A family business. A Lancaster story.
About Us
Our family.
Your backyard.
Since 1982.
We’re Rainbow Pools—a family business with roots right here in Lancaster, Ohio. What started with one pool in our own backyard has grown into more than four decades of helping families enjoy theirs.
James Gerken owns Rainbow Pools today, carrying forward the business his parents, Walt and Nancy, founded in 1982.
A family business.
A familiar place.
For James, Rainbow Pools has been part of life since childhood. He started working summers at 15 and joined the business full time after graduating in 1995. Today, he carries that family history into the next chapter as owner.
Our story is about more than installing pools. It’s about a local shop, familiar faces, and helping people enjoy the place they call home—from planning a backyard pool to caring for it season after season.
Whether you’re coming in with big plans or a water sample, we’d love to meet you and hear what you have in mind.
it was something our family enjoyed at home.
One backyard pool.
A whole new beginning.
In 1981, Walt and Nancy bought a pool kit for their home. Walt and his father-in-law, Jim, installed the 16-by-36-foot pool themselves—with ladders instead of steps.
That backyard project inspired a business. On January 1, 1982, Walt and Nancy opened Rainbow Pools in a single room at 927 East Main Street, beside the Pink Cricket, with Amy and James in tow.
Building it took long days and late nights. Walt worked at the shop by day and Lancaster Mold by night until 1993. What began as a small pool and chemical shop became a lasting part of the family’s life.
Amy later bought the family home in 1998, keeping that first pool in the family. She also worked in the business from 2000 to 2013.
Different addresses.
The same family roots.
From East Main Street to North Columbus Street, and eventually Victor Road, our business has grown while staying rooted in Lancaster.
Today you’ll find us at 1579 Victor Road NW. Rainbow Pools remains 100% family owned and operated, serving Lancaster and Central Ohio with pools, spas, supplies, water testing, and service.
Walt and Nancy open our first shop on East Main Street.
A new home for the business on North Columbus Street.
We build our shop at 1579 Victor Road.
James continues the family business in Lancaster.
Let’s talk about your backyard.
Stop by the shop, bring your questions, and get to know the family business behind your next pool or spa.
1579 Victor Road NW · Lancaster, Ohio
(740) 687-4770