Vincent Moscatello Jr., like many pool and spa professionals was raised in the industry, and worked for his father at Orange County Pools & Spas. The company still has two New York offices in Mohegan Lake or New Windsor. He then went to St. Bonaventure University and did a West Point sports marketing internship. After that, he became a sales representative for a large pharmaceutical corporation.
Vincent Moscatello Sr. invited his younger son to join him in the family business in 2004. He knew he wanted to shake up the business.
“We’re still very traditional as an industry and I remember being in Northeast stores that looked like factories — dusty with product all over — and it always blew me away. It made me wonder how dealers could sell high-end products to customers if their stores looked like this. Moscatello, 43, says it threw him for a loop.
Moscatello set out to transform Orange County Pools & Spas into places where people want to spend their time and money. In 2017, he bought the business from his father, Vinny Sr., and Vinnie Jr. in 2019. He also partnered with Wellis Spa in Hungarian to make Orange County Pools & Spas one of the first dealers to sell the brand in the United States.
“I have always wanted to create a space that is calming and relaxing for people. He says he now understands why he would spend $20,000 on a hot spa or $40,000 on a swimming pool.
Moscatello’s dream came true when Wellis New England was opened — the store he has wanted to open since childhood. The 6,000-square-foot store is located in Brookfield, Conn. It was established in 2022 as a destination store that sells spas. There are no pools.
Moscatello is still the owner of Orange County Pools & Spas. This allows a general manager to oversee Wellis New England’s day-to-day operations. Both of these individuals, like Moscatello have other professional experiences. One worked in the jewelry and auction business and the other sold high-end exercise equipment.
Moscatello states that initially, I wanted to hire within the industry. But, as I began to develop my strategy, Moscatello said, “I started to look outside.” “The Wellis New England managers are the perfect match for what we’re trying. I was pleased that they are not from the industry. Because I was creating something new, I didn’t want them coming in with preconceived ideas about what the pool or spa business should look like.
This strategy works. Moscatello expected 2022 revenue based on the fact that it was only open for six months.
He says, “What I want is to help people feel good about spending their money.” I want them to be able to go into any store and receive the best white-glove service. “Do you want a glass of water?” A glass of wine? It should feel like a spa. It should feel like you are walking into a Mercedes dealership. It has a unique feel, which is why I created it. Although Wellis Spas aren’t more expensive than other brands, I want to offer people the luxury experience without making it too costly.
Details, such as a water bottle and neatly folded towel, make the showroom spas look more inviting.
IN THE SHOWROOM
Wellis New England is a part of a strip-mall that was constructed prior to the pandemic. The space had never been used — which gave Moscatello an opportunity to start fresh.
To create the showroom’s atmosphere, he hired a European designer. While the floors are made of polished concrete, some areas are covered with artificial grass or composite decks. Vinyl graphics are used on the walls in various textures and patterns. The most striking thing about the interior of the store isn’t what you see, but what you smell. Moscatello hired ScentAir to make Wellis New England feel like a spa.
He says, “I was always fascinated by the different smells of different places.” “Disney World smells just like warm chocolate-chip cookies fresh from the oven. ScentAir was my solution and I introduced it to the Orange County locations. We are always complimented on the appearance of our stores but, more importantly, on the scent.
Amalfi Coast was the scent that was pumped through the three stores. According to the ScentAir website, it is “The scent of bright lime, watery greens and sweet, herbal lavender mingle[s]] with refreshing eucalyptus, woodsy sandalwood perfume and the refreshing eucalyptus.”
Moscatello describes Amalfi Coast as “very simple, not too done.” We tried a lot of different scents before we found the one that was right for us. Even though some people may be sensitive to certain scents, nobody has ever had to leave the store because they liked the smell. It’s all part and parcel of the experience. If I spend $200,000 to get an inground pool, I don’t want to go to a place that smells like cigarettes or chlorine.
The showroom houses the entire line of Wellis swim spas and hot tubs. Moscatello calls it an “event space”. It has hosted wine, whiskey and tequila tastings; yoga classes and fitness classes; as well as an intuitive medium and monthly meetings with local real estate professionals. These events are usually held either early in the morning or late at night. Even if they aren’t looking to purchase a spa or related product, such events help boost the dealerships reputation. They’ll be ready when they are.
Wellis New England is part of a strip mall that was built prior to the pandemic. The clean brick pillar foundations and glass frame walls give the facade warmth and charm.
