From a barn to Main Street: Joan Boyles reflects on 40 years at Crystal River Spas
A conversation with Joan Boyles about decades of hot tubs, hard work, and building community in Carbondale
For The Aspen Times
Bryan Welker/Courtesy photo
For 40 years, Joan Boyles of Crystal River Spas has helped define Carbondale retail. From humble beginnings to becoming a Main Street institution, she built a business on consistency, creativity, and deep community ties. As she enters retirement, Joan shares the story behind the tubs — and the legacy.
Q: How did Crystal River Spas begin?
Joan: I was working as a general contractor in Aspen in the early 1980s. A lot of our clients wanted hot tubs, but they were importing models from places like Florida and Texas. Those tubs weren’t designed for our winters and kept breaking down, usually right in the middle of high season. There weren’t many reliable local options, so I started searching for a product that could actually withstand the freeze-thaw cycles here.
That led me to Denver, where I found Hot Spring Spas. Their insulation and durability made sense for our climate. We became dealers, sold a few to our neighbors out of a barn, and by 1987, we had more demand than we could manage.
A guy was traveling around the country in a Winnebago who had retired from NASA. He worked for Hot Spring Spas and was helping set up new dealers. At the time, most of us were running our operations out of barns or garages, but people were starting to frown on that. He came to town and said, “You really need a showroom.” And that’s what gave us the push.
We found an old gas station on Main Street that had been repossessed by the bank. It was in rough shape. Think oil on the floor, pipes burst from freeze-thaw cycles — not to mention the old gas pumps out front, but we transformed it. In 1989, we opened our first proper showroom in Carbondale.
Q: Were people skeptical of a luxury hot tub store in Carbondale back then?
Joan: Oh, definitely. When we opened, the Valley Journal ran a headline that said, “Luxury Retail Opens in Carbondale?” with a question mark that invited skepticism and a photo of the store that invited clients. It was funny. But, despite that skepticism, the response was incredibly enthusiastic, especially from the downvalley community. Aspen required more targeted marketing, but Carbondale and the surrounding areas showed up. That local support is what kept us going.
Q: How did you manage to stay successful through things like the 2008 crash and the pandemic?
Joan: One word: service. Service is nearly half our business. That consistency gave us stability in every downturn. When sales dipped, people still needed maintenance. And we never stopped marketing. Most companies pull back on marketing when things get tough. We did the opposite. We pushed harder, stayed visible, and gained market share while others hesitated.
Q: So you saw growth even during recessions?
Joan: We did. We leaned on different parts of the business depending on what the moment called for. In 2008, during COVID, we didn’t blink. Instead, we asked ourselves, “What can we shift?” Service helped drive future sales. I mean, if we were in your backyard doing repairs and your tub was on its last legs, you’d ask, “What would it cost to replace this?”
And that’s how we kept our momentum: service, flexibility, and consistent marketing.
Most businesses tighten their belts during downturns, but we took the opposite approach. They’d look to cut their marketing budgets, but that’s exactly the wrong thing to do. We’ve always understood that, and it was reinforced by the people we worked with over the years. That’s when you put your foot on the gas and take market share. Everyone else is tucking their tail, and that’s your cue to say, “We’re still here.”
We also embraced innovation early on. We were one of the first businesses in the Roaring Fork Valley to have a website, back when everyone asked, “Why would a hot tub company need a website?” But we knew our customers. Many were second homeowners or people who worked long hours and couldn’t make it into the store. That online presence let us meet them where they were, and it gave us a head start before digital marketing became the norm.
Q: What role did community involvement play?
Joan: A huge one. We’ve always been very present in the community. Whether raffling off refurbished hot tubs at Mountain Fair, rolling tubs down Main Street for First Fridays, or showing up for the Potato Day parade. We’ve sponsored the KMTS 5:30 news for 30 years, and we even hauled hot tubs to the top of Sunlight and Aspen Mountain.
