table that makes a bed in seconds. The molded countertops are stunning and the flip up countertops on both ends of the kitchen add plenty of counter space. The bed area is Lance’s standard wardrobe with a true queen, Heki skylight and windows on each side. Wait till you see the bathroom. The countertop and sink are a good size as well as the shower. The larger medicine cabinet offers enough space for 2 people to keep their personal items.
So now that we have determined that this is a stylish camper, let’s talk details. The biggest detail is the weight. Dry weight is 3690 lbs. That is only 170 lbs more than the Lance 1181 with a single slide. The fresh water tank is 42 gallons, the grey and black are 35 each. It has all the options you would expect, like the heated basement, double 30 lbs propane tanks, 2.5 Onan Generator options, double battery, etc. There is one large compartment with the outside shower, low point drains, satellite and cable hook ups, dump valves and battery disconnect… all in one easy access compartment. Gotta love it!
The part that we cannot describe is the feel of the space in this camper. When you walk in, the open feeling and inviting layout is unmistakable. Lance has a winner with this one.
If you have an opportunity to see this camper, take it. The Lance 1172 is a great addition to the 2013 line up of truck campers on the market that just keep getting better and better!
For years now, Little Guy Trailers has been marrying fun, cute-ness, and functionality together to make lightweight trailer camping accessible for just about anybody who’s interested. They’ve done a splendid job, and they’re looking for more ways to make the world your oyster… if you’re a fun-loving camper, that is.
So, what’s new?
The new thing is to bring a freshened up version of their popular Clamshell T@B trailer to market. Clamshell, you say? Indeed, and we have some of the preliminary details to share with you… and a few pictures, too! Now, these pictures are very early and don’t show the finished, ready for market product.
If you’re familiar with the T@B product at all, you know that it’s a teardrop style trailer, which means lots of planning has been put into the design to maximize functionality within a very distinct and efficient shape. The Clamshell’s design isn’t a departure from this mold in the least. What it is, however, is a slightly longer unit with the benefit of hatch-back style door that reveals an exterior cooking and project space.
If you’ll take a look at this early product design, you’ll see the basic details right away… and you’ll start dreaming up camping and tailgating scenarios just as quickly. An outdoor sink, range, fridge, speakers, and some nice cabinetry give this Little Guy some very useful character beyond the traditional teardrops. Just pause for a moment and run through a few fun weekend or week-long activities you could tackle with something like this! I’m thinking about a fishing trip, myself…
Okay, come back to us now! The new design does require some dimensional changes to allow for the cool new outdoor kitchen, but also to keep the interior’s appointments and appeal. Here’s a quick look at the “all there” interior that hasn’t seen a bit of compromise. A few features have been shuffled, if you will, but none has been left out.
So, what can’t we see in the pictures? The photographs show an unfinished unit that hasn’t seen the paint, trim, decals and other visual appointments. Having worked with Little Guy for a while now, we know to expect a very clean and well-done finished look on all of their units. Also, there are always options to personalize these wonderful units.
You’ll be able to pick from a few accent trim colors:Black, Red, Yellow, Blue, Grey, Orange, and White. Other options that will be on this trailer are: water heater, exterior shower, grey water tank, 10 gal fresh water tank, city water hookup, 12 volt fridge, sink/stove combo, power package, DVD/TV radio combo with interior and exterior monitors and speakers the exterior monitor will be installed in that galley cabinet without the door with a wired remote in the galley to control the DVD/TV Radio from the galley. Furnace and Cool-Cat. Pretty cool, huh?!
Here at Princess Craft RV, in Round Rock, TX, we’re looking forward to this new product’s arrival. If you have question, please give us a call. If you’re looking for information on any of the Little Guy T@B lineup, please check out our website, www.princesscraft.com, or give us a call. We love these things and are happy to answer questions.
Happy trails!
PC
Don’t miss the trip, and don’t miss the game
The weather is perfect! Fall weather is perfect for some of the best activities life has to offer. Take for instance camping and football. We long for the Fall in Texas because summer camping in the heat isn’t for everybody. By the same token, we love the spectacle of football and the togetherness it brings from high-school to the pros. Can we have our cake and eat it too with camping and watching football, though?
You may think I’m talking about using your camper or trailer for tailgating duties. It’s a fantastic thing to do, but we won’t go that route this time around. This time, we want to talk about still camping with your family and friends, and still catching the game in all of its televised glory.
