MEET THE EXPERTS

Bob Simpson

Owner
The Pool Shoppe
Website: http://www.thepoolshoppe.ca/
Phone: 905-388-5391
Email: info@thepoolshoppe.ca

VIDEOS

Cue Up The Excitement - more...
Belly Up to the Bar - more...
Summertime Fun - more...

ARTICLES

Billiards anyone? - more...
Cheers to your home bar - more...
Everybody into the pool - more...

Bob Simpson couldn’t even swim when he got into the pool business back in 1968. Like thousands of Hamiltonians, he was working at Stelco when his father-in-law offered him a job servicing in-ground concrete pools. He welcomed the change and began by learning how to service and repair swimming pool pumps and to fix equipment leaks. There was also the annual paint job required to keep concrete pools pristine.

Four years later he opened The Pool Shoppe, a business he now runs along with his two daughters. At that time, their expansive pool court displayed about a half dozen fully functioning above-ground pools. These affordable pools took off in the mid to late 1960s and offered the added benefit of being less permanent than in-ground pools. Besides, says Simpson, you can have just as much fun in either pool.

The advent of pool liners brought down the price of in-ground pools compared to their cement predecessors. This is one of the factors that has grown the company to the point where 60 staff members are employed during the peak summer pool season. The Pool Shoppe has 16 full time employees who work year-round.

With all the training that goes into installers and other experts on staff, Simpson did not want to lose them during winter layoffs. That’s why he ventured into another type of pool 18 years ago and began selling billiard tables and accessories. Pool installers were factory trained to assemble pool tables to fill the off-season void. The Pool Shoppe proudly sells Olhausen tables - one of the only billiard tables manufactured in North America. To compliment the tables, The Pool Shoppe carries bars, barstools, and other recreational games to create the ultimate home games room.

Around the same time Simpson added spa tubs to mix, thinking this would be another off-season seller. Turns out the season mirrors that of pools, although spas can be used year-round. Billiards and bars were the right choice and although he soon dropped the spas, his decision to bring Sundance Spas on board a few years ago, was a good one as they continue to sell throughout the year.

There are advantages to having a family-run business and Simpson believes his customers recognize this. Customer satisfaction is a matter of pride and a guarantee of repeat business and positive referrals. His well-trained staff are aware that they represent him and his business every day as they deal with clients. While customers might not be aware of it, Simpson’s daughters split the general manager duties with one focusing on retail operations and the other on service. Family is definitely front and centre at The Pool Shoppe.

When Simpson got into the swimming pool business years ago, he would have sunk if he’d fallen into the deep end of a pool, as a successful business owner, he has done much more than stay afloat.

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