My Sister’s New House

My sister just bought her first house after months and months of waiting to see if the bank would accept her offer and go through with a short sale.  Once they accepted the offer, she was given about 3 days to get it ready for the appraisal.  Normally this wouldn’t be a huge stress, but since the owner walked away from the house (and she happened to be scheduled to work those 3 days) it was quite a daunting task.  Have you ever walked into a house and walked out feeling dirty?  Let me tell you, it’s quite the experience.  Maggots in the fridge (that whole thing was promptly thrown away), cobwebs on every fixture and in every corner, 2 unusable bathrooms, clothes in the closet, and feathers and bird droppings all over the place (apparently the owner had a parrot)…and that’s not even the half of it!  Needless to say, the place was a mess.  However, under all the filth and bad flooring…and wallpaper…there is incredibly potential on a great little piece of land.  As I was helping her plan out her room designs, I couldn’t help but think of all the great products that we have that could fill her empty rooms.  I think a game room sounds like a fantastic idea…right sis? J  We have some awesome pool tables at killer deals right now.  She could get 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 card tables, air hockey, foosball, or possibly even a bar!  I know she likes to tan sometimes too—she could even get her own private tanning bed or booth from us at some really good prices.  I think I’m a great room planner, don’t you?  She might be a little preoccupied with getting her bathrooms to work right now, but I’m thinking big picture here.

Next decision…pool or spa…or possibly both!

Billiard Table Cloth

You can dramatically increase the life of your table’s cloth simply by changing ends when you break.  Alternate ends when you break and the cloth will not wear as badly.  Also, brush the table frequently.  No only does this help keep the table clean, it restores the cloth’s pile or nap and keeps the balls running true.  — Max

Feel The Heat!

I don’t know what my problem is, but I can’t seem to ever get warm in the wintertime.  Long johns, three pairs of socks, gloves, scarves, fleece jackets, coats…you name it, I probably wear it…and I’m probably still cold.  I really with that we had a policy here at work that allowed me to use some of our products while I’m working.  I’m surrounded by things that could warm me up during the cold winter months…or chilly fall and spring days…or cool summer nights.  What can I say, I must have poor circulation.  Our spas always look so enticing.  Not only would the warm water keep the chill off, but the various jets would give me a nice therapeutic massage.  Man, that sounds perfect right about now.  Or if I didn’t want to get wet, I could warm up and detoxify in one of our infrared saunas.  A nice gentle warming would give me a lot more energy.  Maybe I want to warm up and look a little better too.  I could lay in one of our tanning beds for a few minutes to warm up AND get a little summer glow.  I’m already sick of having pasty white legs.  Those all sound great to me.  Sometimes, though, I want to stay bundled up, but also have some extra heat in the room I’m in.  That is when our Eden Pure Quartz room heater comes into play.  I can actually use this one while I’m working too!  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood by it to get some warmth after or front door slides open and introduces a new puff of cold air.  This heater is great on your energy bill, and the thermostat does a great job regulating the heat in the room.  Just ask the guys in the service department here.  Their office in the warehouse stays nice and toasty because of this heater (and the boss man doesn’t mind what it does to the electric bill…if he even notices at all).

Come to think of it…maybe I’ll buy some of these products for my own home.  Okay, time to go do some jumping jacks to get my blood moving!

Why? . . . Because It’s Fun!

Sometime when you have some time to play around on the web, like after you’ve checked out the entire Eastgate Pools web site, do a search for Gatlinburg Chalet Rentals.  Go to a few realtors’ web sites and you will notice a common theme.  More and more rentals feature hot tubs, pool tables and game tables.  Chalet owners know that prospective renters are looking for quality time to spend with their loved ones, and they are looking to have fun, as after all, the renters are on vacation.  By providing these amenities, the chalet owner increases the likelihood of renting out their property.

This Gatlinburg phenomenon reminds me once again why Eastgate Pools & Spas’ motto is “Resort living …at home”.  Vacations are great, but the same things that help make vacation fun can be enjoyed year-round right in your very own home.

