Shoemaker’s RV Park is found in Bevier, Missouri, a well-known coal mining town. The property at the campground is covered with open fields, sparse trees, and a lake. Bevier is located just outside of Marceline and Hannibal, cities known for being the birthplace of Walt Disney and Mark Twain, two esteemed creators. One unique thing about the campground is that it offers accommodations and an RV dealership and service station. This dual business, along with the many activities available on the property, lends to it being a “family-oriented park.”
The Shoemaker’s RV Park is settled on a 26-acred field and has a variety of different accommodations and features. It boasts a total of 99 separate accommodations guests can stay at. The majority of those, 87 to be exact, are RV sites. These offer 30-50 amp electricity hookups, water hookups, and sewer hookups. There are also five sleeping rooms, two cabins, and five tent sites that make up the remaining accommodations at Shoemaker’s.
The property offers several features beyond its extensive accommodations. Perhaps the most prevalent of these is the four-acre lake with a beach attached and a 120-foot long slip n slide. These are seen as the main attraction for children at the RV Park.
The park’s other features are restrooms, shower and laundry facilities, an RV dump station, a dog walk, campfire rings, dumpsters, and outdoor shelters. The park also has a store where RV’s, RV parts, and RV services can be purchased as well as some other basic essentials. One guest said, “I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a good new purchase or service experience.”
Bevier, Missouri, is known for having historical roots, such as old coal mines and a postal service that has been around since 1858. Tourists can experience a small portion of what life was like for a miner by checking out the town’s centerpiece, a historic locomotive. This train was once used for mining coal and now sits as a reminder of how the city originated.
The town of Bevier is a 30-minute drive from the city of Marceline, which is the hometown of famous entrepreneur Walt Disney. In this town, Disney fans and others alike can make their way to a local hometown museum that discusses Disney’s history and his impact on the world. An hour away from Bevier is the town of Hannibal, the hometown of famous writer Mark Twain. In Hannibal, Twain’s fans can experience several attractions, such as Tom Sawyer Days. This local July 4th tradition includes activities such as frog jumping, mud volleyball, and fireworks.
The culture at Shoemaker’s RV Park that the staff and the business try to emulate can best be described in one word; family. Families and family groups are the primary demographic that come and stay at the campground, and as such, Shoemaker’s strives to give these visitors a memorable experience. Because they take pride in being a “family-oriented park,” they hope to uphold that creed with no negative feedback attached. The park tries to support this culture by being detailed in their efforts to make the campground area a clean environment, providing guests with spacious grassy areas to lounge or spend time on, and offering features like the slip 'n slide where kids and adults are both able to enjoy themselves. Guests that stay at the campground back up Shoemaker’s claim that they are a “family-oriented park”, often mentioning the quality of the service as well as the level of enjoyment they and their family experienced during their stay.
One guest said, “my family and I absolutely love coming here and would highly recommend this campground to anybody that’s looking for a family-friendly place to stay. The campsites are very spacious and always clean, the staff is always friendly and willing to help, and most importantly, it’s a safe place that I feel comfortable bringing my girls.” They also mentioned that “the slip n slide is an absolute blast, and something my kiddos look forward to every time!” Other activities available at the park are swimming and fishing in the lake as well as playing on the beach, a sand volleyball court, horseshoes, the washer game, and three separate playgrounds—so parents can send their kids to whichever is closest. They also have several event centers and outdoor pavilion areas where they host “special events” every third weekend and stage shows with live music, in addition to allowing their guests to use them at their convenience.
Though the Shoemaker’s RV Park has been a part of the RV industry and experience for quite a long time, the property it resides on was not always affiliated with that type of business. In fact, the building on the premises of Shoemaker’s has historical roots attached to it. Originally it was built and used as a museum for the navy branch of the military. At one point in time (after the navy museum was closed) it was even used as a storage facility for antique cars. However, it was eventually bought, repurposed, and established as the home base for the Shoemaker’s RV company.
The business gets its namesake from Chet Shoemaker, as he was the man who initially established it. After he sold it, Shoemaker’s passed through various owners, during which it was expanded to also include an RV park in addition to already being an RV dealership. These two businesses, in tandem, are something that current management considers to be complementary. After staying at the campground, some of the patrons of the park purchase an RV from the dealership side of the company. And vice-versa, many of the customers who bought an RV from the Shoemaker’s RV Park end up becoming returning customers.
Just over ten years ago, Christine Rosemary—the current property owner—purchased the property and the Shoemaker RV business from the previous owners. She talks of how she strives to give back to the community by trying to provide a relaxing atmosphere to her consumers and maintaining a clean environment for them to spend their time. She believes that if she does this, she will have more new and returning customers who will both have a good experience staying at the park and exploring the surrounding area.
955 N Macon St
Bevier, Missouri 63532
United States
Campground
Christine Rosemary
