Jumping Feet First Into Okoboji Pool Company

It isn’t hard to achieve big dreams in the Iowa Great Lakes area, especially when you put two talented, confident sisters together. Meet Angie Hinn Schaub and Gretchen Hinn Lolis—two sisters who saw a need and jumped feet first, co-founding the Okoboji Pool Company.

This new company blossomed out of a simple conversation that took place on New Year’s Eve in January 2024. A year later, Okoboji Pool Company has grown into a staff of 13 and recently opened a showroom in downtown Spirit Lake.

“We had an idea, and it quickly snowballed—doors opened,” Gretchen shared. “All of a sudden, we are going to do this!”

Dreaming Big

Three years ago, Gretchen moved back to the area to join the family’s real estate business, Hinn Real Estate. “The firm would regularly receive calls on if we knew a good pool person,” she said. “Angie and I quickly realized that this was a major need in our community, especially when the closest maintenance assistance was generally out of Sioux Falls.”

In January 2024, the sisters started talking about maybe starting a pool company. Not soon after, Angie attended training in Philadelphia to become a certified pool builder, as well as completed classes to become a certified pool maintenance specialist.  Gretchen also took classes to become a certified pool operator—a testament to taking this new endeavor seriously!

“This all took place before April 2024,” Gretchen said. “The idea blossomed into reality incredibly quick. Now, I’m officially the office person, and Angie is the technical genius. She can fix anything!”

Solving a Need

Despite being new to the scene, Okoboji Pool Company quickly began solving problems. They gained a van to hold their supplies and purchased necessary equipment for finding leaks or installing a liner. Last year, Gretchen and Angie had eight accounts and cared for 12 pools. In 2025, they now provide care for 28 local pools and opened 42 pools throughout the spring. The crew also excitedly built their first pool and have repaired countless others, including finding leaks, fixing motors, and replacing pool liners.

“Whatever needs to be done to fix a pool, I really enjoy the process and being able to solve problems for people,” Angie said. “I want to help people enjoy what they have bought.

Whether it’s fixing filters, liners, heaters or any type of pool maintenance, Angie has become one of the few professionals in the area trained to solve a pool situation.

She said some of the more common problems with a pool is a torn liner or a leak. When fixing a liner, one of the first things done is to find the leak. Another early task is to measure the pool and then hang the correct-sized liner around the pool. The next step requires vacuuming the liner to the pool wall, and lastly, add water to the pool.

“These liners weigh between 200-300 pounds, which doesn’t keep Angie from sliding under and finding the leak or installing a new one,” Gretchen said.

Okoboji Pool Company is proficient in testing pool chemicals and making sure the water sparkles all season long. One area they’ve especially enjoyed taking care of this year are the pools along Country Club Drive in Okoboji, as one of the pools was originally where their grandma lived.

“We are rehabbing the liner at a pool; one we learned how to swim in,” Angie said. “We really enjoy making sure pools can be used, even if it’s having a problem. Everything is repairable, it just depends on if you just put a band-aid on it or if you fix it.”

They also are available for closing a pool, which takes place in the fall.

Last year during the flood, extra situations arose, and pools fought an influx of ground water coming in. Leaks not known became apparent.

“There was so much ground water coming in and it was hard to find the leak, but I love fixing things and figuring out the problem. I was excited when we solved different problems,” she added.

Besides renovating or rehabbing pools, Okoboji Pool Company broke ground this April and built their first pool. They excitedly opened it for their clients at the end of May.

“Our goal was mid-May but we had some bad weather in there so delayed us, but it was exciting to accomplish this first pool together,” Gretchen exclaimed.

For anyone looking to build a pool, call Okoboji Pool Company. Angie will visit the space and design options, along with providing a bid. “Angie is really good at design; she’s so artistic!”

Most of all, the sisters want to create a legacy for their families, and one reason they renovated an old church building on the north side of downtown Spirit Lake.

"We also wanted to employ our family and continue a legacy like our family has done for us in real estate,” Gretchen shared. “It’s not common to find a women-owned business like this but people are really rooting for us.”

Angie and Gretchen’s nephew Vito Boyok of Boyok Builds renovated the 1920 church, completing changing the inside as well as the roof line and installed new Anderson windows. In the past, the building was not only a church but also a tanning salon and a bookstore. Bob Shaw purchased it in the 1980s and added space to the west, while Dawn’s Dance Connection held dance classes there in the 1990s.

New handcrafted barn doors divide the showrooms, and beautiful offices are found in the middle. The pool showroom will display saunas and Sundance Spas, as well as pool cleaning products, pool furniture and outdoor activities like Connect 4, pool basketball hoops, and Bags.

“We want to provide fun activities for your family outside, and all of the games are built to remain outside and withstand the elements,” Gretchen explained.

Another exciting aspect of the building is Goose Feather Books will open in August on the east side of the building. Located along Hill Ave., the entrance will welcome guests from the north and people will fall in love with the welcoming space. Gretchen’s daughter Lucille will manage the bookstore, as well as the art studio. The upstairs loft is being renovated into a beautiful space for ideas to blossom.

“We are so excited for both of these businesses and how they fill a needed niche for our community,” Gretchen said. “Whether it’s the pool company or the bookstore, we can’t wait to help you with your needs.”

For more information on either business, contact Okoboji Pool Company at okobojipoolcompany.com/contact-us/. Watch for news on their grand opening in late June and follow Goose Feather Books for information on their official opening in August.

Dreaming big—Angie and Gretchen! A testament of hard work and achieving what others thought impossible.