Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
WASHINGTON – The popularity of golf carts for use in everyday life has led to the expansion and rebranding of a Washington business that refurbishes used golf carts.
Classic Custom Carts, which was formerly known as M&K Sales LLC, is opening a new location in Salisbury, North Carolina.
M&K Sales LLC became a registered business in 2019. The Daviess County business purchases golf carts that have been leased and rebuilds them, replacing any damaged parts, installing new bodies, lights, seats and any other features that need to be replaced.
Owner Merlin Knepp said a friend in North Carolina reached out to him about opportunities in the Salisbury area. That growth opportunity, coupled with the growing demand for golf carts in the Southeast, factored into the decision to expand.
In addition, Knepp said the expansion was an optimal time for rebranding. The new name also is part of the business’ plans to expand to other states in the future.
Knepp and his brother Marcus began refurbishing used golf carts in 2017 in his brother’s basement and then offered them for sale online. The refurbished carts were popular with people wanting them for campgrounds and recreational use.
By 2019, Merlin Knepp was working in the business full time. In 2020, Knepp saw demand jump.
“After 2020 when all the families were home due to COVID and more towns starting allowing golf carts to be driven on public streets, that started driving up demand,” Knepp said. “People are seeing that golf carts can be more than a vehicle for a golf course or campground.”
The rebuild can range from minor repairs to a total rebuild that involves stripping the cart to the frame, depending on the cart’s condition.
“Some are in rougher shape with scratched bodies and torn seats,” he said.
Today, Classic Custom Carts has six employees in Indiana and four in North Carolina. Marcus Knepp is shop foreman of Classic Custom Carts and the brothers are co-owners of Grace Rentals, which rents golf carts.
Knepp said he didn’t know much about the market for rebuilt golf carts when he and his brother began rebuilding them and didn’t anticipate Custom Carts would grow into a full-time business in just a few years.
According to a report by Expert Market Research, golf carts are favored as a safe transportation option because of their simplicity, efficiency, ease of usage and environmental benefits. In addition, the compact size, cost advantage, and high accessibility of golf carts make them ideal as low-speed vehicles that are great for short trips.
The U.S. golf cart market size is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% between 2024 and 2032, according to EMR.
Residential communities near golf courses were among the first to see the benefits of golf carts for short trips. Their popularity soon spread to other states.
In Indiana, state law allows cities and towns to determine their own ordinances regarding golf carts. In accordance with Indiana law, golf cart drivers need to be at least 16 years old and have a valid driver’s license.
Classic Custom Carts’ primary market is customers within a three-hour drive, but Knepp said he’s recently sold carts to customers in Texas and Pennsylvania.
“We have people everyday saying now that they are allowed to drive them in their towns, that they want one,” Knepp said.