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Congratulations to everyone who picked Bernard ’ s Rent-an-Elf in the Holiday issue . The winner , selected randomly from a list of all those who entered with the correct answer , is Rob Quagliani of Lee . Winner receives a gift certi�cate to an area business .
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business , Conserve Thru Control ( CTC ) Inc ., as an HVAC coder . CTC Inc . then hired Dylan , and he worked closely with Steph and her family members on a range of projects throughout New England .
When Dylan and Steph weren ’ t traveling across the greater northeastern region on professional assignments , they enjoyed a series of recreational biking trips together . Memorable excursions to the Kingdom Trails in Vermont and Bar Harbor in Maine complemented their local mountain biking campaigns in the Berkshires . Their outdoor vacation experiences sparked an interest in “ van life ,” a lifestyle where nomadically minded hikers , bikers , climbers , and travelers live out of their vans , bringing them closer to the action .
Shortly after their wedding , the Rapisardas took a trip to Iceland , where their passion for van life took on a new dimension . “ We rented a Renault campervan when we traveled there ,” shares Dylan . “ It was a small , low-tech van , but it was a life-changing experience . We got to make the most of every day , and we never looked back .”
When they returned to the Berkshires , they purchased a 2008 Mercedes Sprinter van from a mechanic in Great Barrington . They intended to use it for their mountain biking adventures , but the van also served as a canvas for experimentation and learning , where their mechanical and entrepreneurial knowledge dovetailed with their newfound zeal for van life .
After converting and selling that first van , Dylan and Steph took a leap of faith and founded Berkshire Van Company in 2020 . In the early stages of the pandemic , they built a sales platform through social media and online outreach . Some of their clients came as a result of personal connections ; others discovered Berkshire Van Company by way of online research and reached out from across the country through e-mail and social media messages . In their first year of business , Dylan and Steph remodeled and sold three vans , establishing a sustainable pace that they have maintained ever since .
As their business expanded , so did their need for additional space . The development of their workshop started
58 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE Holiday Spring 2024 2023