In the heart of New England, nestled among rolling hills and snowy backyards, an unexpected business has taken root and flourished: Soake Pools. Co-Founded by Karen Larson and her husband Brian, Soake Pools specializes in precast concrete plunge pools, a product that defies the traditional expectations of backyard water features, particularly in the frigid Northeast.
The idea was born, fittingly, from an experience. While on vacation, the Larsons discovered the unique joy of standing in a warm body of water outdoors in Winter. The contrast was intoxicating, refreshing even. It wasn’t a hot tub, with its noisy bubbles and seated posture. It was a plunge pool, tiled in dark hues, where you could stand, move and breathe. “We fell in love,” Karen recalled. “When we came home, we wanted one in our backyard.”
But when they reached out to traditional pool builders, they were met with resistance. “They quoted us $150,000,” Karen said. “For a tiny pool. And they weren’t interested in building something different.” Rather than abandon the idea, Brian, with a background in high tech and no ties to the pool industry, began designing a precast plunge pool that could be tiled and transported, something no one else was doing.
“People said you can’t tile a pool and drive it down the road,” Karen said with a smile. “So, we tested it. We tiled one in our driveway, hired a truck to take it around for hours, and not a single tile fell off.” That DIY spirit still pulses through the company today, though it has matured into a nationally recognized brand. Since their official launch in 2015, Soake Pools has delivered pools to 43 states, defying skeptics and sub-zero Winters alike.
Getting here wasn’t easy. That first year, Karen didn’t sell a single pool. “I met with every landscape architect in New England,” she said. “Everyone loved it, but no one wanted to be the first.” It was Susan Dollenmaier, one of Karen’s mentors from her days selling high-end Italian linens, who suggested pivoting directly to homeowners. “We put ads in wine tasting events and local magazines,” Karen said. “That year, we sold three.”
Those early sales were pivotal. They brought not only validation but word-of-mouth. And for Soake Pools, experience was everything. The Larsons made it a point to ensure that each installation was seamless. “Seeing is believing,” Karen noted. “And once people saw it, they believed.”
Today, Soake Pools is more than just a product, it’s an experience. The company recently opened its Experience Center, a hospitality-driven space where potential customers and landscape professionals can tour, swim and see the manufacturing process firsthand. “It’s not a hard sell,” Karen emphasized. “It’s about understanding our customers’ goals. If it’s not right for them, we don’t push.”
That customer-first philosophy extends deep into Soake’s DNA. Karen recounts stories from clients who found unexpected joy in their backyard plunge pools. One mother told her it transformed her relationship with her teenage children. “They couldn’t be on their phones in the pool,” she laughed. “They talked to me. Really talked.”
Another common refrain? The serenity. “People say they sit outside on Winter nights under the stars, something they never did before,” Karen shared. It’s not just a pool, but a portal to a different kind of lifestyle, one grounded in wellness, reflection and connection.
And Soake Pools isn’t done innovating. Their latest offering is a cold plunge pool, capitalizing on the growing wellness trend of hydrotherapy. They’re also experimenting with new tile designs, including subtle etched messages on the pool walls. “Your pool should be your sanctuary,” Karen said. “If a simple message brings peace, we want to offer that.”
Soake Pools’ plunge pools are precast from the highest quality concrete in an NPCA-certified plant in New Hampshire and are offered in four different sizes. They can be installed above ground, partially recessed, or fully recessed, allowing for maximum space and water volume. Designed for year-round use, the plunge pool can be used as a hot tub in the cooler months and a plunge pool in the warmer seasons. For personalization, the plunge pools are offered in a variety of standard, premium tile, and custom mosaic tile layouts for the inside of the pool, and any exposed outer walls can be covered with rock, slate, tile or any material of choice to stand out. In addition to its beloved plunge pool portfolio, the brand will offer information surrounding its brand-new Fitness & Wellness package – an add-on for the fitness fanatic featuring a Static Swim tether (only for 7 x 13-feet), buoyancy ankle cuffs, and water weights.
Soake Pools recently debuted an exclusive custom collection with holistic interior designer Gala Magriñá of Gala Magriñá Design. Soake Pools’ first collaboration with Gala harnesses the power of color to influence mood and emotion, introducing a new dimension to the plunge pool experience.
It’s clear that Soake Pools stands apart not only for its design but for its ethos. In an industry sometimes marred by fly-by-night builders, Soake emphasizes longevity, integrity and personal connection. “We’re not trying to be the biggest,” Karen explained. “We just want to be the best at what we do.”
Twelve years after tiling that first pool in their driveway, Karen looks back without regret. “I wouldn’t change a thing,” she said. “We believed in it. And we still do.”
From a snowy New England yard to backyards across America, Soake Pools is making waves, quiet ones, the kind you can stand in, reflect in, and maybe, just maybe, have a long-overdue conversation with someone you love.
