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.