MARKETING and BRANDING
Before Wellis New England was even a reality, Moscatello knew that branding would be key to the success of the store. Despite the rich history of Orange County Pools & Spas (founded in 1969), Moscatello decided to change the name of Wellis Spas due to the store’s radically new mission.
He chuckles, saying that he is proud of Orange County Pools & Spas. However, it didn’t make economic sense for Wellis New England. Orange County Pools & Spas isn’t selling European luxury. We are not selling pools.
Vinny Sr. was able to understand all this and supported his son. He took note of Vinnie Jr.’s transformation of Orange County Pools & Spas from a dealership that mainly sold aboveground pool products to one that sold premium inground spas, as well as hot tubs and saunas.
Orange County is still a key player in Wellis New England’s success. Moscatello states, “That side does the deliveries. They do the service work.” It was nice to have the infrastructure in place so I didn’t have to start [Wellis New England] from scratch. We have separate marketing budgets and images, but both companies promote the wellness aspects of what they sell. Because that’s what people focus on especially after the pandemic. And that’s where I believe this industry is heading.
Moscatello uses The Get Smart Group to help him communicate his branding messages. This full-service marketing agency based in California that works with spa and pool retailers, is available for Moscatello’s assistance. Wellis New England uses Google Ads. The dealership has a growing presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Their blog contains posts such as “Can I use my swim spa in winter?” “5 Things to do before you soak in your hot tub,” “Why sauna use is good for your immune system,” and “How to create a sanctuary around your luxury massage chair.”
Moscatello also said that he has returned to local TV advertising after a decade. The cost of the ads has dropped and the quality has improved. He says, “Back in the day, local TV ads looked too cheesy.” “We can now do ads that look just like national spots.
His tips for creating memorable TV ads that are professional and professional? Focus on the way you want people to view your store. While there is a time and place for sales ads, branding is far more important and must be consistent. Our industry will slow down, but it’s not a good idea to stop spending money advertising. Because your brand is the essence of what you do, you must continue to promote it. It is what people see, and how they form opinions about your store.
Moscatello follows the same approach to store websites. These are potential customers’ first impressions. Moscatello plans to update the Wellis New England website every few year, as he did with the Orange County Pools & Spas site.
An alluring scent called Amalfi Coast adds an invisible sensory enhancement to this vignette.
POST-PANDEMIC CONDITIONS
Even though Wellis New England was not open until the worst COVID-19 pandemic, Moscatello still experienced supply and demand problems at his Orange County Pools & Spas locations. However, it is likely that they were less than other dealers.
He says, “I was very lucky with Wellis.” “Manufacturing was not affected as much in Hungary for some reason — they had just planned really good — so they had a lot of hot tubs. We were one of few dealers that had hot tubs in stock and delivered them immediately. That was a huge advantage.
Moscatello draws a cyclical analogy between the industry’s supply problems due to pandemics and how pool and spa inventories have changed over the years. He explains that warehouses were available with all the necessary stock from early purchases back in the 80s and 1990s. “Then, everyone went to a distribution model in the 2000s. But this model was not viable during the pandemic because distributors couldn’t get your product.”
Moscatello predicts that dealers won’t need to have as much inventory in order to navigate out of the pandemic. He adds that “but it’s changing market” and “I think people will have to adapt to changes in order to continue growing.” Things will stagnate if you don’t. “I’m always trying to improve.
High-end Jacuzzi saunas fill out the Wellis New England lineup and add atmosphere to the destination store.
Moving Forward
Despite signs of a slowdown in the spa market (signs of it reported by some parts of the country), Moscatello is positive about the future.
The future of the industry and Wellis New England specifically. He sees more Wellis stores in the future and is actively seeking out opportunities. However, for now, Wellis New England is the main focus.
“Product won’t be moving as quickly as it was in previous years.” Moscatello said that there is still a way for the product to grow. I believe now is the best time to reach out and talk to hot tub owners about the benefits of cold-plunge tubs or saunas. We must be more creative with how we grow. The new business, which is someone who doesn’t own any of our products, will be slowing down. We will be marketing to customers who have purchased products from us, and telling them about products that might suit them.
Moscatello is as open-minded about his employees as he was with the sales process. He says, “I tell my employees, ‘Look. I might be the owner. But I don’t want anybody to just say yes to that because of that.’ I encourage everyone, from my delivery drivers to my stock workers to my managers to let me know their thoughts. This gives me a new perspective because I am not smart enough to believe I know everything.
This article was first published in AQUA Magazine’s March 2023 issue. It is the best resource for builders, retailers, and service professionals in the spa and pool industry. All industry professionals can subscribe to the magazine for free. Subscribe by clicking here
