Josh & Tiffani Decker, owners of the Alpine /Bridger-Teton KOA, stepped into the SVI Radio studio on Wednesday, June 10 after being selected as the June Business of the Month by the Star Valley Chamber of Commerce.

(0:00) It’s 8.36 this morning on SWIFT 98, (0:03) the SPUR and also on The Wave today, (0:05) heading into this hour’s guest interview segment (0:07) and our monthly report (0:09) from the Starbody Chamber of Commerce (0:10) and the Business of the Month. (0:13) And this time around, for the month of June, (0:15) the Starbody Chamber of Commerce has announced (0:17) that Alpine Bridger Teton KOA (0:21) is the June Business of the Month, (0:23) locally owned by Tiffany and Josh Decker (0:26) and located north of Etna, just off Highway 89. (0:29) Tiffany and Josh, both in studio today.

(0:31) You guys, good morning, how’s it going today? (0:33) Good morning. (0:34) Great, thanks for having us. (0:35) Appreciate your time and thanks for stepping in studio (0:37) wearing the KOA apparel, by the way, of course.

(0:40) We’re official. (0:41) Looking good, looking very good. (0:43) Well, Tiffany, let’s start with you.

(0:44) Tell us about how you guys got into KOA (0:47) because you started with the Airstream dealership in Etna (0:50) and not involved with that anymore, (0:52) but running the KOA instead. (0:54) Yeah, so we’ve done Airstream for the past 10 years (0:57) and we just, Josh’s dad was the owner (1:04) of the Airstream dealership and he just wanted to retire (1:08) and so he decided to sell the Airstream dealership (1:12) and we wanted to stay in the valley (1:15) and keep building up our presence here (1:18) and so Josh’s brother, Zach, and his wife, Maddie, (1:23) we wanted to buy the campground from Dennis and Laura (1:26) and so we bought it and here we are. (1:29) Here we are, here we are.

(1:30) So Josh, I know this was kind of in the works (1:33) even before Airstream was out of the picture for you guys (1:36) and you had some big plans and visions early on, (1:40) so tell us how this all started and walk us through (1:42) all the work that went into getting to where you’re at now. (1:46) Sure, yeah, so we started off with just a small campground (1:49) with nothing but kind of utility hookups (1:53) for that first year, mostly for people (1:55) who were already getting service done (1:57) or buying a new trailer, (1:58) somewhere for them to just stay overnight, (2:00) but realizing we had such a great location and everything, (2:05) we decided to put more investment (2:07) into making the campground nice. (2:09) We’ve expanded now to 80 sites (2:11) and working on getting those all filled out and beautified.

(2:15) Now they’re all functional, (2:17) but we’re working on landscaping, everything like that. (2:20) Turning into a KOA last year has helped a lot (2:23) with just national reach. (2:26) It’s a really well-known brand.

(2:28) So being able to be a franchise for KOA (2:31) has helped so much in just getting the park full, (2:36) getting people to know that we’re here (2:37) and make it easy to book online (2:39) and everything like that, it’s been great. (2:40) Absolutely, so I think one of the reasons (2:42) the Star Valley Chamber selected you guys (2:44) as the business of the month (2:46) is because it’s not your typical KOA (2:49) from what I can tell, right? (2:51) You guys have really gone above and beyond (2:53) to make this a really nice facility. (2:55) And so Josh, maybe touch on that a little, (2:57) if you would, on what you guys have done (2:59) to really make this a unique and enjoyable experience (3:03) for people that visit the area.

(3:05) Sure, yeah, so I think the biggest thing (3:06) is we built our store this last winter. (3:09) Last year we had just a small check-in building (3:12) with a couple snacks and drinks and things like that. (3:15) This year we’ve built a much bigger store.

(3:17) We’re filling it with a lot of locally produced goods. (3:21) We have products from Swift Creek Trading, (3:25) from the Queen Bee, from Scott’s Bees (3:28) up in Star Valley Ranch. (3:30) Just a lot of local producers and businesses (3:35) where we’re carrying their products (3:37) so that people who stay with us (3:39) get a taste of everything that Star Valley has.

(3:43) And it’s great, we’re selling ice cream (3:45) from Shumway Farms and things like that. (3:47) It’s been super popular up there. (3:48) People love coming in and getting (3:50) something more than just the typical name brand stuff (3:53) that you see in every gas station.

(3:56) Tiffany, I love that because when people come in to visit, (3:59) it’s hard for them to know where all the nice (4:01) little nick and cranny places like that Josh just mentioned (4:04) and to be able to get all of that at your KOA, (4:08) it’s pretty impressive. (4:09) Yeah, it was awesome. (4:11) That’s what we really wanted to do (4:13) because people use our campground as a base camp (4:15) for the Tetons and for Jackson and Yellowstone (4:19) or a stopping way for there.