The Case for Satellite when You’re Off Road
The out of the way places you may camp aren’t known for cable service, and the rabbit ears likely won’t accomplish the demands of full weekend of football. No, satellite is going to be the ticket if you’re going to have a chance at catching all of the action.
Is it reasonable to bring satellite television along with you? Sure it is! Small dishes have been portable for a while, but the reality has been that you’d be taking a unit with you that was meant for static, residential locations. You like roughing it, your programming can get rough… so your equipment really needs to be up to the challenge.
Enter purpose-designed technology from companies like Wingard. They have put together an absolute gift for outdoors adventurers who don’t want to miss a bit of their favorite programming. The Wingard Anser Portable Satellite TV System is a gem them can connect you to HD and Standard definition programming from Dish Network, Direct TV, and Bell… all from one travel-ready system. Just connect your receivers!
Here are some technical specs for you:
- 2 coax inputs to allow for multiple receiver hook-up
- A convenient carry handle
- A security eyelet molded into the base so the antenna can be locked up
- Includes one 25’ coax cable and a 25’ power cable that plugs into standard 12V outlet (12V power converter to 110V sold separately)
- Stores to 15” x 21”
- Weight 16 lbs.
- Compatible with Carryout tripod mount (sold separately)
- Not compatible with Carryout ladder mount
- Made in the U.S.A.
Forward thinking products like these are making it easier to commit to a good camping trip any time… because you won’t miss the games or any other programming! No TV schedule or game schedule needs to hold you back from hitting the road, the trail, or the woods.
The past few months have been truly full of planning, activity and moving. It’s appropriate to take a moment and commend the Princess Craft staff for their efforts and the hard work that has gone into our successful move from Pflugerville to Round Rock, TX.
We’ll miss our home in Pflugerville, as it’s been a great home to Princess Craft for years. P-ville, you have our love and a huge piece of our heart! Round Rock, we know you well and we’re expecting great things in the years to come.
So, we finally have our new sign! We know that we’ve been a little difficult to find due to the move and an apparent Google Maps error. We’re working on that, but for now drive north through Round Rock and you’ll find us on the north-bound access road before IKEA.
We thought we’d give you a glimpse of the new sign’s installation. It’s a pretty neat deal, as it really feels like we’re making our home here now that the welcome sign is posted, so to speak.
Arrival and Pulling Down the Old Sign
We’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of our newly designed sign for some time, so when the day came, we all had to gather around and take a look! The old Interstate Lanes sign had to come down, which was easy with the right rig and equipment. We’re used to the big toys around here, so making room for that big lift truck was no problem.
Stretching the New Sign
Once the new sign started going up, things started to feel… well, right! The new logo on the new sign really looks great, and hopefully it beckons to all who pass by. Take a look at the pictures and see for yourself!
Google Maps
Google maps is so very helpful… until now. We’ve come to realize that Google Maps has the wrong location marked for our address. It isn’t just a little wrong, as it is actually miles off. This is very frustrating, but we’ll see that things are corrected. A request for review and change has already been submitted, so hopefully things will be as they should in a short amount of time.
Until then, look for us when you’re heading north through Round Rock, TX on N IH 35. We’re on the north-bound access road, just a bit before the IKEA intersection (University Drive). As always, feel free to call us if you need some directions. If you just want to drive up, we’re now at 3101 N IH 35, Round Rock, TX 78664.
Until next time!
Great news!
The fire marshal and building inspector were just here and they both gave us an A+ on our test! Ok, that is not how they really grade buildings but we did officially get our Certificate of Occupancy which is an A+ in our books.
Last week we spent a lot of time moving things around in order to get ready for the new floors and this week we had a crew working hard to get the new marble grey tiling done in time for the inspection. There was a bit of a fiasco Friday when the workers realized they didn’t have enough tile to finish the job. Since more would need to be ordered, it would not be until this Wednesday they could get it done, which would be too late for the inspection! We confess, we freaked out a little bit. Apparently you really have to pass inspection in order to open up your business, legally anyways. And we decided legal is the route we want to take. Thankfully, it turned out to be just a little hiccup. We explained the situation to the building inspector on Monday and he said it would be A-OK. Whew! What a relief! So the inspector didn’t get to see our home in all its completed glory, but he still gave us a thumbs up to let you guys in on August 1st.
Aside from the floors not being totally finished, it is looking spectacular! As is the rest of the building, if we do say so ourselves.
