When the founders of Great Bay Spa & Sauna approached Jamie Burson in late 2019 about buying the company, he was caught off guard. He’d been with the New England retailer since he was 20, working his way up from the warehouse to sales and management, and had always dreamed of owning the business. But when the opportunity came, it suddenly felt real.
“You can dream about it all you want,” Burson says. “But when the moment actually comes, it’s like, ‘Whoa. This is happening.’ ”
Weeks later, the world changed. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the sale as banks froze lending. But when the industry boomed, the pieces finally fell into place. By January 2021, Burson officially became the new owner of Great Bay Spas.
From ski slopes to showrooms
Great Bay has been part of the spa industry since its early days. Founded in 1976 by three college friends — Peter Vart, Mark Ruddy and Dave Watson — the company started almost as an experiment. The trio vowed never to work for anyone else, and after dabbling in a BMW parts shop, they hauled a couple of wooden barrel hot tubs to New England ski mountains and sold them off a trailer.
From there, the business grew into saunas and became one of the earliest Sundance dealers in 1986, a partnership that continues today.
Finding purpose in hot tubs
Burson joined the company in the early 2000s, thinking it would be a temporary job. But during the downturn of 2008–09, he was asked to help on the showroom floor. That’s when everything changed.
“I really fell in love with it,” Burson says. “Once people start truly using a hot tub, they’ll never live without one. Seeing what it did for customers hooked me for life.”
From that point on, Burson knew his career would be in the spa industry. By the time he bought the company, he had nearly 18 years under his belt.
A new era of growth
Burson’s approach to ownership has been steady and deliberate. “We’re nothing without our employees,” he says, noting that nearly all the longtime staff stayed through the ownership transition. Some even returned to the company once they heard he was taking over.
Expansion, however, was always the goal. After relocating the Portsmouth showroom in 2020 to a 10,000-square-foot prime retail space, Burson set his sights on Portland, Maine. When a former Cracker Barrel building came up for sale across from the mall, he jumped.
The new store, opening in phases, will feature expanded swim spa displays, private wet-test areas and the same design touches that made Portsmouth successful. “We learned a lot [from the last remodel],” Burson says. “Now we can take it even further.”
Balancing the numbers
Taking over during one of the most volatile market periods in history has made Burson hyper-focused on planning. “I thought I knew the numbers,” he admits. “But when you’re the one responsible, it’s very different.”
He and his team rely heavily on forecasting and contingency planning to navigate swings in demand, tariffs and supply chain issues. Marketing strategies have also evolved, with a mix of digital campaigns, direct mail and brand awareness efforts guided by Normal Bear Media, which was founded by someone from the hot tub industry. Burson says that knowledge of the industry makes all the difference.
Looking ahead
With Portland soon open, Burson is already thinking about the next steps. “We’re committed to future expansion,” he says. “Whether it’s acquisitions, partnerships or new markets, all options are on the table.”
For an industry veteran who started out in the warehouse, the journey has come full circle. After two decades at Great Bay, Burson is now the one responsible for carrying forward its reputation. The company, he explains, has always been built on loyal employees and strong products — his role now is to nurture that foundation and guide it into the future.