By Sondra Barr
For James and Sasha Lewis, being a big kid is all in a day’s work. As the owners of Leisure Installs, they make fun happen for Valley families by installing and selling playsets and outdoor recreational equipment.
The husband and wife team consider themselves giant kids. With their colorful hair and boundless energy, it’s not uncommon to find them testing out their products in Leisure Installs’ giant showroom. From climbing the rock walls, to jumping on the trampolines, shooting baskets, zooming down slides, or swinging from the monkey bars, James and Sasha test out their products from a kid’s perspective with safety always top of mind.
“We’ve been doing this for over 20 years, so we can look at any playset and tell you the manufacturer, what its features are, the maintenance it’ll require, and if it’ll last,” says Sasha.
Specializing in “You buy, we install,” their speciality is installation including the assembly, maintenance, and relocation of residential playsets, basketball goals, and trampolines and many brands and models of do-it-yourself products including gazebos, pergolas, and sheds. They also sell Backyard Adventures Playsets, Swing Kingdom Vinyl Playsets, Gorilla Playsets, AlleyOOP Trampolines, and Goalrilla & Silverback Basketball Goals from their large showroom.
“What makes our business different is the education side of what we provide,” says Sasha. She explains that Arizona yards can be incredibly dangerous for backyard play because most backyards have many hazards including travertine pavers, garden rocks, and cactus, combined with narrow lots and concrete walls.
“We’ll come out and look at your yard, whether we’re installing a playset you bought from us, or if you’re buying it from someone else and we’re installing it, to assess your space for safety concerns,” says Sasha. “I have a customer right now who only has a 14 by14 foot space to put a playset. We’re working with one of our manufacturers that does custom sets to create the family one that’s going to safely fit in their small yard.”
“We used to say when our kids were little, ‘If we won’t let our kids play on it, we won’t let yours.’ Now I’m waiting for grandkids and it’s going to be the same thing,” she says, pointing out that boisterous play on swings, monkey bars, and other equipment should be at least 6 feet away from walls and other hazards.
Since starting Leisure Installs in 2014, James and Sasha have witnessed countless smiles from their installs. “Watching families stand at the window waiting for the project to be completed so they can run out and play is one of the best parts of my job,” says James.
“Helping families pick the best playset and make the best recreational space in their yard so that they can spend quality time together is what our local company is all about,” says Sasha.
To learn more, visit leisureinstalls.com.
