Kiddie pools hard to find as people cool off during heat wave and pandemic

With covid-19 making this the summer of “staycation,” kiddie pools have become a popular item for beating the heat.

So much so that many stores are sold out, making the pools hard to come by.

Sophia Benson of Harrison said she bought a plastic pool at True Value Hardware in Buffalo Township for her golden retriever, Grace, on Friday.

“We got the last one,” she said.

She’s glad she got it to help her dog cope with the summer heat.

“She likes the water,” Benson said. “She goes in it every time she goes outside.”

But for those who haven’t bought a kiddie pool yet, the chances of finding one now seem slim.

The backyard inflatable or plastic pool is having a big summer. As temperatures soar into the 90s, demand is even higher.

“They sell out as soon as we get them,” said Saan Stevens, a cashier at Big Lots in Greensburg. On Monday, the store had none. He’s hoping for another shipment this summer.

Tyler Lucjak, assistant manager of Dollar General in Lower Burrell, said his store sold out of kiddie pools — and likely won’t be getting any more this summer.

“We’ve been sold out for a while now,” Lucjak said. “People aren’t able to go out as they were, so it’s a quick, easy way to cool off. It’s been pretty hot.”

At Family Dollar in Tarentum, they haven’t even received their usual shipments of plastic pools.

“We didn’t get much of that this year,” Matt Frew of Family Dollar said. He said those shipments come from overseas and may have been impacted by the pandemic.

Frew said Family Dollar had some kiddie pools in June, but they sold out quickly. Now, the store is getting shipments of fall merchandise, meaning they’re not likely to restock on such summer essentials.

Aldi in Lower Burrell, Walmart in Hempfield and Sam’s Club at Pittsburgh Mills reported they, too, are sold out.

Pools and other outdoor toys have been gaining popularity nationwide, according to NPD Group, a data firm. In April, pools experienced “strong dollar gains,” up 161%, NPD reported.

Amazon appears to have a small selection of kiddie pools available. However, some will not ship until September.