How do I find a pool supply store for sale in Canada?

A pool supply store sells chemicals, parts, water-testing and equipment to people who already own a pool or spa. It is a retail business with a loyal, repeat customer base, and it is a different thing from a pool installer or a pool service route. Searching for it takes a little patience, because few of these shops are listed publicly and the ones that are use different words for the same business.

Search under every name

Owners and brokers title these listings in different ways: pool store, pool supply, pool and spa shop, water-care centre. Run each phrase on the listing sites and set up alerts so you see new postings quickly. Be careful with the word “pool” alone, which also brings up billiards halls and installers. Read the description before you spend time on it.

Ask the people who call on the shops

Chemical distributors, equipment brand reps and delivery drivers visit these stores all the time and often know which owner is thinking about retiring. A short, polite conversation about what you are looking for can open doors that a listing site never will. Say what you can take on and how soon, and leave a way to reach you.

Mind the season

Owners often prefer to sell when the shop is quiet, so listings can appear in the off-season, when you have time to look at the records. A sale that closes just before opening time asks you to learn the shop and place early orders at once. Plan your search so that you are ready well before spring. A broker who works with retail stores can help you watch for quiet listings.

Screen before you dig in

• Ask whether the sale includes inventory, and how the seller counts it.
• Ask how much of the revenue comes from regular customers and how much from the owner’s own relationships.
• Ask whether the lease and the supplier accounts can carry over to a new owner.
• Ask why the owner is selling, and how the shop was run in the off-season.