It is a rough ride right now in the "seasonal pool business in the Midwest". We have found that you have to make cuts that you had not expected to make. One thing that was pretty helpful to us in June and 1/2 of July was to use the state offered Summer Youth Program. This was acquired through our Michigan employment agency called Michigan Works. They supply you with a youth aged 14 to 24 and also pay them to work for you. We got 3. I must say, the older the better. The younger ones require much attention and supervision. However, this was a help to me especially since those are my busy times. I have 3 stores, a service department and a website to manage so, any help I can get was appreciated.We have done very selective advertising this year. The marketers tell us you must advertise more in a down market. That's all well and good if you have funds to do so, but in a down market who does?We are currently running an ad to the public encouraging them to shop locally or their local service businesses will be gone soon. August is a very difficult month. It seems like families with pools are focused on the kids, school clothes and supplies, books, tuition, etc. The pools are just sitting there, vacant, and going green. Soon the calls come in for closings. Then it is over for us in the Midwest. So short and not always so sweet.
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