About Us

The Triangle Area's Trusted Pool Builders Since 1972

For over five decades, we've been the pool builders of choice for home and business owners in North Carolina. No pool company has more customers, more experience or more expertise than Rising Sun Pools. There's no pool construction, design, or renovation project that we haven't encountered (and solved)!

Rising Sun Pools has been recognized by Pool & Spa News as a Top 50 Pool Builder in the USA since 2009. Why? We believe in building our business by offering better products, using better equipment, and becoming a trusted source of information and expert service for our customers for years to come. Simply put, we build a better pool. At Rising Sun Pools, we are proud to be locally-owned, family-operated, convenient and reliable! 

 

Our Service Area

We serve many cities and towns in central North Carolina, including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, RTP, Apex, Cary, Morrisville, Garner, Wake Forest, Wendell, Knightdale, Zebulon, Youngsville, Clayton, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, and more! Contact us to find out if you’re in our service area.

For new construction, we limit our service area to a 30 mile radius of our main Raleigh showroom. Ask a sales associate for more information.

5 Reasons to Choose Rising Sun Pools

Local - Rising Sun Pools was founded and continues to operate exclusively in the Triangle and surrounding areas, so you can be assured you’re supporting a local business.

Quality - Rising Sun Pools is proud to offer award-winning pool design and installation services. We’re consistently rated as one of the best pool builders in North Carolina and have won national industry awards from Pool & Spa News and the Pool and Hot Tub Association (PHTA).

Reputation - We stake our reputation on every pool we build. Our commitment to quality has helped us earn the loyal business of pool owners across the Triangle. Read our Customer Testimonials to hear what they say about working with us!

Affiliation - We are proud to only partner with the most reputable dealers, such as Hayward Pools and Sundance Spas, companies with quality products and fair warranties.

Convenience - With convenient locations in Raleigh, North Raleigh, and Garner, NC, Rising Sun Pools is uniquely positioned to meet your needs.

Company History

Charlie Vassallo founded Rising Sun Pools in 1972. Originally from Queens, New York, Charlie started his career as a union wire lather, tying steel on Manhattan skyscrapers. When the New York economy went soft in 1970, he moved to Raleigh to work with a small swimming pool company, bringing his family’s belongings down in a pink hearse the pool company then used as a work vehicle.

It was during his time at the pool company that Charlie Vassallo discovered his love for pools, the Triangle, and entrepreneurship. He opened Rising Sun Pools in 1972, selling pool supplies out of a storage room attached to his home. Two years later, the business had grown enough for him to open a small store at Quail Corner Shopping Center. By 1979, he had outgrown the first location and purchased the much larger showroom at our current location, 5608 Hillsborough Street.

When Charlie died in 2003, the company was taken over by his children, Michael Vassallo, Gina da Roza, and Tara Vassallo-Soto, who are proud to continue the tradition of quality pool installation and supplies begun by their father. Since 1972, Rising Sun Pools has helped more than 7,000 families realize their dream of pool ownership. 

Community Involvement

Make-A-Wish

Ayden’s Wish

Rising Sun Pools was pleased to help make another wish come true for a brave little girl and her family. Rising Sun and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, together with Mike Wilson Decking, Harte Electric and Mark Jackson’s Backhoe Service, were able to grant an amazing pool wish for Ayden Murray and her family. We hope they enjoy many years and make wonderful new memories spending time in their new pool!

Arnie’s Wish

We helped to Make-A-Wish come true! Arnie Chapel is an amazing 6 year old boy who has bravely been fighting leukemia since December 2010 – he and his family’s wish was to have a pool. We completed Arnie’s wish in July of 2011! Capital City Curb and Gutter donated the deck and Estes Backhoe Service donated their time and equipment for the dig. SCP distributors donated the lighting for the pool, while Harte Electric made a huge contribution towards the electrical costs. Fox Pools assisted with the pool kit cost and Hayward Pool Products donated the pump, filter and salt system equipment for the pool. 

We could not have been more honored to help these children achieve their wishes. If you would like to help in any way on a future wish, please let us know. Visit the Make-A-Wish site for more information: https://wish.org/.