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Few things have changed as quickly as the pool/spa distributor segment has with the entry of one company to the mix.

That occurred when Heritage Pool Supply Group entered the industry in August 2021. The company, part of a family of similarly branded distributors serving construction-related industries, aimed to use consolidation as one means of quickly growing into a major force. Not only has the McKinney, Texas-based outfit expanded to 115 locations across 32 states, but it’s purchased institutions within the network of independent pool/spa distribution.

But it’s main competitor — Covington, La.-based megadistributor PoolCorp — continues on a path it has traveled for decades, during which time it had represented industry consolidation like no other. Indeed, it continues to expand in breadth and depth. At the end of 2020, the company reported 398 locations throughout North America, Europe and Australia. As of Dec. 31, 2023, it boasted 439 locations in 41 U.S. states, as well as the global market.

And both distributors also open new, or “greenfield” locations, as part of their growth strategies.

Here, we look at a timeline of expansion for the two largest distributors in the U.S. pool/spa industry, based on available information.

Heritage Pool Supply Group

Listed from most recent:

February 2024
Custom Distribution, Inc. (CDI)
Headquarters: New Hope, Minn.
Other locations: Two upcoming in Brooklyn Park and Rogers, Minn.
Founded: 1967
Most recent owners: Michelle and Doug Thayer
Founders: Harold Grotte and Red Mulvaney
Manager moving forward: Bill Gutzwiller, General Manager
Special note: Following this acquisition, all Sun Country locations in Minneapolis were rebranded to CDI.

November 2023
Recreonics, Inc.
Headquarters: Louisville, Ky.
Founded: 1965
Most recent owner: Michael Garland
Founder: Frank Jones, Jr.
Manager moving forward: Michael Garland
Special note: Recreonics, with its focus on institutional and commercial swimming pool facilities, now will serve as the distributor’s commercial brand, selling through its website, catalog and Louisville facilities. As such, Garland was promoted to Heritage Vice President, Commercial.

July 2023
All Iowa Pool
Headquarters: Des Moines, Iowa
Founded: 1947
Most recent owner: Matt and Deanne Main
Manager moving forward: Matt Main
Special note: This acquisition brought Heritage into the state of Iowa.

New Locations in 2023
In addition to its acquisitions, Heritage opened 10 new greenfield locations in the following cities in 2023:

- Fort Myers, Fla.- Jacksonville, Fla.
- Orlando, Fla.
- Boston, Mass.
- Jackson, Miss.
- Omaha, Neb.
- West Chester, Ohio
- Charleston, S.C.
- College Station, Texas
- Fort Worth, Texas

December 2022
Guardian Distribution
Headquarters: Rogers, Minn.
Founded: 2009
Founder/owner: Bill Shuherk
Manager moving forward: Bill Shuherk

New Locations in 2022
In 2022, Heritage opened seven new greenfield locations, of varying brands, in the following cities:

- Chandler, Ariz., Pool & Electrical Products- Modesto, Calif., Pool & Electrical Products
- Rancho Cordova, Calif., Pool & Electrical Products
- Lee’s Summit, Mo., Aqua-Gon
- Lakewood, N.J., Bel-Aqua Pool Supply
- Katy, Texas, Texas Pool Supply
- Frisco, Texas, Texas Pool Supply

September 2022
Sun Country Distributing
Headquarters: Englewood, Colo.
Other locations: One in Omaha, Neb.
Founded: 1978
Most recent owners: Michael Condon and Dayton Chapin

Pool Builders Supply
Headquarters: Charlotte, N.C.
Other locations: Eight, serving North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and Tennessee
Founded: 1976
Most recent owners: Taryn Springsteed and Matt Morgan
Founders: Olen and Betty Morgan
Managers moving forward: Taryn Springsteed and Matt Morgan

June 2022: New Brand Launch
Texas Pool Supply
Headquarters: Frisco, Texas
Other locations: 14
Special note: In addition to the new Frisco location, Heritage rebranded locations that previously had borne the names Florida Water Products, Pool & Electrical Products, and Mayfield.

