Renovating pool and spa stores: Taking the opportunity to revamp retail spaces during the pandemic

by Dave Flaherty | September 13, 2020 1:55 pm

By Jamie Novak

Using social distancing markers on the floor inside and outside the store in conjunction with signage can help pool and spa retailers ensure safety and a smooth flow of foot traffic.

In some parts of the country, pool stores were not required to close, in other areas, brick-and-mortar retail operations switched to online purchases and curbside pick-up.

Regardless of the situation, many specialty retailers agree the pandemic forced them to rethink the layout and design of their stores. Before letting customers back in, savvy merchandisers have taken or are taking this quarantine to renovate their retail stores.

Taking the time to strategically plan the showroom’s layout, and still make the retail space attractive while meeting social distancing protocols, can be extremely beneficial for business owners. Although it has been a forced renovation for most, many pool and spa retailers say their store renovations will have lasting, positive effects on the efficiency and profitability of their business.

Using display racks and chemical buckets

Aqua-Tech Pools in Winnipeg, was one of those retail stores that completely closed their business once the stay-at-home recommendations went into place.

“We shut down our retail store immediately, by choice, for the safety of our employees as well as our customers,” says the store’s manager, Kathi Belcourt.

Aqua-Tech Pools finally came around to the fact they would be re-opening the store for the summer, but the question soon became how could they pull it off while keeping everyone safe, yet comfortable in the store.

At this point, Belcourt took the opportunity to examine her retail store layout to find ways to create social distancing while still making it easy and pleasant to sell to her customers.

“Fortunately, I had already ordered some new chemical display racks that are bright and colourful, and exactly 1.2 m (4 ft) long—making them ideal for creating natural social distancing,” says Belcourt.

By positioning these racks at the entrance of the store and placing social-distancing ‘dots’ on either end of the rack at 1.8 m (6 ft) apart, it allows store staff to comfortably speak to customers.

“By placing the rack in between us, it keeps things from feeling awkward,” says Belcourt.

Similarly, Dan Lenz, manager at All Seasons Pools in Orland Park, Ill., also had to quickly decide how to reconfigure his store to make it easy to keep customers socially distant, yet keeping them moving through the store efficiently.

“We used to have our chemicals at the back of the store—much like where grocery stores keep the milk,” says Lenz. “However, now we are using chemical buckets and signage throughout the store to help ensure social distancing.”

According to Lenz, the chlorine buckets are especially helpful in creating aisles for the flow of customers in and out of the store. All Seasons re-opened its retail showroom in mid-May, but Lenz acknowledges the new ‘renovations’ are not perfect. In fact, new configurations occur daily as needs arise.

Chlorine buckets can be especially helpful in creating aisles to direct the flow of customers in and out of the store.

“Luckily, we have a large, covered outdoor area that acts as an extension of our indoor retail store, so we have focused largely on trying to serve and sell to our customers in this outdoor area when possible,” says Lenz.

All Seasons also uses social distancing markers on the floor inside and outside the store as well as signage to help ensure safety and the smooth flow of traffic.

“Customers wait outside on the designated dots, then we bring each customer into the store with a personal shopper who helps them get what they need,” explains Lenz. “When they are finished shopping, the staff member walks them out. This helps us to control the number of people in the store at all times.”

Unlike Aqua-Tech Pools and All Seasons Pools, Clements Pool Service & Supplies in Mt. Dora, Fla., did not need to close their store this spring as a result of the pandemic.

“We have been open for business these past few months, so we are really adjusting our show floor layout to find ways to keep employees and customers at safe social distances as we go along,” says Misty Clements, the company’s owner.

Fortunately for Clements, her retail store underwent a major renovation two years ago at which time they took down walls and expanded the sales floor.

“During our renovation we did a lot of de-cluttering and opening up of space so customers don’t feel claustrophobic, which has been very beneficial as we implement social distancing protocols throughout our company,” she says.

To eliminate crowding around the water station counter, retailers should provide a designated area where customers can drop off their water samples to be analyzed.

That said, the water testing station was one of the most important areas of the store that required some renovations as a result of the pandemic.

“Customers line up and wait for the water testing station so we have placed markers every 1.8 m (6 ft) to keep people spaced appropriately,” says Clements. “To keep the line appealing and intentional, we added a new rack that promotes our new phosphate-removing products—which has become a particularly important product to our customers.

“This region of Florida was plagued by chronic phosphate issues in 2019, so our new treatment and maintenance products are a big seller this year; therefore, we positioned the rack on the 3.6 m (12 ft) floor marker in the water testing line and keep it fully stocked—making the sale of these products even more successful.”

Water testing drop off

One of the most valuable services provided by pool retailers is water testing. The placement and efficiency of the water testing station and operation is central to the renovation of any retail store during this pandemic. Crowding around the water station counter is no longer an option.

