When Rudy and Mary moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1974, they had no idea that their future lay in the pool and spa industry. They honeymooned at Lake Tahoe and liked the area, but they weren't thinking of settling there. They had a few more places to explore before deciding where to put down roots. In Sept. 1974 they returned to the mainland from their 6 month Hawaii adventure, and moved to Lake Tahoe.
South Lake Tahoe is about 20 miles from Carson City, NV and about 40 miles from Reno, NV , as the crow flies, but pool and spa chemicals are hauled by trucks, not crows , making the real distance 30 miles from Carson City and 60 miles to Reno. This is a significant factor after Tahoe Pool Service was formed. -but were getting ahead of ourselves.
In 1977, Mary was a secretary for the local Chamber of Commerce. Her boss had a friend who was the owner of a struggling 30 customer pool service that he was looking to unload. Rudy and Mary thought it over and decided to go for it. They took over the route in 1976, renamed it Tahoe Pool Service and set out to learn the business.
Mary ran the business full time out of their home while caring for their first child. They scoured the local phone book in search of new customers. The business began to grow. Rudy contacted his brother Kirk to come up and look at the business. By 1979 they were all working full time to devote their skills toward the pool and spa business exclusively.
By 1986, they were ready to open pool and spa supply, partly to satisfy the chemical and equipment needs of the Lake Tahoe area, and partly to satisfy the specific needs of Tahoe Pool Service, making supplies available locally instead of 60 miles away in Reno.
Today, Tahoe Pool Service and Supplies is still run by the Pakes brothers; Rudy Pakes (President) and Kirk Pakes (Vice President, and their wives run office operations, Mary Pakes (Secretary) and Bonnie Pakes (Treasurer).