The Umbrella Forest Returns!!!!

Every year we have a huge display of umbrellas and this year is no exception.  We brought in some new stripes and solid colors.  Also in the new product mix is the Shanghai umbrella, which is truly unlike any umbrella you have seen.  Every year we go round and round about what colors are the right ones to take a chance on, and this year I think you will see that we have plenty of universal neutral tones as well as several bolder options.  I think it is safe to say that we will have something to fit your needs…and even if we don’t we are always happy to order just the right combination for you.  If you are looking for a new umbrella please stop and let us tell you all about the features and benefits of the quality Treasure Garden products we offer.

Marquis Spas, DM/Reflections Tub Owners

Do you have one of these hot tubs?  Are you having trouble finding parts?  We can help!!  We do not carry the line of either company but we are able to get parts from them.  Normal lead time is about 7-10 days for parts in stock or 10-14 for non stock items.  Please feel free to call out Service department for any parts you are looking for.  Service department hours are M-F 8am to 5pm and Sat 8-12
- Tim

Lengths We Go To . . .

We get a lot of calls from people out of state, looking to buy product from us.  Sometime they are WAY out of state.  We service Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana, as well as Southwest Ohio.  Some of our Internet customers inquire about us building a pool for them in New York or California. Simply put, we don’t do it.  But if you need an aboveground pool, we can ship it.  We just can’t build it.  But for most products, we cannot ship because of the likelihood of damages in transit.  My recommendation is this:  If you are interested in a particular product, email me at max@eastgatepools.com.  I can tell you if it is something we can ship and if it is not, I may be able to direct you to a dealer in your area.  We are a member of the SPARCO buying group and have members located throughout the eastern United States.  If we can’t help, perhaps they can. But no matter what, we do appreciate your considering Eastgate Pools & Spas for that special item.  –Max

Christmas From July

We have all heard the saying Christmas In July, but for me, the month of March brings Christmas From July.  What?  Well you see, the buying season for casual furniture begins for me in July when the patio furniture manufacturers show their lines for the upcoming season at the Furniture Pre-Market Show in Chicago.  Between July and late September, all of my orders for the 2012 season were written.  The time period between then and March is when all of these orders arrive, but March is when all of these new items start to make it to the showroom floor.  So for me, as each set makes its way to the floor, I eagerly wait for each set to make its grand appearance.  I wonder to myself, did I pick the right color, the right fabric, the right accessory pieces?  Will I like it now as much as I did 7 or 8 months ago?  Heck, sometimes I even forget exactly what I purchased, so it really is like opening a Christmas gift.

I invite you to stop into Eastgate Pools & Spas and share in my holiday joy while checking out all of the latest casual furniture for the 2012 season.  I truly believe this year’s lineup is the best ever, and I hope that you will agree.

Eastgate Pools Family

I am new to the sales floor here at Eastgate but am very eager to meet our clients and begin to build active relationships with both customers and co-workers. In 2003, you may have found me walking through the Eastgate aisles, stocking shelves or mopping floors. Now, after years of college and exploring the business world, I am delighted to be returning to Eastgate as a sales representative, water-testing specialist and front desk assistant. Upon returning I have learned that Eastgate is a company that truly embraces the idea of family. There are employees here that have been working with the company for over 30 years. There are also employees that have, like me, taken time to explore the world and returned to Eastgate. So, you are almost always likely to encounter one of the smiling faces you have seen before, every time you walk through the door. Much like our employees we tend to see the same return philosophy from our customers. Customers return to Eastgate because the sensation of shopping from people you know and trust is continually present. The phrase “Family Owned & Operated” defines Eastgate perfectly and you can feel at home whenever you are around a member of the Eastgate Pools and Spas family.

