The pandemic was devastating for many small businesses. Fortunately, The Place, on Route 18 in Medina, wasn’t one of them. Seems that many people figured, “If I have to stay home, I might as well be in a hot tub!”
Andrea Reedy, one of three sisters who own The Place, recalled, “The last time we saw business like this was after 9/11.”
Similar to what happened 21 years ago, travel bans and caution kept people close to home. People wanted to keep busy, so home remodeling skyrocketed — including creating private outdoor resorts, featuring a hot tub, swim spa or pool.
Worldwide, demand has exploded. Many manufacturers have experienced 10 times their normal sales, and lead times have stretched from weeks, to months, to years. Some manufacturers had more than two years' worth of orders in queue to go out but faced shortages of vital components and labor, exasperating their attempts to keep up. To keep their most valued clients with product, manufacturers terminated hundreds of smaller dealers, resulting in them having to tell their clients their hot tub was never coming.
Fortunately, The Place has not had such issues. As a Northeast Ohio business with deep roots in the community, they have been fortunate enough to come out of the pandemic stronger.
"With 55 years of business behind us, we are well established. Our family owns our building, we pay cash for our inventory and have long-term relationships with our suppliers. We have been getting hot tubs and fireplaces throughout the pandemic — sometimes not as fast as our clients were buying, but everyone eventually received their product and now we have plenty of inventory in stock,” Andrea says. “In fact, over the past winter, I purchased all the hot tubs and swim spas we ordered plus units other dealers could not take due to storage, cash or credit shortages.”
With the number of swim spas and tubs in stock, The Place's showroom, warehouse and parking lot have overflowed— so much so that they had to rent off-site storage. As Andrea says, “We are delivering them as fast as possible!”
The Place's highly trained experts help you get what you want. Customer service and attention to detail keep their customers returning while referring to their family and friends. Visit The Place today at 2377 Rd. or online at YourPlace4.com. Your dream hot tub, pool or outdoor spa awaits!
