Business Profile: Orange County Pools and Spas, Mohegan Lake
You could say Vincent Moscatello was, in a sense, born with chlorinated water in his veins.
Moscatello, who lives in Wallkill, began tagging along with his father, also named Vincent, when he was only four to work on residential swimming pools, helping his father out with service calls.
He is now following in his father’s footsteps as operator of the family-owned Orange County Pools and Spas in MoheganLake.
Moscatello majored in journalism at Saint Bonaventure University and initially worked in pharmaceutical sales for a few years before deciding to come back to work in his father’s business about eight years ago.
The name of the business came about because the first pool store in the now-four store chain opened in Middletown in 1969 and in 1984 the second store opened in New Windsor. Aside from the MoheganLake location, which opened in 1988, Orange County Pools and Spas recently opened its fourth location in Fishkill.
Orange County Pools and Spas lives up to its name, Moscatello said last week at the MoheganLake store. He said his employees install pools and spas “from start to finish.”
The store also offers pool and spa related toys, floats, parts, and chemicals. “Anything for a pool or spa” is available, Moscatello said.
The store offers pool maintenance services or products for owners and the materials to maintain their pools and spas on their own, Moscatello said. “If they want to maintain their pools we give them the tools and teach them what they need to do,” he explained. With the new chemicals, a pool owner only needs to maintain their pool a few days a week to skim the water, vacuum and put the chemicals in, he said.
Moscatello’s favorite time to use an outdoor spa may surprise you. “The best time to use a spa is in the middle of the winter in a snow storm,” he said. “They’re made for being outside.”
Moscatello has an in-ground pool at his house, which he shares with his wife, Yvette, his two-and-one-half-year-old twins, Kendall and Kaden, and six-month-old child, Devyn. Ironically, Moscatello said he has no time to swim in his own pool due to his work commitments.
He said this time of the year is his busiest season for orders for pools and spas business. “This is when we start to get crazy to book until the following season,” he said. Pool installation generally begins in mid-April, he said.
Moscatello said his duties vary as store owner vary. “I sort of do everything,” he said. “I do selling. I do the ordering. I greet my customers.”
He said most of his customers come from northern Westchester, and he derives much pleasure from operating his family-owned store. “I love providing something that the entire family is going to enjoy,” he said. “What we do is for pure entertainment and fun.”
“We love what we do,” Moscatello said. “Our goal is to make sure everybody who comes in has a great experience.”
The northern Westchester Orange County Pools and Spas is located at 1896 E. Main St., Mohegan Lake. For more information, call 914-528-9000.
