It's not always the case that a son and his father become closer through an entrepreneurial relationship.
But Mike Sudoski Jr. and his father managed to do it and achieve remarkable results in the process.
"When I was young, my grandfather took me to baseball and hockey games because my father was busy building his pool and spa company," said Sudoski Jr.
In 2003, he was invited to join the business his father worked hard to establish, Crown Spas and Pools in St. James.
"We hit it off immediately," recalled Sudoski Jr. "My dad taught me the business, but, at the same time, he allowed me to make my own decisions."
Today, the tight relationship between the two has led to the massive renovation of an 11,000-square-foot building at 760 Century St. The former overflow warehouse is being transformed into a long-held dream of Sudoski Jr.
"For years, I've envisioned an indoor area large enough to house spas and pools, surrounded by hardscapes to give clients a realistic view of what a similar setup in their yards would look like," Sudoski Jr. said, adding patio furniture and other outdoor amenities will also be displayed.
To this end, he worked with Barkman to design and build displays that feature many of their stone pavers, as well as the outdoor fireplaces, kitchens, bars and countertops in the company's Kitchen Grove and Stone Oasis series.
The sales and information desk at the entrance is constructed of rough-face stones capped with a countertop with a flat black finish.
On the opposite side of the aisle is a Barkman outdoor bar kit with a curved top that retails for $970 and can be assembled by DIYers or even those with no construction experience.
A Barkman outdoor Kitchen Grove kit is set up a little further into the huge building.
Though not all eight pieces of the collection are on display, the complete unit includes a barbecue grill, a side burner, a bar counter, a bar with fridge, a prep station, a pizza oven and end units.
The centre of the indoor facility is graced by an Oasis series fireplace, retailing for $3,750, with a wood box.
"Also on display is an Oasis waterfall -- which includes stone, plumbing and pump -- for $2,700," said Sudoski Jr., adding the Barkman collection will likely be the largest indoor one of its kind in Winnipeg.
Wayne Wiebe, Barkman's regional sales manager, said he's excited Sudoski Jr. has become a Barkman dealer and chosen Barkman patio slabs to cover part of the floor in the reno.
"Even though they look like weathered wood, the slabs are concrete, with a realistic wood texture created from actual wood planks," said Wiebe.
Available in cedar brown or weathered grey, he said the planks will never fade, rot, warp or splinter like wood.
Because the planks are a popular new product for pool and spa decks, Sudoski Jr. uses them to highlight a custom-made hot tub that features a western red cedar surround, multiple jets and other special features not available from a large manufacturer.
"We make a limited number of custom units each year for clients who want jets placed in specific locations, as well as larger motors and pumps to create more water pressure to help to heal specific injuries," said Sudoski Jr.
An above-ground spa/pool with sufficient depth and room for swimming is also displayed in the newly renovated building.
Sudoski Jr. recently entered into an agreement with Doug Loeppky, owner/general manager of Hardscapes, and Carla Hrycyna, co-owner of St. Mary's Nursery and Garden Centre Ltd., to work together on large properties.
"Our latest undertaking is in Oak Bluff, where the customer wants a big yard transformed into an outdoor living space with a pool, hardscaped patios and walls, as well as undulating landscape which will contain trees, flower beds, walkways and many other lovely features," Hrycyna said.
To accomplish this, she said St. Mary's will team with Crown Spas and Hardscapes to create an outdoor living space, with each aspect completed by a professional in their field.
Hrycyna said the process starts with a formal plan drawn to scale for the client.
"When everyone is satisfied with the plan, the dance begins," she said, referring to the sequence of events that must be carefully choreographed to ensure the installations are completed in an orderly fashion.
For example, a swimming pool is generally the first item installed, followed by hardscapes such as patios, walls and other items. The final step is landscaping, including the proper placement of trees, plants and gardens and the correct design of hills and drainage routes.
Three separate companies with years of expertise and skilled staff working together can complete a big project faster and guarantee the finest workmanship compared with a single business, said Sudoski Jr., who has combined his pool-installation talents with Hrycyna and Loeppky's special skills on a number of occasions.
Speaking of pools, the final renovation to Crown Spas and Pools will include two working swimming spas potential clients can try out when they visit. One is a smaller model selling for about $20,000 that generates a sufficiently strong current to give swimmers a good cardio workout; the other is an Endless Pool in the $35,000 to $50,000 range that features a super-strong current and a treadmill on the bottom.
"I've installed two Endless Pools inside houses," said Sudoski Jr. "They can also be adopted for in-ground or deck applications. I'm having a cedar deck built around the display model in the store, so people have options as to the kind of material that would best suit their pool site."
For his part, Mike Sudoski Sr., who has 30 years of experience in the spa and pool business, said he is completely behind his son's dream and continues to be amazed at the difference between the dingy warehouse Crown Spas and Pools leased last fall and the awe-inspiring retail space it has now become.
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