Bath Planet welcomes Bruce Thompson

Bruce Thompson has been involved in the plumbing industry for 35 years. Although he grew up in California, he has lived in southern Utah for the past 20 years. In 1996, during his transition between the two states, he established a plumbing company called Bruce Thompson Plumbing LLC, with bathroom remodeling being a staple of the services he provides. He runs the business with his two sons and his wife; Elizabeth, Jared and Josh. Elizabeth has a background in finances and takes care of the company book keeping.

How did you learn about the brand?

I was approached by Bath Planet corporate and it ended up being a great fit because we do a high volume of bath remodels already. We really see Bath Planet as a way to give back to the community and help people who need a quick and easy solution or remodel.

What makes your business different?

Seeing that the times were changing, it was apparent to me that Bath Planet is a necessary service in the area. We can provide a fast turnaround at a good price with the highest quality product available.

What challenges have you overcome to get where you are now?

I think especially in the construction industry, just starting out as a contractor and building up a business can be difficult. You have to develop your skill and look for opportunities to make that transition from being a one truck operation to running a large business. It’s a tough transition.

What are your expansion or development plans?

Currently we have the rights for southern Utah and we have ideas to expand through the entire state. Right now we are focused on establishing a presence in the area with Bath Planet so that we can continue to grow.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies or passions?

I like nostalgic things and have a passion for vintage cars. Through my ventures of older collectables, I’ve come across a bathtub from the early 1900’s - it’s a folding bathtub and it’s a cool piece of our showroom!

Bath Planet Welcomes Donnie and Lucy Grubbs

Donnie Grubbs started in the construction business when he was 18. By the age of 22 he had started his own subcontracting business. While going door to door selling magazines with his brother, he ended up selling his first aluminum siding at the age of 25 in 1976 through a dealership called All Side and later started Home Craftsman. In 1990 Donnie opened a window manufacturing company and sold it after a year to become a salesman for Sears which he did for two years. In 1999, he started Donnie Grubbs Vinyl Siding that he currently runs today. His daughter, Lucy Grubbs, began working for her father in 2003 at Donnie Grubbs Vinyl Siding and then they took on the bathroom division in 2009.

How did you learn about the brand?

We had used BCI products before we became Bath Planet dealers, so we knew the quality of the product. We were working with Luxury Bath and decided to go back to BCI once we found out about Bath Planet.

Why did you choose an opportunity with Bath Planet?

Bath Planet offers us more support than any other dealer program. What really separates Bath Planet though are the people and how upfront and honest they are with everything. We’ve been in this industry a long time and understand the importance of treating people with respect.

What makes your business unique in the community?

One thing is that we are very involved in the community and do a lot of marketing. Our showroom is extensive and really adds a tangible aspect to our products. I love people and talking with members of West Monroe.

What challenges have you overcome to get where you are now?

Just finding the best people, we have a high standard for our workers because of how involved we are in this community.

What are your expansion or development plans? What is your end goal with Bath Planet?

We are working right now to get our new showroom up and running. We’d also like to open other showrooms in Alexandria or Natchitoches, Louisiana; we do work in those areas very much so we’d like to have a greater Bath Planet presence there as well.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies or passions?

Donnie: I love my business and find a lot of enjoyment in helping the community.

Lucy: I have two children, ages seven and three, and love to spend time with family.