(Gibraltar Pools)
Creating backyard family fun
For over 39 years, Gibraltar Pools, a family-owned business spanning three generations, has been designing on-ground pools and creating backyard oases for families throughout New England.
The Gibraltar Pool was created to address the unique challenges of New England's terrain and climate. Dominic de Bernardo, the company’s founder, aimed to offer a solution that merged the appeal of an in-ground pool with the practicality of an above-ground design. The result is a rectangular, on-ground pool, known for its durability, aesthetic appeal, and cost-effectiveness.
“While our pools are designed to endure the New England weather and complement the somewhat difficult landscape,” Dominic’s son, PJ de Bernardo said, “this is still one of our biggest scheduling challenges. The weather doesn’t always cooperate with us.”
Today, PJ and his daughters, Lucia and Ana, both Harvard graduates, are continuing the family business into the third generation.
“Customer service is the most important thing,” PJ said. “When someone buys a pool from us, we say they are ‘joining the Gibraltar family,’ and we are committed to giving them the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and satisfaction.”
Every Gibraltar Pool boasts six US government patents and is entirely made in the USA. It is a point of pride that everything that goes into the creation of a Gibraltar Pool is American-made, including all of the metal stamped in the US. “This was a saving grace for us during the COVID pandemic,” de Bernardo said. “We didn’t have any downtime due to supply chain issues, plus the ‘stay at home’ mandate meant people were looking for fun, family-friendly activities, and what’s better than a pool?”
For nearly 40 years, Gibraltar Pools has grown its business primarily through word-of-mouth referrals and repeat business from loyal customers. Today, a company with more than 45 employees and a 20,000 square foot showroom on Route 1 in Topsfield, MA, de Bernardo said the key is to still “run his company like a family business.” The retail store also offers a range of products, including spas, heaters, pool accessories, and maintenance equipment.
De Bernardo, who grew up in Topsfield, MA, appreciates the historic and rural character of his hometown. PJ also values the central location — being 30 minutes from Boston and right off the highway for easy access to all points north.
Gibraltar Pools has a robust charitable arm supporting local parishes, veterans groups, and the public safety sectors. They also take pride in hiring veterans when possible.
Gibraltar Pools has been a Better Business Bureau (BBB) Accredited Member since 1986 and serves all six New England states—Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut—as well as parts of Eastern New York.
For more information about Gibraltar Pools, check out their BBB Profile. To learn more about BBB and read more stories like this, visit Behind the Business Stories with BBB in Eastern MA, ME, RI & VT.
For more information about Gibraltar Pools, check out their BBB Profile. To learn more about BBB and read more stories like this, visit Behind the Business Stories with BBB in Eastern MA, ME, RI & VT.
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