Business View Magazine l November 2022

229 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 11 After a decade of touring and the associated maintenance aggravations, Gary sold his van. But the itch came again. Gary started browsing for a new vehicle. However this time he wanted something reliable, easily maintained and luxurious enough to make traveling comfortable while being proud to show it off. The vehicle also needed to meet some personal needs like taking friends out, going to a ball game, or just a quick family weekend. But this wasn’t as easy as it seemed, and it took years of searching before he realized that nothing available would fit his needs. During this time, Gary learned a lot about the industry. As a part of that process, Gary went to a premier manufacturer called Midwest Automotive Designs (MAD) who would custom- build exactly what he needed on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Chassis. The result was something truly unique on the market and perfect for him. Being a serial entrepreneur, Gary thought he could sell a few to friends and decided to become a dealer for fun. With permission from MAD he started selling the vans. Before he knew it, Gary had sold about 20 units within six months which typically takes an entire year for a dealership. There was indeed a market for the Ultimate Toy. Gary started this in 2017, but in 2018, Josh was brought on board by Gary. In the first operating year, the Greens sold about 120 vans. This number has increased each year. In 2019, about 240 units were sold, and in 2020 during the pandemic, about 550 went to happy new owners. Over 2,000 units were sold within the first five years of operation. The company now sells five core Sprinter models, with a few variations exclusive to Ultimate Toys. Recently, the company has begun to offer a RAM ProMaster version, which is more affordable than the Mercedes-Benz. Other products include a unique teardrop travel trailer and the custom Ultimate Jeep. This expansion has opened the company up to new markets. ULT IMATE TOYS , INC .