The first South Australian Swimart Pool & Spa Services store will open in the Adelaide suburb of Somerton Park on 19 January.
Store owners David Malone, Danny Parks and Steven Buck have been involved in the pool industry for over 20 years, so the move, according to Malone, is “a perfect match.”
Malone and Parks previously operated pool building company Daydream Pools, meanwhile Buck kept himself busy running Sahara Pools, a company that specialises in solar heating and pool tiling.
“Given our experience and skill sets in the pool and spa industry, this was a natural progression. We were looking to expand into retail and wanted to develop the pool/spa servicing side of our business,” said Malone.
“Our research proved that Swimart was a perfect fit for our needs and we liked the idea of being South Australia’s flagship Swimart store.”
Malone, Parks and Buck have hired four employees to run the new purpose built store, and they have plans to open a second store in metropolitan Adelaide in October 2013, where they will employ another three people.
Malone believes that it is becoming increasingly popular to own a swimming pool, with 15,000 new pools built every year.
This means that pool maintenance is a growing market, a factor that may contribute to the success of the new business.
“While owners know that a well-maintained pool and spa adds to the visual appeal of their surroundings – and their property price – they continue to rely on knowledgeable professionals like Swimart to ensure their investment stays in peak condition,” said Malone.
The store will stock pool products and equipment, and staff will deliver a range of services both in store and at people’s homes.
Chris Fitzmaurice, Australasian manager, Swimart agrees that the new franchisees have a wealth of pool industry knowledge, and this makes them the ideal partners to launch with into the Adelaide market.
“We all agreed that there was a gap in the South Australian marketplace for a pool service provider such as Swimart,” explains Fitzmaurice.
He also said that the business has plans for further expansion in the South Australian market, with a particular focus on Adelaide’s eastern suburbs.