Our Story
Wandervans has created a fleet of functional and easy to operate campervans for your next adventure. We began with a passion for helping to get people into the outdoors at reasonable rates. We want to help you get out of the city and wander in the great outdoors, all at a reasonable and affordable cost.
Our campervans provide the sweet spot in between a cumbersome recreation vehicle (RV) and sleeping on the ground. We are always available to help you plan your next adventure and look forward to helping you and your family get out on the road to explore, experience nature, and create amazing memories that you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
Corporate Locations – Boise and Salt Lake City
Owner: August & Mackenzie Johnson
Years in Business: 8
Kids: 2 little girls
The Boise and Salt Lake City locations were originally started in the 2015/2016 period. These locations have grown over time with more than 20 vans at each rental hub. August Johnson and his wife Mackenze are the sole owners of Wandervans Corporate stores and are also the Franchisor of the various other locations. August has a metal fabrication and furniture design background and saw an opportunity in the van rental space to create modular conversion kits that would be ideal for the campervan rental industry. August personally designed and built the initial 35 vans within the fleet, and began expanding the business to offer campervan conversions in 2018. As the business grew and expanded, August opened up the 2nd location in Salt Lake City
Both locations have also expanded their service offerings beyond rentals and offer conversion work and upfitting and conversions, heater installs, and campervan cleaning and detailing for 3rd party van owners. As the fleet grew, so did August and Mackenzie’s family. Their first child was born in 2016, and the next in 2018. The fleet growth and family growth coincidentally both expanded at a fast rate, keeping him extremely busy during the first years of the business! After dozens of Wandervan adventures with his family, August and his wife Mackenzie have fully embraced the Wandervan way of life and have given their two little girls a magical childhood through experiencing nature and the great outdoors.
The experiences they have shared and memories they have made have ultimately become the biggest return on the business investment and August prides himself in the passion for nature and exploration that has been instilled in his young children. This way of life has been the biggest gift of all and now his focus is finding ways to help other families and explorers to be able to have similar experiences and adventures in the outdoors.
FRANCHISE EXPANSION
As the corporate locations flourished, there was a small road bump when Covid forced 100’s of rental cancellations in early 2020. The pandemic originally caused some challenges within the business, but as things unfolded and people figured out that the outdoors was probably the safest place to be, Wandervans got SUPER busy! What a wild ride.
With so much demand in the market due to the pandemic, it was an ideal time to expand the business into a larger operation, and therefore August worked to bring on more rental operators into the network through a Franchising model. The new franchise operators that were able to get started during the pandemic had an immediate jump start to their business due to pent up demand and a limited supply of rental vans in most major cities.
By 2022, Wandervans had grown to expand into 4 new markets throughout the US. Their plans going forward are to continue this growth and are making another strong push to bring on new Franchise operators throughout the western United States. With the crazy rise in van prices across the US in 2022 and into 2023, the challenges of getting more vans to grow the fleet became a bit of a roadblock for many new Franchisees that were looking to open up a Wandervans rental location. So, with new challenges came new opportunities, and August made a slight pivot to the business model by allowing Franchise operators to provide management assistance to van owners in their respective market areas.
By allowing franchisees to take campervans on Consignment, it has allowed these franchise operators to grow their fleets by offering more vans for rent to prospective customers. So now instead of just offering the Wandervans Ford Transit style vans, we are now able to offer an increasing variety of different vans, styles, with varying amenities to customers! The customer feedback on the van consignment program has been amazing, and such an amazing opportunity for both the van owners and Franchisees. Learn more about this program on our consignment page.
Upfitting, Heater Installs, and Van Detailing Services: As the franchise locations have expanded, August has also expanded more and more services that are now being offered to van owners. Wandervans has been one of the top Webasto Heater dealers and installers throughout the Pacific Northwest for the past 4 years. Wandervans Franchises within the network are now also offering these heater installations, along with other various upfitting services to campervan owners in their regions. In addition, Wandervans has expanded to now offer cleaning and detailing services to third-party Campervan and RV owners, branded as Wash and Wander. With so much experience cleaning campervans, it seemed to make sense to also offer those cleaning services to other van and RV owners in the regions where Wandervans have rental locations. You can learn more about these additional services by visiting www.washandwander.com.
To learn more about our Franchise structure, what we offer, and how you could potentially open up a Wandervans Rental Hub in your market area, visit our website at www.mywandervans.com to learn more. You’ll find all the information you need, plus an online application which can be filled out and submitted to start the process of opening up your own rental business. We look forward to working with new Franchisees across the US!
FRANCHISE LOCATIONS
San Francisco/Livermore Location
Owners: Isaiah & Tess Davis / Thomas & Marissa Florini
Years in Business: 2
Kids: Each partner has 2-3 kids
Meet the two young families from California, turning their love for the outdoors into a mobile adventure. Our San Francisco location was opened up by two couple: the Florini’s and the Davis’s. It all began with one trailer, a shared vision, and a passion for helping others experience the magic of camping.
Initially their journey began with that one tow behind camping trailer, but over time expanded to three, which were all eventually sold and traded for Campervans, until finally culminating in the creation of a vibrant Wandervans rental hub in Livermore, CA.
What sets them apart? Both families live on the same property and work closely together. One of the families lives in a RV full-time, bringing an authentic love for camping to every experience they offer. The kids are just a little bit too young to help with the business but soon they will have all hands-on deck, ensuring everyone has the campervan experience they are looking for. This team of husbands and wives all pitch in to provide customer support, assistance, and guidance all with he goal of trying to provide an amazing experience for their customers.
This location has flourished and has grown over time with more than 6 vans in the fleet, plus another 5 vans under management taken on consignment. The Florini’s and Davis’s both have young families and thoroughly enjoy the experience of helping others get out on adventures in the California area. Tommy and his wife Marisa have 3 children, while Isaiah and his wife Tess have 2 daughters with one one the way. Join these Wandervans owners on the road to adventure, where each and every trip is a celebration of the great outdoors.
Phoenix, Arizona Location
Owners: Sebastian & Sara Campo
Years in Business: 1
Kids: 3
Meet the faces behind Wandervans Phoenix! As a family of five with a passion for adventure, they bring their love for the great outdoors to Arizona, making it easier than ever for others to explore and enjoy van life. With Sebastian’s background in firefighting, emergency response, and outdoor leadership, and Sara’s knack for creating memorable, family-friendly experiences, they’re here to ensure every journey is safe, fun, and unforgettable.
Their mission? To inspire others to discover the freedom of van life, from families with young kids to seasoned travelers. At Wandervans Phoenix, they offer fully equipped camper vans designed for comfort and convenience, perfect for hitting the road and exploring all that Arizona has to offer. With personal touches and expert guidance, Sebas and Sara are dedicated to helping you make the most of every mile.
Spokane/Couer d’Alene Location
Owners: Nick Leonard and Jon Latorre
Years in Business: 3
Kids: Each partner has 2-3 kids
More info coming soon!