As for the painting, it is still coming along. Seriously, there are a lot of walls, and doors, and frames almost all of which need at least one coat of primer before even starting on the paint! We got started with a creamy beige color that we wanted to put on most of the walls, buuut then we changed our minds. It ended up feeling a bit too dirty yellow, like a house of someone who had chain smoked in for 30 years. Not what we were going for. So we started over with a more traditional white color that makes it look open and clean. There is still some debate over what to do with the lounge area. The paint colors and decoration schemes for that section are all up in the air so you might just have to wait for the grand opening to come in and see it for yourself to know what we ended up with!
Our wheelchair accessible bathrooms were built and painted last week! Now we just need to finish installing the equipment.
One of the great things about having so much more space in the new building is that we will get to have an excellent parts department that not only carries more supplies, but also displays the parts and supplies for you! We went all the way to college station to pick up the shelves that are being set up in this photo. The parts department has been working hard to organize and pack up their inventory and once the shelves are assembled, we will be moving things to the new building and setting up the displays.
The grand opening of is only a few days away and, as you can see by the photos, we still have a long way to go. We will be giving you 1 more update before we open our doors so be sure to check back with us. It is going to be some late nights, but we will be ready for you to come visit us next Wednesday, August 1st!
We have been rolling along here at the new location, busy transforming what used to be a bowling alley into Princess Craft Campers and Trailers. The grand opening of our new Round Rock location has officially been set for Wednesday, August 1st. Less than a week away. Yipes! But don’t fret. People are here every day of the week working hard to get things in tip-top shape for you. And you can really start to see a difference!
In our previous update, the bowling equipment was removed, a wall to separate the office and warehouse was built, and we were in the painstaking process of picking out paint colors and floor tiles. Now we have wheelchair accessible bathrooms and ramps built, working lights throughout the entire building, and air-conditioning (Hallelujah!). Not to mention less junk and more space as we have been sorting, salvaging, or dumping all of the kitchen supplies, bar provisions, office materials, furniture, and general knick knacks that had been left behind.
We are doing our best to keep the trash piles to a minimum and reusing as much as we can. For instance, the large counter top that was used for checking out shoes and balls, was moved to the other side of the office and will be turned into our service and parts counter. The guys are excited because it will give them a lot more space for storage and moving around plus it gives them a perfect view of the door so we can be sure to help you as soon as you come in now.
Last week paint colors were chosen and this week the painting has begun. We wanted to give the space a little bit of a camping-in-the-woods type of feeling. So, we painted the new wall a bold green. We know, it sounds intimidating but trust us, it looks awesome! Although we were going for an outdoorsy feel, we couldn’t help but notice how much it reminded us of a much needed refreshing margarita after spending the entire day painting it. Then we realized the color is actually called Intoxication so we have deemed it, appropriately enough, The Margarita Wall. The rest of the building (which will not be margarita flavored) is taking a bit longer to be painted since there is a lot of wall and not a lot of people, but it will be looking beautiful in no time.
The Margarita Wall in progress.
A good portion of the office has an old, dark blue carpet that we found to be not the most appealing thing. So right now, probably as you are reading this very moment, the carpet is being ripped up and replaced with marble grey flooring that we can’t wait to see in action!
There has also been a crew hard at work on the fence that will be around the lot so we can start moving the campers in soon. We decided to go for the short fence like you would find in car lots. This way we don’t have to worry about someone driving away with a camper in the middle of the night, but you guys still get a great view of our amazing inventory from the road.
On our To Do List for next week includes completing all of the painting, installing toilets and sinks in the wheelchair-accessible bathrooms, making the entrance wheelchair accessible (it sounds easy but turns out it’s a big project that involves rebuilding the floors and replacing the doorframes!) and starting on the two personal offices. Since the carpet in these offices will not be replaced, they have turned into a massive storage area for all of the furniture and tools we needed out of the way. It will be another big project hauling everything back out but you know we will be sending you some great before and after photos of it.
Our August 1st grand opening will be here in no time so, be sure to write it down on your calendar and stay tuned for more updates on the transformation from bowling alley to Princess Craft!
Our last blog gave you a brief, Princess Craft-style, history lesson. Now let’s talk more about our future, specifically the new and improved, soon to be location of Princess Craft Campers and Trailers!
