Watson's Expands Into Florida With Acquisition of Recreational Warehouse

Watson's flagship showroom in Cincinnati, located at 2721 E. Sharon Road, Cincinnati, OH 45241 ● Photo Credit: Watson's

CINCINNATI, March 12, 2024 (VSNewsNetwork.com) - Watson’s, a retailer in the home recreational products sector, has expanded its operations into the Florida market through the acquisition of Recreational Warehouse, a company based in Fort Myers, Florida, specializing in spas, pools, outdoor kitchens, and pool heaters.

With this acquisition, Watson’s adds three new locations in Southwest Florida—Fort Myers, Naples, and Port Charlotte—to its existing network of 27 corporate and franchise locations. This move is part of Watson’s strategic growth plan and marks its first foray into the Florida market.

“The Florida market has been in our sights for quite some time,” said Erik Mueller, CEO of Watson’s. He further elaborated on the synergy between the two companies, stating, “The Recreational Warehouse people, culture, business model, and longevity in their markets ended up being the right fit for us. We are excited to welcome the Recreational Warehouse team into the Watson’s family and to continue to provide some fun and relaxation to the families and homes in Southwest Florida.”

Craig Ecelbarger, CEO of Recreational Warehouse, expressed enthusiasm about joining forces with Watson’s. “We’re excited to join Watson’s! Our team has built a great business in Southwest Florida over nearly 30 years,” Ecelbarger said. He also highlighted the benefits of the acquisition for both staff and customers: “We viewed Watson’s as the perfect continuation for our business, and we are confident that the commitment and investment by Watson’s will provide even greater opportunities for our dedicated staff and our great customers.”

Following the acquisition, Recreational Warehouse will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Watson’s. Initially, it will be integrated as Recreational Warehouse by Watson’s, with a full transition to Watson’s branding anticipated over the next several years. The companies assure that the level of customer service and product quality will remain unchanged.

The acquisition was supported by Cincinnati-based partners Katz Teller and Clark Schaefer, though the terms of the deal were not disclosed.

For more information on Watson’s and Recreational Warehouse, visit their respective websites at www.watsons.com and www.therecreationalwarehouse.com.

Source: Watson's via Newswire