Business View Magazine | March 2020

77 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE MARCH 2020 MEMPHI S POOL service through relational, not transactional, connections. “We opened our latest store in November 2018,” says Reed. “It was branded an outdoor living store where we sell other items for the backyard space—outdoor kitchens, patio furniture, gazebos, arbors, hot tubs and grills. We opened this new retail location while everybody was telling us that brick and mortar was on the decline. We felt, and still feel, that people need to touch and feel things. They also need that personal touch in their retail and service interactions. There’s a lot of care in service that we deliver personally that can’t be replicated online. We’re very confident in our retail model. It’s just a matter of staying up to date with the changing climate, what clients want, and what new technology is out there. In general, our business model hasn’t changed.” “With the buildout of our new outdoor living store, we’re in a place where we’re investing in other products that lie to the side of the swimming pool industry,” Reed continues. “Our retail stores, up to now, have been nothing but toys and games, chemicals, and mechanical equipment. We’ve moved into swing sets, play structures - just about the entire backyard environment.” As a seasonal business owner, Reed is always on the lookout for new growth opportunities. He’s also pragmatic in choosing which areas of the business to scale up. “Right now, we’re interested in the whole outdoor living space rather than just the hardscape and the swimming pool itself,” he says. “I’m not looking to grow our construction division. With our capabilities, we could probably do about 15-20 percent more capacity, but we reserve that for these larger projects that come down the pipeline that require more of our resources. If that pipeline dries up with commercial and competitive pools, then growth in the residential pool sector is certainly an option.” On the construction and service end, Memphis