As the president of Albuquerque, N.M-based Just Sprinklers, John Seaver knows that purchasing an irrigation system can be a major expense that some homeowners can’t afford. So in 2000, Seaver decided to supplement his business by opening an irrigation-supplies store geared toward do-it-yourself customers.
Four years later, the store has turned into a marketing machine for Just Sprinklers. Seaver attributes 20 percent of the company’s recent growth to adding the store. Now, when prospective clients decline estimates because of price, Seaver says he tells some of his younger clients about the company’s store and recommends they consider installing their own system.
“They can walk in the door and have a professional walk them through a sprinkler system, and if they decide to do it themselves, we can put together the full package for them or sometimes they say, ‘This is too big of a job – can you send an estimator?’” Seaver says.
Seaver built the store in phases, which he says cost $100,000 to $125,000 in shelving, lighting, displays and computers. The first year, the store featured a showroom floor with models of different sprinkler systems designed to introduce homeowners to irrigation systems. In the second year, Seaver installed parts bins so customers could purchase necessary supplies for installations. By 2003, Seaver built shelving units to organize the parts and then developed the shop into what he calls “a full-blown sprinkler store.”
Customers can find everything there from tools such as crescent wrenches to safety glasses and all the parts and controllers necessary for an installation, according to Seaver. The store’s showroom features $2,500 drip irrigation displays, which Seaver says provides customers with an opportunity to see how the system works and its potential benefits.