It is the old Interstate Lanes Bowling Alley located in Round Rock right off of I-35. When we first set eyes on the building, it was no bare structure. It was closed but still a fully stocked and almost fully functioning bowling alley. Shoes in the bins, disco lights hanging from the ceiling, pins in the lanes, even beer left in the fridge! We won’t lie to you. We cracked a few room temp beers, tried on some shoes, and snuck in a few rounds of bowling before the equipment quickly gave up the ghost.
Soon after the fun, we hunkered down and started working on a design to transform this bowling alley into a repair shop, parts department, and sales office. The slippery wooden lanes had to be removed to make room for the repair shop, but don’t fret. Most were used as the flooring of a party barge with a bowling theme at a local marina, and a few are being saved for one of our new office desks! Most of the bowling equipment had to go, but we have been able to save a few balls and pins and various nick-nacks in which we hope to set up some cool art around the building. That way our visitors will always have an idea of the history of the building.
Yes, folks! It is really that time for us! Time to move!
Princess Craft Campers and Trailers will be moving from historic downtown Pflugerville to a location in Round Rock, a short 15 minutes away. Because of all of our amazing customers, community support, and our commitment to carrying wide selection of the highest quality products, we have simply outgrown our space. If you have visited our office in the past year, then you know what we are talking about! We’ve got a parking lot that is so full, new units are dropped off in the street and the office staff is so cramped that there is hardly any room for our customers to sit down and fill out a credit application. So, we came to the conclusion that it is time we find a new place to call home!
But before we move on to bigger things, let’s talk about our humble beginnings here in Pflugerville.
Where We’ve Been
In 1969, Pfluger Campers was opened in an original downtown building just across the street from where we are now. The main business was manufacturing a line of campers called Princess Craft. In 1971, a fire took out the original location and a brand new structure was built in order to better accommodate our growing needs. That building has been our home ever since! In 1996, this historic stretch of downtown was blooming with restaurants, unique gift shops, and mom and pop businesses and Princess Craft was still enduring the many changes that were happening around it.
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That is when PJ and Richard Buerger came into the story. The entrepreneurs fell in love with PC and decided it was the business they wanted to take care of for the long haul. Other than a few cosmetic touchups, nothing much has changed to the building but a lot has changed to the business. We discontinued manufacturing our own campers and started selling other lines such as Shadow Cruiser and NorthStar as well as continued selling truck tops, trailers and truck accessories. Business was steady but it was sometimes a struggle to get people in the doors and even though the business had been here for 30 years, many locals didn’t even know Princess Craft existed.
One day Harvey, a long time PC customer, asked a question that would ultimately change the course of Princess Craft. The conversation went something like this.
Harvey: “I’m retiring. I want the biggest and best camper there is! Do you have it?”
PJ: “Well…no.”
Harvey: “Well, why not?”
PJ : “That’s a good question!”
And so, after a few months of research, and a plane ride to Indiana, Princess Craft started carrying Alpenlite, one of the biggest and best campers at that time! And thus, the climb to be one of the top carriers of high quality campers in the USA began!
Today, we stock multiple manufacturers and dozens of models of highest quality campers right here on our lot. This has brought customers from all over the country and even Canada, trekking to Pflugerville, Texas to check us out! But that is not the only reason we have grown so much. We attribute a lot of our success to our warm, down home atmosphere, family-friendly environment, and commitment to superior customer service. And these aren’t values we save only for our globetrotting customers, we feel that way about our home community, too!
Princess Craft has been a long-time member of the Pflugerville Downtown Association, which implements programs and organizes fundraisers to assist the historic district in continuously growing and thriving. PC employees are often seen at charity events such as The Pflugerville Golfing Tournament where, out of the 6 years he has played, Richard has actually won the Dead Flat Last Award three times! He got a plaque and everything. We have aided the Pflugerville Police Department in preparing trailers for mobile offices and transport and helped build custom designs based on their specific needs. If you have attended one of the Pflugerville holiday parades, you may have witnessed some Princess Craft employees and family, dressed as princesses, passing out candy, and waving a glamorous Miss America wave!
Throughout the years, historic downtown has grown, flourished, struggled, overcome hardships and adversities, and we feel honored and grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of it for so long. While leaving our old home will be hard, we are also very excited to make the move to our new location in a building that was originally (drum roll, please!) a bowling alley! Yep! This is what it looked like when we first started making plans for the move.
We have a lot of work to do before the hopeful move-in date of August. So, be sure to check out our next few blogs as we keep you updated on the transformation from abandoned bowling alley to new and improved Princess Craft!