Pinch A Penny
Pinch A Penny (Pinch A Penny, Inc., historically held under Porpoise Pool & Patio, Inc.) is a franchised network of roughly 300+ neighborhood retail stores selling pool and spa chemicals, equipment (pumps, filters, heaters, automatic cleaners), above-ground pools, and outdoor-living goods. Stores offer free water testing plus professional services including weekly cleaning, equipment installation and repair, leak detection, and renovations. Founded in Clearwater, Florida in 1975, it has been owned by Pool Corporation (POOLCORP) since December 2021.
| Website | www.pinchapenny.com ↗ |
|---|---|
| Type | Retailer |
| Channel | Physical (franchised stores) + online |
| Marketplaces | Amazon: None found Walmart: None found No official Pinch A Penny storefront found on either marketplace; sells through its franchise stores and pinchapenny.com. [source] |
| Ownership | Subsidiary — part of Pool Corporation (POOLCORP) |
| Stock | — |
| American company | Yes — U.S., headquartered in Clearwater, Florida |
| Headquarters | Clearwater, Florida, USA |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Footprint | ≈305 independently owned and operated franchise stores (POOLCORP, year-end 2025; ~260 at the 2021 acquisition), concentrated in the Sun Belt — Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia. |
| Known for | The largest franchised retail chain of neighborhood pool-supply stores in the U.S., known for free in-store water testing and full-service pool care across the Sun Belt. |
| Does well | Dense Sun Belt store footprint with free water testing, strong technician training (continuing-education and Certified Pool Operator programs), and combined retail-plus-service under a franchise model now backed by POOLCORP's distribution network. |
| BBB rating | pending |
| Trustpilot | pending |
| Est. web traffic | estimate pending |
Policies
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| Returns | Stores are independently owned and operated franchises, so purchases, returns, and in-store service terms are handled at the local store; online orders placed at pinchapenny.com follow that site's terms. Policies can vary by location. [source] |
|---|---|
| Shipping | Primarily an in-store retail and local-service model; pinchapenny.com offers online ordering with store pickup and shipping options that vary by product and location. [source] |
| Warranty / Defects | Products carry the applicable manufacturer's warranty; equipment installation and service are provided through franchise locations. [source] |
Customer Service Notes
Because Pinch A Penny is a franchise, BBB ratings are per-location and vary widely rather than rolling up to one corporate grade: the corporate/HQ-address Clearwater profile is not accredited with a low grade tied to unanswered complaints, while individual franchises range from not-accredited to BBB-accredited A+ (e.g., Pinch A Penny #67, accredited since 2010). Grades were read from BBB search snippets. No brand-wide recalls or lawsuits were identified during this review.
Company Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1975 | The Thomas family opens the first discount Pinch A Penny store in an industrial park in Clearwater, Florida |
| 1976 | Begins franchising |
| 2021-12 | Pool Corporation (POOLCORP) acquires parent Porpoise Pool & Patio, Inc. (terms undisclosed) |
Sources
- https://pinchapenny.com/info/about-us
- https://ir.poolcorp.com/pool-corporation-to-acquire-porpoise-pool-patio/
- https://www.poolmagazine.com/manufacturers/poolcorp-acquires-pinch-a-penny/
- https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/clearwater/profile/pool-supplies/pinch-a-penny-0653-25085
Last updated 2026-06-24 · Next review 2026-07-24