Aquatics Empowered Moorhead, Minnesota • Stars Year: 2010 Troy Derheim of My Aquatic Services, a company that builds and remodels pools and hot tubs, has launched a nonprofit called Aquatics Empowered. The former owner of Tubs of Fun!, a 2010 Retail Star, Derheim’s charitable efforts focus on communities or entities that have struggled with the process…
Rohan Mehta Arctic Spas Durham co-owner Whitby, Ontario We sold trampolines, and they were amazing. We had enough showroom to have a couple on display; we kept an inventory in our warehouse that customers could pick up and assemble themselves. They were great to have in the showroom as kids would be occupied bouncing and…
Eric Cassidy, vice president Valley Pool & Spa, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Locations: Five Area covered: Southwestern Pennsylvania/Pittsburgh region Last expansion: 2015 Plans to expand again: One to two years Lease or own locations: Both Why did or why would you expand to an additional location? To grow in new geographic market How do you split your time…
Michael Nekahi, co-owner Black Pine Spas & Leisure Products Seattle, Washington Black Pine Spas has traditionally been a hot tub store that has carried mostly complementary products. Over our 35 years in business, we have supplemented our primary hot tub business with tanning beds, gun safes, wood stoves, billiard and game tables, and saunas. Not…
Mark Nelson Master Spas of Western Michigan Grand Rapids, Michigan Swim spa sales aren’t for every dealer, just like some hot tub dealers don’t build pools. Yes, we sell swim spas and we outsell all in our region. It was only when Master Spas decided to invest in, and rewrite the book on, swim spas…
AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS in the industry, Larry Berczyk, co-owner of Minn.-based Valley Pools & Spas, says his favorite part of the job now is mentoring and interacting with his employees, “Watching them work and do the things they’ve been taught and trained to do, it’s kinda fun,” Berczyk says. He’s happy with the…