Our Education in Rebuilding
The improvements continue. It has been an exciting week with lots of progress.
The main building has now been entirely demolished. By the end of last week Shelswell & Sons removed the concrete floor and foundation. The removal of the building has affected each of us in different ways. There were a lot of memories and experiences attached to our headquarters and it had a nostalgic quality to it. In fact, this is where Dave McKee proposed to his wife. Many people from the community commented in the days following the fire that The Hitch House building was a landmark. But the burned out shell and debris was difficult for us to look upon day after day. Now that it has been removed there is a feeling of a new beginning.
The day after the fire, during the investigation, a large excavator had to access our facility but it drove directly over our well. Not until an inspection at the beginning of last week did we discover that the well was damaged beyond repair. Drury Well Drilling responded quickly by providing us with a 550 gallon fresh water cistern and they have already begun drilling our new well. Amos Plumbing has installed a new hot water tank and they will hook up the cistern to our plumbing, appliances and temporary bathroom trailer. Soon the "Johnny on the Spots" will be a distant memory. I cannot tell you how happy the ladies of the Hitch House are at this prospect.
Dave McKee has always been very clear that our product and the premises must be maintained, organized and above all - CLEAN! Since the fire we have not had water so we contracted commercial wash trucks (Global Green Mobile Wash) to help us wash our motorhome inventory. Our staff, Greg, Darlene, Megan, Denise and Lovel applied their elbow grease to ensure our motorhomes sparkle. We found the mobile wash system very useful, so useful that we just acquired one of our own - an ECOS Series from Clean Ontario. The ECOS is an environmentally friendly, mobile wash and reclaim system that combines a hot water pressure washing system with an integrated recovery and filtration system. This will not replace a wash bay, but it will allow us to get closer to normal operations and we will be able to wash outside when the climate cooperates with us. The ECOS Mobile Wash System will be an efficient means of maintaining the appearance of our inventory, equipment and company vehicles for years to come.
The Parts Department received their new shelving units on Thursday from Metric Storage to accommodate product for The Hitch House's temporary retail Parts & Accessories Store. Mike Drane is busy setting up the displays and ordering new inventory to stock these shelves to service our customers. Our computer systems are completely operational and Mike can fill customers' requests. To place an order or purchase your necessary parts and accessories please drop in, or call toll free at 1-877-722-0638 or email Mike Drane at mdrane@thehitchhouse.com.
We have always considered The Hitch House to be a work in progress and we have continually made improvements to our facilities, equipment and technology. Due to our current circumstances we have uncovered opportunities for improvement that we never realized were necessary or even an option. Although the rebuilding process is challenging this experience has been an unbelievable education for us. Here are just some of the changes we have & will be incorporating:
- In-House Mobile Wash System
- Information Technology improvements including additional wireless capabilities.
- Phone System Changes
- Enhanced Camera Systems Technology
- Security Systems and Technology
- Building Layout and Design Improvements, for example a two floor Parts Department with stacked bay doors providing access to both levels.
Should you have questions regarding our Sales, Service, or our Parts Department's availability or capabilities please call toll free at 1-877-722-0638 or email info@thehitchhouse.com.
Due to the fire we will not be able to attend the Spring RV Shows. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. When we can accommodate it we will have an Open House. As soon as our new facility is complete we will have a Grand Reopening - make sure you watch for it.