Keller Marine & RV will expand across the Gulf Coast with the opening of a new warehouse in Louisiana in early 2026.
President Mike Keller said the 20,000-square-foot facility will open for business in the first half of January. The warehouse will serve western Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and eastern Texas.
Mike Keller said expanding beyond the company’s two warehouses in Florida and Pennsylvania was a leap of faith that came together quickly.
“Honestly, I prayed a lot over the decision to make sure that we are doing the right thing,” Mike Keller said. “It is important to me to make the right decision. We want to add value to the marketplace. We did not have a lot of time to research and pray. It had to happen quickly in order to make it viable.”
The opportunity arose with the closure of Arrow Distributing’s warehouse in Hammond, Louisiana. That facility closed after Arrow was acquired by Meyer Distributing in August.
“There were a bunch of people that were in that market that had worked there for a lot of years, and some of them reached out to us and said, ‘We think there is room for somebody in this area,’” Mike Keller said. “We went to that territory and talked to the dealers and got their feedback. I told them I did not want to come there unless there was a real need for us to be there.”
Mike Keller said area dealers assured him the need was there, and he saw opportunity for his family-run company in the area.
One aspect of consideration for Mike Keller was his company’s status as a regional distributor. He said he wants Keller Marine & RV to retain that regional knowledge that comes with getting to know those markets.
“We have a saying in truck hitches,” Mike Keller said. “If you have a universal pickup truck hitch, then it does not fit any truck. It might fit a lot of trucks, but it does not fit any truck just right. And that is what can happen when you try to do universal distribution. We have to really look carefully at each market we serve.”
The company’s first concern, Mike Keller said, is establishing itself in the area and developing a feel for the new region. It is the company’s first venture into the middle of the U.S.
The plan is to start small, Mike Keller said. At 20,000 square feet, the warehouse will be manageable, but large enough to carry 40,000 SKUs. The company will hire sales and warehouse staff.
“That number is still a moving target,” Mike Keller said. “We always want to start out lean and find a way. We can grow from there.”
Mike Keller said he welcomes dealers to reach out to the company with questions or to share needs and concerns at [email protected].
