Alice Springs business Bloomin Deserts’ triumph after being devastated by Bunnings

A local business defied the odds and triumphed despite a national hardware chain moving into town. HOW THEY DID IT

Louise Wilkinson and her husband Tavis started a pool installation business for families in Alice Springs. They received Pool of the Year Award last year. Picture: Supplied

Louise Wilkinson and her husband Tavis used to run a nursery in Alice Springs, even adding a cafe to the nursery when things started to go well.

The arrival of Bunnings Warehouse in 2014, however, “devastated” their small business, changing the nature of the entire local economy.

Ms Wilkinson remembers the Chamber of Commerce publicly stating that “only bad businesses” would close because of the arrival of Bunnings.

“That really hurt,” she said.

She said the comment showed no understanding for what small, local businesses in the heart of Australia had to face in order to survive.

Alice Springs couple Louise and Tavis Wilkinson create spectacular solutions for families wanting a pool at home. Picture: Supplied

“We’ve always had to pivot in Alice Springs because the business climate does change,” Ms Wilkinson said.

As landscapers, they found that families in Alice Springs wanting pools installed in their backyards had more trust in them than in external contractors from interstate.

The couple became trained and qualified in installing pools “to Australian standards” and have been doing it for five years, winning Best Pool of the Year by Leisure Pools in 2022.

They pride themselves on the quality of both their product and service.

“We don’t want to have eggs thrown at us when we go shopping.

“So we always try and up the customer service, up the quality, up the communication.”

One of the pools family business Bloomin Deserts has installed in Alice Springs. Picture: Supplied

Accountability is not the only key to success for the couple’s business Bloomin Deserts.

Ms Wilkinson says that customers in Central Australia “get kind of forgotten” due to their isolation.

“We don’t get the customer service we deserve,” she said.

“So when we go to your property, we sit and listen to you and try to work out what the problem is and how to fix it.

“This year has been a little bit hard.

“You spend half your time laying awake at night hoping you’re gonna get the work and then half the time laying awake thinking how you’re gonna do it.

“I’m in the dirt doing the work, so when customers speak to me, they are not getting the receptionist, they speak to the person who will see them through the process from start to finish.”

Louise and Tavis Wilkinson were awarded Pool of the Year in 2022. Picture: Supplied

Ms Wilkinson hopes the Northern Territory market will learn to embrace them, ever aware after her experience with Bunnings of the fear around “outsider” businesses.

“I think there’s enough space within the Territory.

“We want to take our award-winning attitude up across the Berrimah Line and hopefully people will respond well.”