Local Business Has Bounce

Marine Corp. Veteran and past potato chip route owner, Anthony Dixon, has done a complete 360 after purchasing his inflatable business Jump and Slide in Deer Park seven years ago and he hasn't looked back since.

"I've always been an entrepreneur. I've had other business's before and I found this business for sale in the paper. I did some homework on it, I liked it and stuck with it," said Dixon who says pleasing his young customers is what made this career path appeal to him.

"I like seeing how happy the kids were when we deliver the products," said Dixon.

While his businesses rents everything a party may need from tents, tables and chairs, to the popular dunk tanks and bounce houses, Dixon says his inflatable water slides are the most requested items, especially during their busy summer season.

"We are fortunate enough to be very busy. We have a good reputation. Reputation is everything," he said.

While their reputation may be good, Dixon admits that the economy has played them a difficult hand in the recent years.

"There is not that many corporate picnics as there used to be because they're laying off a lot of employees so there is no money for company picnics and just in the average family, there have been cut backs," he said. 

Despite the struggling economy, Dixon's businesses is still adding new items, evening selling their older inflatables on their website.

"Every 3 years we sell our units because they begin to fade and we like our stuff looking brand new," he said. "We added a complete line of photo booths. We added a UFO laser tag game system. We added bigger tents. We've also added a lot more watersides."

With the local competition, Dixon says he prides himself in keeping his customers pleased with his services and receives positive feedback from his consumers in return. 

"We show up early before the event, our units are clean and we have the largest unique selections to be found on Long Island," he said. "Everything is positive. There are happy there is no bait and switch. What they see online is exactly what they get and they're happy it is clean."

While some inflatable units do have weight and age limits, there are units for every age available to rent.

"My catchphrase is we guarantee fun and not just for the young," he said.

Jump and Slide Reservations can be made up to one year in advance but accommodations can also be made the day of an event. Merchandise can be rented for up to 24 hours. Summer deals including $100 off inflatables during mid-week in currently being offered on the Jump and Slide website. For more information, call: (631) 321-7977.