The Great Escape Merrillville — Local services in Ross Township

Crying at the experience we have had with our pool install. Purchased from Great Escape and they contract Outdoor Specialists for the installation.

4/27- Company shows up at 6pm to install pool. We asked if they were sure they wanted to do it because it was going to rain shortly and rain all night.They insisted they'd get it done. ARound 730 they decided it was too rainy and getting dark to finish.

4/28- We wake up to a POND in the center of the hole they dug. The company shows up at 12 and says they can't do anything. Disassemble everything they did the night prior.

5/4- After 6 days of sun to dry up the water, they come back and do full installation of our pool. I come home from work, it looks great.

5/5- We wake up to the pool about half full and a RIP in the liner. Call Outdoor Specialists to let them know. Day goes by and nothing... 7 pm comes, again insisting they can get everything done before dark. They finally finish at 9:30 (using phone flashlightsto see) They have us run a vacuum all night and tell us to fill the pool the next morning. We follow directions, everything is great.

5/7-We check the pool and the side wall has popped out of the track, the wall is buckling, and the liner is slipping

5/8-The owner of Outdoor Specialists, Chris comes out. Says he's not sure why this happened and it was too windy to work on. They will be out Monday.

5/11-Crew shows up and literally tries to lift the liner with their hands. I asked them to do it the correct way because they are going to stretch it with water being in the pool. They give up and day they will be back another day.

5/14- Chris comes out again to look at the pool. Decides we have the wrong size liner in and calls The Great Escape. There was a "manufacturer defect" and we do in fact have the wrong size liner. Not sure when they will get more in...

5/21- Outdoor Specialists call and say they are on their way. Install the pool and I finally think it's done!!

5/23- We notice a pretty good size ring of water around the outside of the pool that is getting bigger. I called Chris and he said it could be from water underneath and not to worry.

5/24- Water is still there, but it's HOT out. It will definitely be dry by the end of the day. End of day comes and it's still there, so we get the Shop Vac out and suck up all the water.

5/25- Wake up to the ring of water back even more. The leak is confirmed.

I'm over it. Mentally exhausted!!! This is 4 weeks, 8 trips by the install company, 3 liners soon to be 4, and our pool filled 3 times. **I can't tell you how many times I've called The Great Escape. I have left messages for the General Manager and he does not call me back. Talked to another manager who asked me to text him pictures and he'd get back to me. He never did, I called a left multiple messages for him as well. Called "corporate" a week and a half ago. Got a recording and still no call back. The only person that will talk to us is the salesman Mark. He offered free chemicals and pool floats the last time we spoke because I told him I feel we should be compensated for the headache and issues we've been through. HOWEVER, he also stated I'm not the only one losing out. Every time they replace a liner, they lose out on money. Every time the install company comes out, they lose out on money. So really everyone is losing here. REALLY?!?!?!?

I can't do this anymore. I'm in tears from the experience we have had. If I could return a pool, I would. Our yard is trashed.. This has gone from such an exciting time to a total nightmare and has ruined any excitement we had.

*Update- received a call from saleman Mark. I missed the call, and when I called back I was informed by a lady answering the phone that they were very busy and I should try to call back tomorrow if I wanted to speak to someone.

**This is beyond crazy. I still have only gotten calls from my salesman and this morning he called and told me I either take a liner design I do not want, or I wait until mid July to have my pool finished. I am in tears. Please contact...

REVISED, 5/22/22----- Finally after years of having this unresolved issue a person for Corporate has reached out to me. Kelly D, you are awesome. She heard me, listened to the problem and she made good. I am revising my rating from 1 star, to 4 stars.

Every year at the start of Spring I am reminded of how The Great Escape Merrillville ripped me off on 5/19/18. My husband and I bought an outdoor table set of six chairs and one table for $2,791.63. The sales rep pushed the table and chairs because he insisted the warranty was great. We felt like the price was too high, but the sales rep assured us, they have an impeccable warranty in case anything goes wrong. We used the table set for part of the summer in 2018 and then it went into our 400 sq ft storage room in our basement for the winter. When we pulled the table out of storage from our basement in May of 2019, the table had turned from GRAY to PURPLE!!!!! It no longer matched the chairs to the set. I immediately called the store and they forwarded me to the Great Escape in South Holland. The South Holland location got back with me quickly and said they were going to fix the problem. (Warranty inv #AT3AXN

They ended up sending me a replacement table, but it was a totally flimsy table. Before the delivery guy left, I called TGE and they said to note on the delivery digital document that it was the incorrect table. So, I did that.

