Stanton acquires Schuster RV Park

The Schuster RV Park, long owned by John and Jean Schuster, is officially under new ownership.

Justin Stanton, a Florida native who settled in New Rockford last year, is the new owner of the Schuster RV Park, along with his brother, David Stanton, and partner, Alice Wiedrich.

Stanton has been buying and leasing properties since he first arrived in New Rockford, but the RV park is his most ambitious acquisition yet, and he shared his plans for the property with the Transcript last week.

According to Stanton, the park will fundamentally remain the same, but with a few exciting upgrades and expansions. The most noticeable of which will be cabins along the park's riverside. The park's name and overall purpose, meanwhile, will remain unchanged.

"Getting it up and running and building the cabins," said Stanton when asked what he's most looking forward to about managing the park. "It also just solidifies my investment in the community."

Before settling in New Rockford, Stanton was something of a journeyman. He had flipped houses and worked for property management companies in Florida, and he's since traversed much of the Bakken oil play, going from city to city doing excavation and operating heavy equipment.

When the water main replacement project brought Stanton to New Rockford in 2020, however, he spied an opportunity and a place to put down roots.

"I liked the quiet country, the small-town atmosphere, and everything's a little bit slower and nicer than living in a big city like Dickinson or Bismarck," said Stanton. "So I liked it here and then I saw an opportunity."

Since then, Stanton has purchased and remodeled a number of homes in New Rockford, many of which had been empty and unmaintained. The RV park, however, is the first business he's purchased, and he's excited to "continue the legacy" the Schusters have built.

The park as it's known today arose in 2014, shortly after the Schusters purchased the property the year before. Jean Schuster, the property's former part-owner, said they originally bought it because the park wasn't being maintained and had become an eyesore in the community.

It's brought many new faces to the community and has been a staple in New Rockford ever since. Nearly a decade later, however, the Schusters were ready to start the next chapter of their lives.

"We had the opportunity present itself in May to purchase a farmstead," said Schuster. "... we both grew up on farms so farm life is natural for us, and we've always belonged on a farm. Two days later we went and looked at the property, and when we drove away from there I said, 'we've gotta do this.'"

Schuster added, "We were so excited, and we thought if we could sell everything we could potentially straight up buy the farm, so that was our goal and that's what we did."

The Schusters began calling people that might be interested in buying the park, and Stanton was on the short list. Stanton first met the Schusters while staying at the RV park in 2020, and when he got a call asking if he was interested, he jumped at the opportunity.

Just weeks after deciding to move, the Schusters had handshake deals for all of their properties in New Rockford, and have since purchased and moved into their dream home, which is roughly 21 miles away near Cathay.

The Schusters have long been recognized for their support of New Rockford's local businesses and community, and Jean Schuster wanted to express thanks to the residents who've supported them for decades.

"John and I really want to thank the community for supporting us in what we have done ... It's been an incredible adventure," she said. "We've met so many amazing, wonderful people and made so many neat connections. I will miss it honestly, but onto bigger and better things."

Schuster also expressed confidence and excitement for the future of the RV park.

"I think Justin will run the business very well," said Schuster about Stanton's ownership. "I think that he has a vision for his own improvements, like we did when we first bought the property. ... So I pray that the community supports him. It is a true business, and I pray that he does well with it and enjoys it as much as we have."

Schuster RV Park will be managed by Stanton along with his partner, Alice Wiedrich, and brother, David Stanton. Weather permitting, Stanton said he hopes to open the park sometime in March.