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.
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
Did you know?
That the Cincinnati Recreation Commission has been providing public swimming for over 80 years?
There are over 10 million swimming pools in the USA, according to the National Swimming Pool Foundation
2 Piece swimsuits were introduced in 1943
In 1912, women’s swimming event were added to the Olympic Games
Michael Phelps owns the record for most Gold medals in an Olympic games, can you name the previous holder? Hint: Happened in 1972
Just some fun things I found and thought some of you might like it.
Tim
The Changing Face of Shopping
I started selling pools 17 years ago, after building them for 12 years. (Kind of gives away my age a little, doesn’t it?) In that time, I have seen a major shift in how people shop for the products we sell—hot tubs, pools, casual furniture…just about everything. It’s called the Internet. Hey—it’s where you are now so I must be onto something here. I’d like to invite you to check EVERYTHING out while you visit our site. We strive to provide you with enough information to make your search fruitful and we even link you to many of the manufacturer’s sites. But remember that pictures and words don’t replace putting your hands on the spa or pool table you are considering, and until you actually experience the high-flow motors we put on both our above ground and in-ground pools, pictures just aren’t adequate. Plus, our expert sales staff can answer any questions you might have while you are here.
So look over our web site, pick out some goodies, then come in and see them in person. –Max
My Infared Heater
We have carried the EdenPURE heaters for several years now, and last year we added another option in the Infinity Heat. I live in an older home in Latonia and thought I would get one of the Infinity heaters to offset the chill (putting it kindly) in my unfinished basement. While I can’t say that my utility bill decreased I was certainly happy to have a house that was, in general, much warmer. This year I’ve decided to bring the heater upstairs and try to use it for more of a zone heating perspective. I couldn’t be happier with how this has worked. Any area I’m in is nice and toasty, but equally important is the fact that my gas furnace is hardly getting used. I’m actually looking forward to my upcoming bill because I know it is going to be such a big savings over last year. If you looking to take the sting out of your utilities this winter I can recommend one of these units…from experience!
Craig
So How’s The Economy?
Judging from our recent sales, things are looking up. We’ve had the best year EVER in early hot tub sales. Maybe it is because of the 50+ specials we bought direct from a manufacturer. As these are model closeouts, home show demos, and factory specials, the pricing is very low. Maybe it is just people capitalizing on a unique opportunity for enormous savings, but I hope it is really a sign that the good times are returning.
And above grounds? Very strong too! I am very confident that we are going to have a substantial backlog of pools to build once the weather breaks. If you are considering an above ground pool for this year, I’d recommend picking one out and getting on ‘the list’. This is a good list to be on, as these people will not miss real swimming time this year while awaiting an installation date. –Max
Did You Know . . .
That we have a father and son that work in our service department
Max’s 3 sons have worked here at some point in the last 5 years
Brian had only one other job before working here and that was at LaRosas. Brian has worked here for 28 years
Many people think we have a set of twins that work together in the service department. To the shock of our customers, they aren’t even related!! I even mess up their names when talking to them!!
We are open year round to handle all your needs!!
H2O Detective: The Case of the Mistaken Diagnosis
It was a hot day at the beginning of August and the store was finally starting to slow down a little after a long summer of extremely heavy customer volume. Harold Osborne II, A.K.A. H2O detective, had just finished up a standard water test and the next customer came up to the test station and held over her bottle. She was a rather small lady of about 5′ tall and in her mid thirties. She was wearing squared eye glasses and had short brown hair. She had a rather smart look to her and for some reason Harold imagined her in a college library studying for an exam.
“I am at my wits end. I am hoping that you can help me out. I’ve been taking my water sample to a different pool store and I have dumped over $100 in Phosphate remover to try and get my pool to hold chlorine and get rid of the algae and nothing seems to work. The phosphates have come down some, but I can’t get completely rid of them. I have a friend that brings her water here and she says that you guys are the best.” She said with a tone of exasperation.
“Tell your friend thanks for speaking so highly of us. I hope we can live up to the hype.” Harold started filling the sample tubes with water then reagents. By the time the reagents were dissolved there really was no need to run it though the machine, because after testing thousands of waters he knew what the results were by color. The tests were always nonetheless run through the machine and recorded into the store data base for future reference. He proceeded to type the customers information into the computer and run the test.
“It does show that there is zero chlorine in your pool, your PH is fine and your phosphate are a little high at 1300 parts per billion. How much chlorine have you been putting in and how often?” asked Harold.
“That’s exactly what I am talking about. This has been going on for over two weeks. I’ve put three treatments of phosphate remover in and I’ve been putting about two gallons of chlorine in the pool nearly every day for the last week and about once every two days prior to that and the problem doesn’t go away. I just can’t seem to get the phosphates down low enough to have the chlorine stay in the water.” She responded, rather despondently.
“Well, in my opinion you are treating one of the potential causes rather then treating the problem itself. The phosphates are not eating the chlorine, it is actually the chlorine is spending itself oxidizing the algae. The problem is, you have 20,000 gallons of water in your pool. If everything is going great and you just need a weekly shock, two gallons is the perfect amount. You, however do not have a perfect situation. You have a mildly bad situation and you need to treat it as such. I would recommend that you put in 8 bags of shock and some Eliminator to completely wipe out the algae.” Suggested Harold.
“8 bags of shock? That sounds like a lot.” Exclaimed the customer. “Can I try less? What about the Phosphates? They are still high!”
