The recreation facility, opened by David Isaacs (pictured above), is a multi-purpose space where employees can unwind.
David Isaacs, the owner of Isaac Pools & Spas in Johnson City, Tenn., who believes that employees are the heart and soul of any business, was presented with a rare opportunity.
There was a 3,000-square-foot space below his innovative, new showroom. What was he going to do with the space?
Isaacs says, “I had planned to keep it as a storage space, but after seeing some other companies that are doing amazing things in our industry I decided to turn the space into a recreation center for employees.”
Isaacs says that his decision was heavily influenced by a growing need to keep employees in the company. This has always been an issue for him, but the pandemic made it even more urgent.
“Replacing a worker is significantly more expensive than taking extra measures to retain current employees. COVID added many challenges to our workforce that we had never faced before: employees who were afraid to go to work, those who received so many benefits they chose to not be employed, the national and international competition of the “work from home” model, and the competition of other local businesses willing to pay more than average wages because there was a high demand for their products and a shrinking staff. “We certainly adjusted the pay. But I believe that employees are looking for better experiences — a more cultural fit — and employee rec centers help us achieve that.”
Thus, a nine-month renovation ensued. Isaacs says, “We began by removing all the walls, ceilings and floors, leaving only a concrete floor and walls, with bar joists on top. We painted the floor, and epoxied it.
The hot tub and gym were first. It was not intentional that the exercise area of the rec centre appealed to the company’s Gen Z and millennial employees. Isaacs says, “I created a space that was accessible to people from all walks of life. But I’d say the gym is where they are spending the most time.”
We added a lounge area with leather couches, chairs and flat-screen TVs. The kitchen was also fully functional.
The space is not only a place for staff to relax and take care of themselves, but it also hosts both personal and business events led by Isaacs and/or staff.
Three murals serve as a focal point in the recreation facility. They tell the story of Isaacs Pools & Spas since its founding in 1978.
A 1956 Ford truck bed pond is located in the foyer of the rec center, coined Isaacs Underground. The name appears in neon lights, next to a lifesize cutout of David Isaacs’ father, the company’s founder.
Unique Pieces
Isaacs decorated the space using exclusive items created by local schools as part of a program he started six years ago with the Johnson City Area’s Home Builders Association. In this competition, groups of students are given $500 to spend on materials and asked to create something unique.
After gaining national recognition, it is now possible to fly the Chairman of the National Association of Home Builders to the competition each year.
Isaacs says, “I have access to student creations early because I helped get the program off the ground and wrote the rubric.” The program is a fundraiser to benefit the schools. That’s how I bought some of the coolest items for the recreation center.
The centerpiece of his facility is a 1956 Ford Truck Bed Pond made by Carter County Schools. It can be found in the foyer. The facility also has a “cool concrete table, multi-colored wooden podium, dartboards, a mancave bar, and an extremely neat kitchen island that was made using the old basketball floor of an old gym.” All were handcrafted by Tennessee schoolchildren.
Frank Fitsimmons, a talented artist who is a friend of the Isaacs family, painted three 8-foot-by-8 foot murals. Fitsimmons, a friend of Isaacs’ family, worked intermittently for the company in the 1980s.
Isaacs, owner of Bullfrog Spas in Tri-Cities, says: “I was thrilled when he told me he’d bring my idea to life — telling the story of 45 years of experience in the spa and pool business.” “I spent about six months collecting as many family photos as I could and organizing them in chronological order. Then, I built the walls that Frank would paint.
Fitsimmons painted with acrylics on sheetrock over a period of six months. The project was completed in just under a year. Isaacs framed the pieces with wormy chestnut and hung them on bar joists.
“The first wall mural features pictures of my father and mother when we had a showroom in Elizabethton, where we built concrete fiberglass pools. These pictures are from 1978 to the early 1990s. The second mural depicts my grandmother, brothers and father, mother, and grandfather from the early 1990s to around 2011. The third mural shows me and my mother in our current location, from 2011.
“My favorite painting was the first — I love the upper left corner. My father was never one to pose for photos, but he did so for a homeowner while he was pouring cement in the late 1970’s. I ended up with that polaroid. The photo represents everything that has made our company successful. “It is a constant reminding that honesty, hard work and integrity are important.”
The same photo was used to create an 8-foot-long neon sign that features a perfect outline Isaacs’s father. It greets the staff when they enter.
Isaacs says, “I pitched my idea to Charlie Wiley, a neon-sign artist. “About 2 months later we lit the neon sign for the first time in the foyer. I was completely unprepared for the next thing that happened. We all stopped doing what we were, the room became silent and we stared at the neon sign. I don’t remember if the colors of the neon caught our attention or if the sign itself hit us in that moment. It was both inspiring and overwhelming.”
Isaacs Underground is also a name with meaning. Not only does it refer to the fact that most of the facility is underground, but Isaacs’ father built his reputation building underground or inground swimming pools. “So, it’s completely appropriate and sufficient,” Isaacs says.
Deep-cushioned leather furniture provides a true relaxation zone where workers can connect.
LEGAL IS IMPORTANT
Isaacs also had to consider the legality of the project. The facility had to be designed with many important factors in mind, including monitoring the number of people entering and leaving, maintaining equipment and furniture, and ensuring employee safety.
I started thinking, “Oh my goodness. I’m basically opening this facility. I have no idea who will be there, or who the staff may bring, or what type of party they might throw. “I needed to consider this more.”
Isaacs began by installing a card system which he controlled. This way, when an employee opens the door using their card, Isaacs knows who’s coming and going. We installed cameras in the facility so that I could review any events. I wanted my staff to have the option to invite their friends and families over. [For example, last year one employee hosted his family’s Christmas party in the facility, while others used the hot tub to do homework,] so I had to create a set of standard rules.
He worked with an lawyer to create a general agreement and release of liability — writing down every rule he wanted. Then, he held a meeting for employees where he went over everything. Employees signed the agreement and received keys to the parking lot and rec center. No problems have occurred.
Not only can staff utilize the gym, they can also enjoy the health benefits from a nice hot tub soak.
Employees can win gift cards or even extra vacation days by winning pool, foosball or darts.
THE GRAND OPENING
Isaacs Pools & Spas and Bullfrog Spas Tri-Cities held a launch on November 10, 2022. Around 70 people, including artists, family members, employees, and friends, gathered for the event to celebrate the grand-opening of the rec center. The center was dedicated to Isaacs’ father.
Isaacs says, “I covered the walls with three bed sheets king size.” “We unveiled the murals in front of Isaacs, who answered questions about the artwork.”
Isaacs will continue to improve the facility and add new artwork as he acquires more items at Battle of the Build. He says that he will donate any items he can no longer fit and always try to create unique pieces.
Isaacs hopes that the student projects, grand murals and the camaraderie that comes from spending time with colleagues will remind his employees they are part of something larger.
The rec center is important to me, not only because it tells my family’s story, but also because it includes pieces from the entire community and reflects a larger picture. I hope that it will remind my employees, after 45 years in business, that the company is much more than they see every day.
The article was first published in AQUA Magazine, the leading resource for pool and spa retailers, builders, and service professionals. All industry professionals can subscribe to the print edition of AQUA Magazine for free. Subscribe by clicking here.
