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Here's a little history about our company and
our people,
and how Park Models Manufacturing evolved from an idea into a reality
. . .
Park Models Manufacturing is a family owned business.
The process probably started close to 30 years ago when founder
Michael Fannon and his wife, Jody, met and married in Alaska. They
quickly discovered that they both loved camping. Summers were short
in Alaska (but the attractions are endless if you love the outdoors).
They began camping in a VW van, but before long they moved up to
a Coleman pop-up. Nearly every week-end was spent in the Kenai Peninsula
on the Shores of the Kenai River, or day tripping from there to
fish for halibut in their Zodiak out of Ninilchik. They soon grew
tired of hauling the camper back and forth and purchased a lot on
the river with another couple. Week-ends in the summer were heaven
and in the evenings the family would sit around the campfire with
daughter Mary Beth and plan for a cabin with their friends. The
family grew by two, Brian and Brad, during this wonderful time.
Their youngest developed asthma at eight months and the doctors
advised that a warmer climate was an absolute necessity for his
health. Friends agreed to buy their half of the river lot, and the
move from Alaska ended their camping for awhile.
The Fannons ended up in Tallahassee, Florida (Michael’s childhood
home) and they have been in Florida ever since--more than 20 years
now. Camping without air-conditioning in Florida is out of the question
(those who've tried know better). So they purchased eight acres
just outside of town and made that property their retreat from the
city while Michael pursued a very successful career in the Cellular
Communications Industry. The Fannons lived in Orlando and West Palm
Beach for a number of years, but their property in Tallahassee was
always a retreat from city life. All was fine until Michael's job
was relocated to Seattle. They simply were not ready to retire and
their roots were now deep in the Tallahassee area. Relocating was
out of the question.
A brother-in-law had sold cabins in the Park Models industry
for years, and was getting increasingly frustrated with the
quality of the product he was getting from his builder. The Fannon's
son-in-law, Chris, was an experienced building contractor. He and
Mary Beth with son Jackson were finally ready to leave Alaska where
they had been living the last few years.
From such circumstances businesses can be born. The company incorporated
in 2003, recruited Chris and Mary Beth to plan and open the manufacturing
plant, and rented a 12,000 square foot facility in Cairo, GA, just
35 miles from Tallahassee. Says Jody: "We were finally building
the cabins we had dreamed of on the Kenai River. We don’t own them,
but we’ve built two that you can find there--at Gwen’s in Cooper’s
Landing".
You can also find our cabins all over the United States from California
to New York and Washington State to Florida. Our 12,000 square foot
facility has been replaced with a new 40,000 square foot facility,
and son Brian has come into the business. Brad will join the business
as soon as he finishes his degree at Florida State University.
We are very proud of the cabins we build and invite all to visit
us in Cairo, Ga. to see us all hard at work making your dreams come
true.
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