Lakeland Pools & Spas celebrates 50th Anniversary

1. What is your upcoming event or milestone?

50th Anniversary
2. How did you get involved in the business?

Family owned business and looking for work. As anyone would know who has a family owned business, you kinda get "absorbed" into the business.

3. What is the most stressful time of day for your business and why?

When a truck comes to us with a delivery because we are located in a tough spot on the highway, with a small driveway that the truckers need to back down and some do great and others really have a hard time with it.

4. What is your favorite part of being in business?

Interacting with our customers and working with our sisters everyday.

5. Share your most rewarding customer service story ever:

We do not have one in particular, but we love when a customer comes in who had no idea what to do with their "hole in the ground" and we fully educate them the right way and next thing we know, the next year or so they are in the store educating a new customer for us. Telling them how great our system is and how easy it is.

6. Tell us about family involvement/sacrifices in the business:

It is great being able to work with our sisters on a daily basis. Because this is a seasonal business, when most are enjoying the summer months with their friends and family, we are working long hours to make sure they can enjoy their pools. Cindy actually was going to get married in the month of June, but our Aunt who had owned the business at that time told her that "one of us will not be able to attend." With that said, Cindy moved her wedding date to August.

7. What is your favorite book, movie, video game, tv show, etc. Why?

Books by Debbie Macomber, Top Gun, Law & Order SVU, Greys Anatomy, Chicago Fire and Nashville.

8. What hobbies do you have when you are not working?

Reading, bowling, knitting, cross stitching, horses.

9. Why do you think our paper should write about you?

Because our store is one of the old fashioned type stores that is still plugging through these hard pressed times for the retail specialist. It is a tough place to be these days with the big box stores and the internet. Hard to complete with a computer sitting in someone's basement selling products for less that the retailer can get them for. With that said, a retailer needs to have close relationships with their customers and give them a reason to come shop local.

10. Who has inspired you the most, and why?

Our aunt and uncle who started the business 50 years ago. Edie was a business woman with a keen business sense. She was always first to come up with ideas and bring new products into the store before anyone else would even think about bringing it in. That certain product would end up being a big seller, maybe not right away, but sometimes 15 years down the road.

Lakeland Pools & Spas is located 257 State Route 94 in Vernon. The owners are Cindy, Debbie and Tracey Kannon, Moran and Shauger. For more information email info@lakealndpools.com or call 973-827-9000.