Pre-Season Pricing On Inground Swimming Pools

Are you waiting to realize your dream of having an inground pool as close as your own back yard just because it’s February, and summer’s sweltering heat seems worlds away? Well, let’s consider some good reasons to pursue your dream today. The sooner you call us, the sooner we can start. Buying today places you early in our schedule so you can beat the summer rush, and that means the most possible swim time for you and your family. It also gives you plenty of chance to preen your pool landscaping during ideal growing conditions, giving you a beautiful back yard oasis in time for the swim season. And by getting the jump on your neighbors, you will also get the most for your money by taking advantage of our pre-season pricing. With all the benefits you receive by considering your inground pool now, why wait any longer? It all begins with a call – let us help!

The Great Showroom Switch

It’s getting to be that time of year again. 2010 Casual Furniture is starting arrive, and space is limited. With that being said this is a fantastic time of year for those of you that are looking for game tables, poker tables, bars, or billiard tables. There is a premium on space which translates to great savings demo items. I know there are people out there that may look down on demos because they may have a blemish on the surface. Myself personally I am not one of those people, having 2 children I fully realize that if there is not a blemish on it now there will be one soon after it arrives at my house. I encourage those of you that may be looking for these items, and as most of us are wanting to get them for a steal of a price to stop in. Keep in mind these are demos and once they are gone they are gone.

Eastgate Alumni

Recently, I reflected in a blog how 2009 marked my 25^th year with Eastgate Pools & Spas.  Over these years, I have had quite a few co-workers.  Don’t get me wrong, at Eastgate we have a very large core of employees with lots of years of service, but in these 25 years we have had lots of young people that have used Eastgate Pools as a learning and earning tool on their way to other careers.  Just a quick search of my mind and I can think of a chiropractor, a lawyer, a pharmacist, a couple of engineers, a couple of accountants, a teacher, a couple of nurses to be, and more that have made Eastgate Pools a part of their growing up.  Like any good relationship, Eastgate has given to these young people from the surrounding community, but has also reaped many benefits in return.  What a pleasure it is when these young people return to visit with us and reminisce about the time they spent in the pool business.  All of this just proves once again how important local businesses are to a community and how important the community is to a local business.

It Almost Here

Don’t look at the thermometer, or the weather forecast, but check out the calender. The Groundhog says that spring 6 weeks away, and now is the time to plan for spring projects. One question that we hear quite a bit referring to spas is questions about the deck, and how strong it has to be to support a spa. Standard 2″x8″ joists set at 16″ on center is generally acceptable for most spas. Make sure to check with the salesperson that the spa you are looking at is a fully framed system. With a fully framed spa the weight is distributed evenly throughout the entire footprint of the spa, much like a waterbed frame. If however this is not the case and the spa is not fully framed there will need to be special accommodations made to carry the weight of the spa, as the bulk of the weight will be located in the footwell area of the spa. Make sure to check with a spa salesperson prior to construction of a deck, or running electric as different manufacturers have different wiring requirements. It is much better, and less expensive, to have the information in front of you prior to construction as opposed to having to undo and redo what has been done.

Valentine’s Day

I was sitting at home the other evening wondering what a woman might like for Valentines Day, and I came up with a few ideas.  Since I am a very thrifty person my thoughts drifted to some items here in the store.  If you have a hot tub at home your wife or girlfriend would most definitely enjoy some of our wonderful spa scents.  You could also pick up a decorative wine bottle holder that you could place her favorite vintage of wine.  If you don’t have a color changing light in your hot tub you could always add one on and it would only a few minutes to install.  Throw in some flowers and a little Marvin Gaye and I can almost guarantee your Valentines Day will be one that both of you will remember for years to come.

- Thomas

UGH Get Off Of Me!

This is what your spa cover is saying after the last round of snow and ice. The beauty of a spa cover is that it is a great insulator, and like the failed McDLT sandwich it keeps the hot side hot and the cold side cold. The problem with this is that it allows snow to build up on the cover, and by the snow building the weight also builds. At my house I only got about 4 inches of snow, but also a 1/4″ of ice first. The weight of the ice and wet snow puts a tremendous strain on the spa cover, and can cause serious damage. I wish that I didn’t have to write this, but we do live in Cincinnati and volatile weather is a fact of life. Long and short is this any snowfall, especially wet snow, puts weight on a cover and can cause damage and there is only one way to prevent damage-Remove the snow as soon as you are able.