As Belcourt examined her retail renovation, she opted to move the water-testing drop off and pick up to an area outside of her retail store.

“This is something that is working so well that we will keep this renovation into the future,” she says.

In fact, Aqua-Tech Pools has found the new system to be especially helpful by providing a place for customers to drop off their water samples, label them, and leave them to be analyzed without having to worry about getting too close or having to wait in line.

“We are finding that some people feel more comfortable not having to wait in line for their water test results, not to mention, it opens up more space in our retail store.”

The store’s revamped water drop-off centre even offers new test jars for customers to take as they leave the ‘drop zone.’

“We then test the water samples and send an email with the results, including links to the products they should purchase to balance their water—which they can then order directly from our online store for delivery or pick-up.”

Clements agrees the water testing area needs to have its own space. She says prior to their retail renovation they had their water testing station and the checkout counter in the same place.

Although it has been a forced renovation for most, many pool and spa retailers say their store renovations will have lasting, positive effects on the efficiency and profitability of their business.

“When we separated the water testing from the checkout counter, we found the flow and spacing of customers improved greatly,” says Clements. “It gave us more room to strategically place products to sell while being helpful with social distancing, too.”

At All Seasons Pools, having the water testing station at the back of their store has been particularly challenging during this pandemic. As a result, currently employees are wearing gloves and masks to go out to customer vehicles parked in their parking lot to collect water samples and bring them into the store to be tested.

“We have four computers and four spin labs, but we couldn’t have them all together and still allow for safe social distancing,” says Lenz.

As a result, Lenz had to spread out the water testing stations and put buckets of chlorine at each station to disinfect the water sample jars, then run the tests, print out the results, and then get the customers what they need.

“It isn’t a long-term solution, but it was a short-term renovation that was required,” he says.

Removing clutter, prioritizing products, and finding new space

De-cluttering and prioritizing where and when products are placed is even more important now that space is truly at a premium. Clements says the work they did during their retail renovation two years ago is paying off even more this season.

“During our earlier renovation we learned de-cluttering makes a huge difference to customers—it makes them feel calmer and more likely to make a purchase,” she says. “People don’t feel claustrophobic when they are trying to shop, so spacing products out really helps to keep things calm and has made it easier to put social distancing markers throughout the store, just because we had more space available.”

Renovating a retail store includes being more deliberate about the placement of product and the constant movement of sale items and timely products. De-cluttering a retail store might also make one realize that some products should not get as much space or maybe should not be on the showroom floor during certain times of the year.

According to Lenz, when he sat down with his team to figure out how to create more space in their retail store to ‘COVID-renovate,’ they determined they would just need to remove some of the products.

“We realized, for example, that toys and maintenance equipment are not something we sell a lot of, so we decided to remove them entirely from the retail floor to help open up space in the showroom,” says Lenz.

He also decided to make bigger ticket items front and centre in the showroom. So, for example, their fully functioning equipment pad was moved to be adjacent to the primary register. Lenz feels his ‘COVID renovation’ is truly a dynamic retail renovation—something that will be changing daily as the season progresses. It will be highly likely Lenz will continue to move products and displays on a routine basis to keep spaces open for social distancing and, in some cases, he may move some products off the showroom floor completely if they are not appropriate to the weather or the time of year for the sake of space.”

Going strong

Some specialty retailers have employees wearing masks go out to customer vehicles in their parking lot to collect water samples and bring them into the store to be tested.

Despite the forced renovation of retail stores, all three of these retailers report higher sales this year over last year.

“We feel very, very fortunate that our business is doing so well,” says Clement. “Our busy season normally starts in mid-April, but this year, we were flooded with calls by early March.”

All Seasons is also thriving despite the extra work and chaotic conditions.

“Overall, our sales are up from last year despite all the extra time and effort we are putting in to getting products to our customers,” says Lenz. “Our hot tub sales are through the roof and are flying out the store this season.”

Finally, Belcourt also reports AquaTech’s sales for April and May were the highest the company has seen in its 30-year history despite having closed their physical retail store.

“Our ‘COVID-retail’ renovation has been very strategic, and it appears to be working,” says Belcourt. “In fact, our sales closing rate is higher than in the past, and I think social distancing and our open retail layout is helping.”

In hindsight, Belcourt thinks people might feel pressured if the store is filled with 30 to 40 other customers.

“Now that each customer has their personal shopper with them, they are more comfortable and relaxed when making a purchase decision,” she says. “Further, the customer is now interested in making just one visit, stocking up for the season and maybe visiting our store less—which works for us.”

Jamie Novak is a brand manager at Natural Chemistry, focusing on Natural Chemistry, SeaKlear, and Aqua Pill specialty chemicals. She has more than 15 years of pool industry experience and previously worked in both sales and marketing for Newell Rubbermaid. Novak can be reached via email at jamie.novak@biolabinc.com.

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