I recently went on a business trip with two other Eastgate Pools
employees, David and Debbie, to Berlin Gardens in Berlin, Ohio.  We carry
their line of furniture here at the store, and they were holding a dealer
expo, so we went up there. A little information on the company is that
their furniture is made out of recycled milk jugs, and is ran by the
Amish.  It was a very scenic 3 1/2 hour drive to get there. As soon as we
turned off of the highway, the road started getting very hilly and curvy.
I am not one prone to carsickness, but this time it hit me hard. My head
was killing me, and I was getting dizzy. Until we entered into the Amish
realm! Then I had something to focus on. We were all checking out their
houses and yards seeing how many horse and buggies we could find. David
had me googling on my iPhone to see the etiquette of dealing with the
Amish culture, such as can you pass a buggy? Then we go around this curve
and all of a sudden it is like we are on a roller coaster, perched at the
top of the hill waiting for the drop! After another couple of miles, we
made it to the town of Berlin. It is very quaint and very scenic. There
are a lot of little shops and a really nice hotel!  We had an itinerary to
follow, so we had to report to the plant immediately-no sight seeing for
us! We were warmly greeted and made to feel at home. We gathered in
groups, and took a tour of the manufacturing facility. It was pretty
interesting to get to see these people you think of as having no
technology, to be running pneumatic screwdrivers and CNC machines!! Also,
most of the factory workers are female. After the tour we reported to the
showroom, which had been converted for the expo. Usually this building is
also a manufacturing facility to make pergolas, pavilions and gazebos.
The owners wife had been a busy little bee getting the show room ready for
our visit. It was so warm and inviting. The decor was done very well. She
did a great job of “table scaping”. We then were fed the most amazing food
ever, provided by Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen.  The dessert table was
astonishing! After dinner, we listened to the owner talk about their
product and also heard from a motivational speaker.  Then off to our hotel
rooms, which were very nice!  The next day consisted of pretty much the
same type of things. Learning about products, hearing from guest speakers-
including a gentleman from Tangent that is the company who actually
fabricates the “lumber” that Berlin Gardens uses, and we were fed
delicious food again! Then we were sent home and forced to come back to
reality. I really enjoyed myself on this trip, and learned a great deal
about the company, what they offer, what they stand for and how their
product is made. I’m really excited to be entering the sales season, so I
can start promoting their line of furniture.

Recent Storms

Sometimes we find ourselves feeling guilty for being lucky.  The deadly storms and tornados that passed through our region were tragic and we all experienced different feelings.  Here at the store, we followed the path closely and eventually closed our front gate and took shelter.  We were lucky here as it missed the Eastgate area.  I then personally continued to watch the storm path and it was projected to move through Williamsburg and then on into southern Highland County.  These two communities represent where I now live and also where I grew up.  My sister still lives there and the weather map looked like an arrow pointed right through those two areas.  Then something happened.  The storm ‘turned’ and missed both places.  I was relieved, but then I learned of the utter devastation and loss of live in other communities.  Again, a feeling of relief mixed with guilt for being one of the lucky ones to be spared.

I lost a few shingles and a couple of branches.  Others lost everything. I don’t pretend to understand how and why these things happen, but for those that experienced tragedy, you are in our thoughts and prayers.  –Max

Approaching A New Season

As we embark on a new year at Eastgate Pools we are approached with new challenges, fresh products, new employees and amazing new clientele. Just as a student prepares for an upcoming school year we are beginning to develop new product relationships and continue to nurture the relationships we have developed in years past. We are big fans of making life easy on our customers and we want this to be evident on our sales floor. We refuse to berate you with information and will not beat the metaphorical horse when you want to know about a product. We choose to let our customers explore our showroom and offer assistance whenever needed, yet, we are very aware that customers need space to shop and make well-informed decisions on their purchases.

Students approach the new school year with inhibitions, questions and concerns.  As our customers approach a new year of pool/spa/billiards maintenance, I like to acknowledge the correlation between student and customer. Customers and students alike have concerns and “red-flags” that we want to help answer and suppress. Entering our store you can know that we will keep your concerns and opinions in mind as well as offer you all of the assistance you may need without overwhelming you with monotonous sales ploys.

Training

While some other pool companies are closed for the winter, at Eastgate Pools and Spas we are training to make us a better company all around!!  We have had guest speakers come in and talk about chemicals, furniture and Simple Salt Systems.  Many companies will try and learn on the fly, but we take pride in knowing what we are talking about.  Along with our guest speakers, we had each person in the company come up with topics that they would like to cover to make then more efficient for our customers.  We  also did video on each session, so we could go back and watch again if needed!!  I am sure you will find that we are very knowledgeable in a lot of areas that some pool companies don’t even care about!!  Stop in a talk to one of us today!!

Tim

Need a New Hot Tub Cover?

Some covers just wear out.  When you look outside and see water pooling up or steam escaping out the sides, you know it is time.  We can help.  We special-order a couple hundred spa covers each year and about half of these come from people that bought their hot tub elsewhere.  Just bring us the dimensions of the hot tub, along with how you want the fold (if the spa is rectangular).  We also need the dimensions of the corners.  Simply put a piece of paper over the old cover and draw the corners.  If you prefer, we have a template on our website that you can use.  Go to the ‘tips’ section, then scroll down to ‘spas’ and print it out.

If your hot tub came from us, we have about 95% of all covers on file so you probably won’t need to do anything.  Just stop in or give us a call and we can let you know if it is in our file.  –Max