When I originally bought the table, we paid for the upgraded table, which had the sound breakers/buffers mounted to the underside of the table. We paid for this upgrade so that when my dog barked it would not echo and disturb the adjacent neighbors and it would also add weight to the table, because our backyard gets a lot of wind.

So, after a few back and forth calls with TGE person in South Holland, she said she had found our exact table at another store, but she would have to get back to me with a delivery date. I waited and waited and no call back. So, I called TGE rep back and she said "Oh, I am sorry, but we cannot deliver it to you. I am working on finding you another table." Weeks go by and I am getting more and more frustrated. When I call her back I ask to speak with her manager, she sharply says "He's on vacation for two weeks." I think her name was Sabrina, because each time I called she was so rude and acting like a witch. So, I remember thinking, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. I cannot remember the manager's name because she never transferred him to me and anytime I called she would say, "He's in a meeting or He can only call you back." This went on for literally four months.

So, as I sit her today, I still have a flimsy Purple Table and NO ONE, has reached out to me again. I am beyond irritated, for yet another year. I think it may be time to take them to Small Claims Court for a full refund. I have called the store over the past couple years and they say "There is nothing we can do at the store, it has to be handled through our Warranty Center."

So, if you are reading this, do not spend your money here!!!!!!! I still have a flimsy Purple table (that still needs to be replaced) and Gray Chairs that do not...

I went into the store today around 5PM, looking to purchase several pieces of furniture (I knew exactly what I wanted, and was ready to check out with whatever lucky sales person was ready to assist me).

The individual who greeted me at the door (Luke) was talking loudly on his phone, said hello once and didn’t make eye contact with me. I was testing out home theater chairs and he didn’t ask once if I needed help. I ended up buying $9000 of arcade cabinets and sofas for my home theater, and he showed no interest in helping with the sale at any point during the process. I approached him after another associate (Mark) offered to help, but didn’t work in the home theater department, and asked if he wanted to make a quick and easy sale (Had cash in hand ready to walk out the door), and he said, “Nah I’m fine”. Very rude and showed no interest in helping - Luke looked like a couch potato who had his head up his rear end and his phone was surgically attached to his ear. After I finished working with the other associate (Mark), I confronted him about why he ignored me, and then asked if there was a specific reason that he ignored me before I wrote this email/review, and he said, “Nah, have at it man”.

Therefore, I’m “Having at it” by writing this review.

On a different note, Mark went out of his way to help me w/my purchase and had me in/out quickly. He was also apologetic for his coworker’s behavior, even though he did nothing wrong. He took 10% off my entire order, and gave me free delivery/install on top. Mark also cared about me on a personal level - he has done business w/my parents in the past, and is caring/compassionate, and showed genuine interest in my family’s wellbeing.

Mark is what the ideal salesperson should be like - employees like Luke should not be working in a sales environment, as they represent the entire company. I would have taken my business elsewhere had it not been for Mark’s excellent service, even though he made no commission on the sale.

I will be taking my business to the Great Escape in the future, but Luke will get none of my business, nor would I (As a vice-president of a large online game company) ever hire him. Mark was working the entire store (It was only him and Luke) while Luke was sitting on the couch, talking loudly to his friend(s) with his legs kicked up and the floor model couch reclined. His comment at the end regarding why he ignored me (Where I had thanked him for being absolutely useless, and having his coworker pull his weight) made any remaining sympathy/understanding for him vanish (I would’ve been understanding if an emergency was occurring, or it was a very urgent phone call), but Luke was just a lazy couch potato who could count the amount of dedication he gave to his job on both hands (0).

Mark is what an ideal sales employee should be like, and I applaud his dedication and willingness to go above and beyond the responsibilities listed in his...