Wisconsin family business wins global hot tub industry’s top dealer honor

By AI, Created 11:10 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Bachmann Pools, Spas & Saunas of Madison and Brookfield was named Hot Spring Spas’ 2025 Locksin Thompson Dealer of the Year, the global hot tub industry’s top award, in the company’s 40th anniversary year. The win caps decades of growth for the family-owned retailer and underscores its reach far beyond southern Wisconsin.

Why it matters: - The Locksin Thompson Dealer of the Year Award is Hot Spring Spas’ highest honor and is given to just one dealer worldwide each year. - Bachmann Pools, Spas & Saunas joins a small group of dealers recognized at the top of a network that spans more than 700 dealers in 70 countries. - The award strengthens Bachmann’s standing as one of the most decorated Hot Spring dealerships in the world.

What happened: - Hot Spring Spas, a Watkins Wellness brand, named Bachmann Pools, Spas & Saunas the 2025 recipient of the Locksin Thompson Dealer of the Year Award. - The family-owned company operates in Madison and Brookfield, Wisconsin. - The recognition arrives during Bachmann’s 40th anniversary year. - Fred Bachmann founded the business in 1985 and has co-operated it with Kiya Bachmann for the past 25 years.

The details: - The award has been presented for more than 35 years and is decided by a committee of industry leaders. - The honor recognizes dealers that excel in customer satisfaction, service, showroom experience, sales training, lead follow-up, marketing and promotions, digital presence and overall sales productivity. - Bachmann’s path into the industry began in 1984, when Fred Bachmann installed two spas for a salon client seeking private soaking rooms. - To secure wholesale pricing, Fred Bachmann bought three units and later opened a retail storefront. - A Watkins Wellness representative encouraged Bachmann to become an authorized dealer and helped secure a storefront lease. - A Watkins marketing seminar helped accelerate sales, leading to 60 hot tubs sold in a single weekend through a truckload sales event. - Bachmann says the company is the only dealership to receive the International Service Department of the Year Award three times. - Bachmann was also named a SpaRetailer 2025 Retail Stars honoree. - The company has been featured in Milwaukee Magazine, Madison Magazine and Forbes Georgia. - Six members of Bachmann’s sales team graduated from the Watkins Wellness Top Gun training program. - The company operates award-winning showrooms at 2225 S. Stoughton Road in Madison and 14660 W. Capitol Drive in Brookfield. - Both showrooms include filled Endless Pools for live demonstrations, two private spa experience rooms per store and a full wellness lineup that includes hot tubs, saunas and cold plunges. - Some integrated wellness packages at the showrooms now exceed six figures. - International dealers have visited the showrooms to study Bachmann’s retail model. - Bachmann became a Watkins Wellness authorized dealer and warranty service center in 1986. - The company carries Hot Spring Spas, Endless Pools, Radiant Pools, Vigor Cold Plunges, Tylo Saunas and BioGuard water care products. - Bachmann serves communities across southern Wisconsin. - For more information, visit bachmanns.com or call 608-222-7727 in Madison or 262-333-7727 in Brookfield.

Between the lines: - The award signals that Bachmann’s business model goes beyond sales volume and includes showroom design, training and customer experience. - The company’s draw for international dealers suggests its retail approach has become a reference point inside the industry. - Family leadership remains central, with Ashley Kampmeier now serving as Customer Relations and Operations Manager alongside Kyle and Knox Kampmeier. - Fred Bachmann said the recognition reflects a long journey more than a single trophy, and Ashley Kampmeier said the business brings “a level of care and pride” she has not experienced elsewhere.

What’s next: - Bachmann’s next chapter appears focused on family succession, operational continuity and maintaining its position as a model dealer in the Hot Spring network. - The company’s award-winning showrooms and wellness-focused offerings suggest continued investment in immersive retail experiences.

The bottom line: - A Wisconsin family business that started with a few spa installations has become one of the hot tub industry’s most closely watched dealers — and now its most decorated.