It wasn’t just about marketing, it was about being seen, being involved, and being part of the rhythm of life in this valley. And we treated our customers like neighbors, because they were. Whether it’s a framer from downvalley or a second homeowner in Aspen, we showed up for everyone. A lot of business in this valley happens on a chairlift, just chatting with people, building relationships. Being out there, present and approachable, has always been a big part of our success.
It’s also about engaging in everyday life. Saying hello to your customer at dinner, on the river, or at the grocery store. Just being around. That’s what makes a local business feel like part of the community fabric, and it’s what made us feel like a part of theirs.
Even now, I can tell where someone’s from based on whether they call me Joanie. If they do, it’s a sure sign they’re from Snowmass. The relationships go back decades.
Q: You must have some wild stories after 40 years.
Joan: I have more than a few, and most include Hunter S. Thompson. One time, we showed up at his house and found a note that said, “Door’s unlocked,” pinned to the front door with a Bowie knife — straight out of Crocodile Dundee. His hot tub was right next to his writing desk, and the water was completely brown. We eventually figured out the problem: someone had given him a chocolate cake, and he had shoved it off his desk into the tub. The best part was he tried to pay us with cocaine.
Another time, I had to call him and tell him that if he shot at our service techs one more time, we were done. He responded, “I’m not shooting at your guys, I’m shooting at my neighbor!” He and the neighbor were sitting on their patios, firing rifles at each other. Only in Woody Creek!
Q: What does it feel like to hand the business off now?
Joan: It’s surreal. The sale was finalized in November 2024. I’ve been helping transition the new team. They have new ideas and great energy. It’s exciting to watch from the sidelines and see your legacy continue — new trucks on the road, a new location. It’s what we hoped for.
But yeah, there’s also a little weirdness to it. It’s like someone coming into your house and rearranging your kitchen. You’ve got to keep the 30,000-foot view and not get bogged down in the nuances, like where they’ve moved the salt shaker. You have to believe in their vision and trust that they’re going to represent your legacy the way you’d want it to be. As long as you keep that mindset, you can look past the little things they do differently and appreciate that the structure is still standing and still growing. I’m proud that we ran the business like something with value. Our books were clean. We made it something someone would want to carry forward.
Q: What’s your best piece of advice for someone starting a retail business in Carbondale today?
Joan: Be consistent. Love your customers. Be there when your sign says you will be.
Retail only works if people can count on you. That’s why we were open five days a week, every week, for 40 years. And that kind of consistency has become rare. Everyone wants their “me time” or to work virtually. But we show up every day. People knew they could count on us.
And enjoy what you do. You have to love it, because otherwise you’re not going to be there when the customer shows up. You’re going to leave early at 4 when your door says 5:30. If you build it, they will come. You just have to be there when they do. That’s the hard part of retail. You don’t always know when it’s going to happen, but you’ve got to be ready.
It has to be a passion. You can’t fake it. People pick up on that. They want to buy from someone who genuinely enjoys being there. I’ll use Peppino’s Pizza as an example. It’s not just a restaurant. It’s a place you go to see the people who own it and run it; they’re family. And they genuinely love what they do. People like to patronize businesses that love what they do.
Q: What will you miss the most?
Joan: The people. We blurred the line between customer and friend. I have customers who call me the moment they get back to town each summer. One from Texas always says, “Joanie, I’m back. When are we hot-tubbing?”
Q: And what’s next for you?
Joan: I’ve moved to River Valley Ranch. I’m walking the dog, maybe learning pickleball. I’m excited to bump into everyone at the grocery store or out on the trail. It’s a new chapter — but in the same town, with the same people. That feels pretty special.
Q: Any final words for the community?
Joan: Just thank you. For 40 incredible years. For every hello, every referral, every repair call, every first Friday. You made it what it was. I’ll see you around town.
Bryan Welker, president of WDR Aspen, brings 25 years of marketing expertise and deep Aspen roots to share insights on valley business and marketing. Reach out: bryan@wdraspen.com.
