The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance announced Scott Frost has been appointed as chairman of the board for 2026.
When Fred Bachmann’s store won the Locksin-Thompson Dealer of the Year Award at the annual Watkins Wellness conference, he was stunned. The honor recognizes dealers who have shown excellence, leadership and pretty darn good sales.
Few wellness trends have captured consumers’ imaginations like the cold plunge. Step into 39-degree water and you’ll feel the jolt — a spike of adrenaline, tingling skin and a rush of clarity.
Hot tubs are fun. And fun sells. But for health-conscious customers, including those with debilitating or chronic health issues, hot tubs and spa-adjacent products also enhance quality of life, serving as key parts of wellness routines.
If you don’t respond to a customer inquiry within five minutes, you’ll likely lose the sale.
“[Retailers] are leaving money on the table if they neglect it,” says Cole Taylor, owner of Southern Leisure Spas and Patio in Flower Mound, Texas.
Watkins Wellness has been perfecting its saltwater sanitization system since it introduced ACE Saltwater in 2010. In 2019, the company launched a reimagined saltwater system under the FreshWater brand and has been building on its capabilities since.
There’s a stark contrast between the purpose of a showroom — designed to highlight the benefits of owning a hot tub — and the indoor environment where the products are displayed.
In this episode of the Spa Retailer podcast, host Megan Kendrick interviews Steve Hammack, former president of Watkins Wellness. Steve...
Weeks into his second term, President Donald Trump has announced and enacted a variety of tariffs on key U.S. trading partners. The original tariffs — 25% on goods from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10% on imports from China — have been delayed or modified, creating more uncertainty for the hot tub industry.
The Hot Tub Hall of Fame was founded in 2024 by SpaRetailer magazine in collaboration with the International Hot Tub Association.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many industries that had avoided certain technology had to embrace it. Whether it was out of necessity or convenience, digital tools like showroom touchscreens have now become permanent fixtures.
After 40 years at the helm, Steve Hammock retired from Watkins Wellness in 2022.
Hammock got his start in the Phoenix hot tub market in 1982 but was determined to make his way to San Diego where his family was from. A friend knew the owners at hot tub maker Watkins Manufacturing (now Watkins Wellness) and recommended him.