December 2021
Cinderella, Inc.
Headquarters: Saginaw, Mich.
Other locations: 3 — Grand Rapids and Livonia, Mich.; Indianapolis, Ind.
Founded: 1955
Most recent owner: David Jaffe
Founders: Bob & Mark Jaffe
Manager moving forward: David Jaffe and Cinderella President Tom Connelly

Hachik Distributors
Headquarters: Aston, Pa.
Other locations: 1 — Columbia, Md.
Founded: 1923
Most recent owner: Nanette Zakian
Founder: Garabed Hachikian
Manager moving forward: Nanette Zakian
Special note: The oldest of the companies acquired, at 98 years when purchased.

AquaCentral
Founded: 2021
Special note: At the time, this company was the U.S. pool industry’s second-largest distributor, a product of the merging of Florida Water Products and Pool & Electrical Products, which had acquired several companies before joining Heritage, including American Pool Supply, Bel-Aqua Pool Supply, Conely Company, Mayfield Pool Supply, Classic Pool Tile, and Noble Tile Supply.

EMSCO Distributors and OP Aquatics
Headquarters: Strongsville, Ohio
Other locations: 2 — North Huntingdon, Pa. and Lexington, Ky.
Founded: 1969
Most recent owners: Mark Stoyanoff, Rich Laneve, Eric Stoyanoff
Founder: Ed Stoyanoff
Manager moving forward: Mark Stoyanoff, Rich Laneve, Eric Stoyanoff

October 2021
Pool Contractors Supply
Headquarters: Memphis, Tenn.
Other locations: 3
Founded: 1953
Most recent owners: Ed Flemmons and Sam Rogers
Managers moving forward: Ed Flemmons and Sam Rogers
Special note: This moved Heritage to Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana

Quality Pool Supply Co.
Headquarters: Clio, Mich.
Other locations: 5
Founded: 1971
Most recent owners: John Coulier, Cary Englehart
Founder: Jack Englehart
Manager moving forward: John Coulier, Cary Englehart

August 2021
Aqua-Gon
Locations: 4 total — Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota
Founded: 1965
Most recent owners: Phil Horvath, Mike Brock

PoolCorp

Listed by most recent:

February 2024
Shoreline Pool Distribution
Headquarters: Jackson, Miss.
Other locations: 1 — Hattiesburg, Miss.
Founded: More than 40 years ago
Most recent owner: Tommy and Shane Draughn
Special note: The retail outlet CPS Pools and Spas was not included in the sale to PoolCorp.

December 2023
A.C. Solucoes para Piscinas
Headquarters: Braga, Portugal
Total Locations: 1

June 2023
Pioneer Pool Products
Headquarters: Alabama
Total locations: 1

May 2023
Recreation Supply Co.
Headquarters: North Dakota
Total locations: 1
Special note: Specializes in commercial pool products

New Locations in 2023
14 total, listed by brand:
- 7 SCP
- 1 Superior
- 2 Horizon
- 2 NPT
- 2 SCP International

April 2022
Tri-State Pool Distributors
Headquarters: Huntington, W.V.
Total locations: 1
Founded: More than 50 years ago
Most recent owner: Macri family
Founder: Macri family
Manager moving forward: Philip Macri
Special note: Serves the West Virginia-Ohio-Kentucky tri-state region. Tri-State’s retail store, Holiday Pools, in Huntington, W.V., was not purchased by PoolCorp.

New Locations in 2022
10 total, listed by brand:
- 2 SCP
- 5 Horizon
- 2 NPT
- 1 SCP International

December 2021
Sun Wholesale Supply
Headquarters: Florida
Total locations: 1

June 2021
Vak Pak Builders Supply
Headquarters: Florida
Total locations: 1

April 2021
Pool Source
Headquarters: Tennessee
Total locations: 1

New Locations in 2021
10 total, listed by brand:
- 5 SCP
- 4 Horizon
- 1 SCP International