When discussing the RTA manufacturing facility… It’s impossible to separate it from the sense of place. That place is Cambridge City, Indiana.
What started off as a hunt to find a location to manufacture our outdoor kitchens… Turned into so much more. It’s serendipity at its finest. Just by taking one look at downtown Cambridge City… You’ll be hit with a feeling that speaks straight to your soul.
There’s something awe-inspiring about the community there. It’s not just a small-town America feel. It’s a community that pulls themselves up by the bootstraps. This couldn’t be better exemplified by the Old Miller Dairy. The Old Miller Dairy was a mainstay of the Cambridge City area for generations. Sadly, this small factory shuttered its doors in the 90’s.
But opportunity knocks. When Jon Bell, head of RTA manufacturing, saw the factory was up for sale… He jumped at the opportunity to restore it to its former glory. Upon purchase, the factory was in rough shape. It was no secret that it was in need of some serious TLC.
But that didn’t matter… Because the potential was spotted. And thus, RTA Outdoor Living found their home. Moving forward to today… RTA and Cambridge City have an unusual, yet symbiotic relationship. Cambridge City has provided us a place to plant our roots… And we in turn have brought some vigor back to a sleepy, small-town in the heartland.
It’s a partnership no one would have expected. But it’s one that we wouldn’t trade for the world. A special thank you to Jon Bell and Ward Schraeder for capturing this story.