(4:21) But they miss the awesome little treasures in Star Valley (4:25) and so we really wanted to make people stop (4:28) and be like, hey, go down to Afton (4:30) or go down to Thane and explore there a little bit. (4:33) This is a fun little area too and very memorable (4:37) and you’ll love it if you give it a shot. (4:39) Love it, so Tiffany, what are the plans now moving forward? (4:43) Because I know you guys aren’t done yet.

(4:44) What are you trying to do now? (4:45) Yeah, no, yeah, so like Josh said, (4:48) we’re landscaping the second phase. (4:51) We have 30 sites that are good to go (4:53) and landscaped and pretty. (4:55) And we’re gonna be landscaping the next 50.

(4:57) And then in a couple of years, (5:00) we’re gonna add 70 more sites. (5:01) So we’ll have almost 150 sites total and two ponds. (5:05) We wanna have a fishing pond (5:06) and then a little swimming pond.

(5:08) So to add more recreation to the area (5:11) because right now we’re just more focused (5:13) on being a base camp for the bigger tourist attractions. (5:17) Sure, love it, love it. (5:19) Josh and Tiffany Decker in studio this morning, (5:21) owners of the Alpine Bridger Teton KOA.

(5:24) There have been previous KOAs in Star Valley, we think, (5:29) right, maybe we kind of hear, but maybe there was, (5:31) maybe there wasn’t, I don’t know. (5:32) But I think this seems to be like really the first, (5:37) we’re gonna go in all in on this thing and do something. (5:40) Would you say that’s correct, Josh? (5:41) Yeah, I think KOA as a company has changed a bit (5:46) since it started in the 60s.

(5:48) There’s a lot more focus now on kind of that national reach. (5:52) They have some partnerships (5:53) with the Cruise America Rentals, everything like that. (5:57) And we get so many people coming in from other countries (6:00) who, as far as they’re concerned, (6:03) KOA is the only option for staying (6:05) when they’re traveling by motorhome or van (6:08) or anything like that.

(6:09) So just that kind of focus on franchises and everything, (6:13) more than just the few locations they had at the start, (6:16) has really grown the brand a lot (6:19) and we’re really happy to be a part of it. (6:21) Perfect, well, congratulations (6:22) on being the June Business of the Month (6:24) with the Star Valley Chamber of Commerce. (6:26) Anything else about the Alpine Bridger Teton KOA (6:30) that you feel is worth mentioning today that we missed? (6:34) I think the main thing that we’d wanna tell people (6:37) who are listening here is that our store (6:40) and everything’s open for everybody.

(6:41) It’s not just for guests staying with us. (6:43) We have, like I said, a lot of local goods (6:45) and things like that, where especially since we live (6:48) down here in the Upper Valley, (6:49) we’re bringing a lot of the goods from businesses here (6:53) up into the Lower Valley. (6:56) So things that you maybe wouldn’t always make the drive for, (6:59) a lot of it we have available up there.

(7:01) Love it, now you’ve done a good job (7:03) promoting products from other people, Josh, (7:05) but you’ve been humble. (7:07) You’re also selling your own product (7:09) at your store, I understand, right? (7:11) Yeah, so this is the first time I’ve ever tried (7:14) selling barbecue sauce. (7:15) Made it for friends and family quite a lot.

(7:18) Give it out as neighbor gifts at Christmas (7:20) and things like that. (7:21) But this year we’ve got a little fridge (7:24) and I’m selling barbecue sauce for the first time (7:26) and it’s been good so far. (7:27) People seem to like it.

(7:28) Well, I will give my unsolicited and unpaid endorsement (7:32) for Josh’s barbecue sauce. (7:34) I’m a big fan. (7:35) It actually came up in a text in Topics.

(7:36) Someone said, you gotta have Josh’s bar. (7:38) I felt so out of the loop, I was like, I’ve never had it. (7:41) So Tiffany brought a jar by, or a bottle by, (7:43) and I’m a fan, man, you’ve got me hooked.

(7:46) So love it. (7:47) Again, that’s Tiffany and Josh Decker in studio. (7:49) The Alpine Bridge of Teton KOA, (7:51) the Starbody Chamber of Commerce, (7:52) June Business of the Month.

(7:53) You guys, congratulations and thanks for stopping by. (7:55) Thank you. (7:56) Thanks, Stu, thanks for having us.

(7:57) It’s all part of the weekday wakeup this morning (7:58) on the SVI Radio Network.