Watson’s Continues Strategic Growth Plan and Enters the Florida Market With the Acquisition of Florida Retailer Recreational Warehouse

CINCINNATI, March 11, 2024 (Newswire.com) - Watson’s, one of the nation’s largest retailers of home recreational products and furnishings, today announced the acquisition of Fort Myers, Florida-based Recreational Warehouse, a spa, pool, outdoor kitchen, pool heater, and more home specialty retailer.

The purchase of Recreational Warehouse further increases Watson’s market share in the space. Watson’s will add three Southwest Florida corporate locations (Fort Myers, Naples and Port Charlotte) to the company’s current corporate and franchise footprint of 27 locations. In operation since 1968, Watson’s is one of the largest retailers of home recreational products in the nation, featuring outdoor furniture, spas, pools, saunas, billiards, indoor furnishings and more.

“The Florida market has been in our sights for quite some time,” says Erik Mueller, CEO Watson’s. “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. We see an excellent opportunity for product category expansion within the business model and additional locations in the state.”

“We’re excited to join Watson’s! Our Recreational Warehouse team has built a great business in Southwest Florida over nearly 30 years. 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,” says Craig Ecelbarger, CEO Recreational Warehouse.

Recreational Warehouse will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Watson’s, initially integrated as Recreational Warehouse by Watson’s, with a full transition to Watson’s branding over the next several years. Customers should expect to receive the same high quality of customer service and products they have come to expect from Recreational Warehouse and Watson’s.

Cincinnati-based partners assisting in the acquisition included Katz Teller and Clark Schaefer.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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About Watson’s

Since 1968, Watson’s has grown from a pool store in Cincinnati to one of the nation’s largest retailers of home recreation products and home furnishings. Their stores feature outdoor furnishings, indoor furnishings, game tables, pools, spas, and more, all under one roof. Watson’s mission is to bring families together for fun, relaxation, and a break from the stress of daily life. Their vision is to bring creativity to the home furnishings and leisure industries, by providing leadership with cutting-edge products, innovation, and world-class customer service. For more information visit www.watsons.com.

 About Recreational Warehouse

For over 25 years, Recreational Warehouse has specialized in quality products that enhance Florida family's pool areas, patios and lanais. Their knowledgeable staff, diverse showroom displays, and low warehouse prices on the industry’s highest quality products have made them the state’s leader in pools, spas and outdoor kitchens. For more information, visit www.therecreationalwarehouse.com.

Source: Watson's