“The problem is…” retorted Harold, “this is science, and if you do the math, less just isn’t going to give you a positive outcome. One molecule of chlorine will go and kill one algae cell, the problem is, if you don’t kill them all off, they multiple at and incredible rate. If you don’t kill them all off at one time, the money you’ve spent on half measures are a complete waste of time and money, because by the time you do your next application the algae has multiplied back to the same level you were at the day prior. It’s better to take care of the problem once and for all. As far as the phosphates go, reducing phosphates is a tool, not an end all solution to fixing a problem or preventing a new problem from occurring. There are other weapons we can use to prevent algae, rather then phosphate removers. The problem with phosphate removers are, phosphates are naturally reoccurring and you will be constantly chasing after that ‘White Whale’ with little success.”
With a look of surrender the customer agreed to take Harold’s advice. She bought her chemicals and promised to follow up with a report and another water test in three days. There is very little Harold hasn’t seen in his line of work and this was no exception. As expected he had to really sell the answer he was suggesting, because it was going against what the customer believed and was told at a different establishment. He was confident that his solution would work and she would be in a lot better frame of mind the next time he saw her.
EdenPURE or Infinity Heater?
What one should you choose?
It’s pretty simple—take your pick. They are both great heaters. Lets look at the similarities.
- Both are infrared heaters. They don’t rob your home of moisture like traditional coil heaters.
- Both are totally safe to use and cannot start fires.
- Both are lightweight, allowing you to easily move them from one room to another.
- Both are economical and operate for about 6-8 cents per hour (depends on your supplier’s rate).
- Both are easy to use.
So what are the differences?
- Infinity offers a digital read-out
- Infinity offers a ‘sleep-timer’ feature, where the heater will automatically shut off after a length of time you determine.
- EdenPURE Gen 3 is manually controlled and the USA1000 units have a remote. Infinity has a remote.
- EdenPURE has a black, plastic, molded frame. Infinity has a furniture grade wooden cabinet.
- EdenPURE warranty work must be performed at the factory. Save the box and send it back to them. Trained Eastgate Pools Service department personnel service Infinity heaters, in-store.
I own one EdenPURE and I love it. I’ve had it five years and it still works great. I have since purchase two Infinity heaters and they both work great. I chose Infinity because I really like the digital read-out. Ultimately, it’s your call but I don’t think you can go wrong with either heater. –Max
H2O Dectective Series: The Case Of The Haze
It was a cold day in December. A day right after Christmas and the store was quiet. The change from Christmas music to the standard Muzek 1980′s hit parade was an unexpected welcome to the employees swapping jokes around the front counter.
The day was cold, but not cold enough to turn the slight moisture falling from the sky into snow. A man of about 50 walked through the sliding doors and removed his over sized hat and walked toward the front counter. “I need to speak to the water expert.” he exclaimed as he reached into his coat pocket to remove his water sample.
“I can help you.” Said a voice reaching out over the counter. Harold Osborne II was an old hand in the pool and spa business. He had been in the business his whole life and had literally forgotten more then what most in the business would ever learn. Harold didn’t take any particular pride in this point. He understood that he gained this knowledge from a lifetime of retail sales and at the end of the day, he had become a solid retail sales associate in a niche market and that was about it.
“What kind of problems are you having Mr. Hamilton?”, asked Harold as he noticed the customers name on the test bottle.
“My spa was crystal clear and I adjusted my chemicals and it turned cloudy instantly.”
Harold led him back to the water test station and did the standard run up of chemical tests that every customer expects. The tests were not really needed, as Jeff had a good hunch what the problem was before running the tests.
The tests came back and everything was in the exact range they were supposed to be in. Harold asked, “Let me guess, did you add PH increaser to your hot tub right before it went cloudy?”
“Well, yes I did.” mentioned Mr. Hamilton.
“That’s just what I expected. The problem with the water is the PH was increased too quickly. Tap water from the faucet has a lot of calcium and other dissolved solids that are in the water. When you increase your PH too quickly, it takes the calcium out of this dissolved state and makes it a solid again and that’s what the haze is from.”
“What do I have to do to fix it? Is it time to drain the spa? I just drained it a few weeks ago.” Complained Mr. Hamilton.
“You shouldn’t have to drain the spa. Add about 10 ounces of Stain and Scale Remover and that should convert the calcium back into a liquid and by doing so, remove the haze from the water after a day or so. After doing this, it’s a good idea to follow up with the weekly maintenance dose of the Stain and Scale Remover. It’s a good product and will prevent you from having excessive build of calcium in your plumbing and on your heater.” Harold was starting to get in his preaching mode. This is what he was good at and often went on far too long, to the point of boring the customers with information beyond their general need.
Harold went and showed the customer the Stain and Scale Remover on the shelf and the customer left. Another problem solved. But, Harold knew that there would always be another case to solve. Not many problems were too difficult for Harold, but he was looking forward to the challenge.
Pool Cues And Supplies
You may not think of Eastgate Pools when you think of pool cues and billiard playing accessories . . . but you should! We have a great selection of pool cues from such well-known manufacturers as McDermott, Dufferin, Viper and Mikerak, and Minnesota Fats, as well as, several others. We even have a very nice selection of NCAA approved college logo cues. So whether you need a cue for under $10 or are looking for one that costs several hundred dollars, we have a wide variety to choose from. And we’ve got all the goodies that go with them, from soft and hard cases for your cues to tip sharpeners and chalk in just about any color you can imagine.
- Max
Chlorine Tablets Make Great Christmas Presents!
Imagine the joy that special someone will feel when he (or she) unwraps that beautiful package to find . . . Chlorine tablet! For the pool owner, it’s usually the number one expense for the pool every year, so why not get a gift that’s not only lovelt, but practical! And right now, Eastgate Pools has all remaining buckets of chlorine tablets on sale.
So whether it’s birthday or anniversary time, the recipient will be impressed with your thoughtfullness and will appreciate the gift that keeps on giving (until the bucket is empty).
And for Christmas? Add some alkalinity and pH controls and you’ve got shopping covered. Stop in today and we’ll help you complete that list.
- Max
