In 1997 , Kevin and Scott Jordan left the maritime industry , deciding to start something they believed was badly needed in their area of Pearl River , Louisiana . They brought with them a former colleague in Lisa Touchard White , who had worked with the pair since 1992 . The trio ’ s new business venture , Northshore Trailer & Equipment , was founded .
NATDA ’ s Corey Langley spoke with Northshore Trailer & Equipment ’ s Kevin Jordan to discuss the beginnings of his dealership and where his team has found success in the past 24 years .
NATDA : You started your business with just a small load of trailers from Big Tex Trailers , and , over the years , you found quite a bit of success and even moved to a larger facility in 2004 . However , many new dealerships often face struggles . Did you experience any ?
Jordan : I don ’ t think we had struggles , but we definitely had growing pains . After only six years in business , we needed to expand . So , we moved to the interstate for better exposure and easier access for our customers .
In August of 2005 , though , our area was hit by Hurricane Katrina . Demand for dump and cargo trailers boomed . Thankfully , we had the help of dedicated employees , who were also facing their own hardships with hurricane displacement or destruction , and had our busiest year since opening .
Similarly , today ’ s industry is facing COVID-19 related issues that hinder production and hiring . Though the need for trailer inventory is slow , our business is thankfully still thriving .
MEMBER SINCE : April 11 , 2008 NATDA Trailer Shows : 9
Awards : Top 10 Dealer Award ( Multiple ) - Haulmark Trailer
Social Media : Facebook
Top 5 Trailer Brands : Big Tex Trailers , Carry-on Trailers , Falcon Trailers , Forest River Cargo Division , Rock Solid Cargo
Types of Trailers : Boat , Concession , Dump , Enclosed , Flatbed , Heavy Equipment , Heavy Utility , RV / Toy Hauler , Tow Dolly , Towable RV , Truck Bed , Utility
NATDA : Regarding those inventory issues , what are you doing as a dealership to try and counteract that loss of revenue as much as possible ?
Jordan : Customer service and retention of business customers is a priority for us . We have great working relationships with many local businesses and municipalities . We also do a lot of service work and maintenance on trailers , provide hitch installation , and keep a large variety of trailer and truck components including several lines of lawncare accessories .
39362 E Porters River Rd Pearl River , LA 70452 985-863-3888
843 Collins Blvd Covington , LA 70433 985-898-0331
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20 20 NATDA Magazine www www . natda . natda . org .