BACKUS, Minn. — The boss of a northern Minnesota company that plops out super-popular tiny, egg-shaped campers was given a distinguished honor Thursday from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Micah Eveland of Scamp Trailers in Backus was named the Minnesota Small Business Person of the Year.
He will compete for National Small Business Person of the Year during National Small Business Week, which will take place the first week of May in Washington, D.C.
The Minnesota-made Scamp campers or "egg campers" have been hand-built for over five decades at the factory in Backus — population 300.
Around 700 molded fiberglass Scamps are turned out every year, which is a 20% increase following a plant expansion in 2022.
When it all began in 1971, the factory produced just 130 per year.
The smallest Scamp trailer is just 13 feet long; the longest is 19 feet. Every Scamp is sold straight from the factory, with no dealers involved.
Buyers can expect to pay between $19,000 and $40,000 for their Scamps, depending on size, model and options.
You can expect the wait time after ordering to be around 14 months.
Roughly 40% of customers pick up their campers at the factory. The rest have them shipped.
"Minnesota is home to over 500,000 small business owners who anchor our communities. This year, we get to recognize Scamp Trailers, an iconic American brand that embodies the spirit of the North Star state," said SBA's Minnesota District Director, Brian McDonald, in a news release.
Micah Eveland took over leadership of the company from his father, Kent Eveland in 2022.
In 1971, Micah's grandfather and Kent's father, Duane Eveland, the founder, combined the words "small" and "camper" to brand the small travel trailer "Scamp."
In 2023, KARE 11's Boyd Huppert shared an outstanding story of the cult-like following that has grown over the years with the "egg people's" love of their Scamps.
Last year, Abdirahan Kahin, who owns four Afro Deli locations across the Twin Cities, was the Minnesota Small Business Person of the Year.
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