A national residential swimming pool maintenance franchise has set up shop in one Alabama city, and is looking to expand to other metro areas in the state.
Pool Scouts has opened its first location in Huntsville. It comes at a time when residential pool sales are surging, driven by forces at work even before the COVID-19 pandemic had Americans investing more heavily in their homes. A report earlier this year by market analysts Technavio projected the swimming pool market to grow by $3.56 billion by 2024.
Michael Wagner, president of Pool Scouts, said the company began in 2016 but is currently at a “tipping point.”
“More people are spending time and money on their homes, and residential pools are bigger than ever, which has been a boon to our franchising,” he said.
Pool Scouts currently has 113 locations in 18 states, and offers maintenance for inground residential swimming pools, as well as repair work. The company has franchises in warm weather climates like Miami, but extends even into Michigan, Idaho and Connecticut. It was attracted to Alabama because of the climate and a high concentration of residential pool owners in cities.
The company offers a professional side to what has traditionally been a mom-and-pop business, with marketing and branding resources and the backing of a national name.
Wagner said the company is looking for franchisees in Montgomery, two in the Birmingham area and two along the Gulf Coast. The Huntsville franchise is owned by Ron Hicks, a 24-year Army veteran who also owns a photography business with his wife.
“We’ve seen a good uptick in the Huntsville area and we feel confident those other markets are great opportunities,” he said. “Our business is a people-focused business. Our franchises may service more than 1,000 customers. We’re in people’s backyards every week, so we are looking for people with the ability to hire and retain great technicians. But the most important piece is the people side.”
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