Hot Tubs, Saunas and Fireplaces for Chums Corner, MI Homes
Phillips Lifestyles is a Northern Michigan dealer for hot tubs, swim spas, saunas, fireplaces, fireplace inserts and pellet stoves, and it serves Chums Corner and the rest of Grand Traverse County. The company was established in 1980, is family-owned, and has showrooms in Traverse City and Grawn. Chums Corner is a few miles south of Traverse City. For a home in Blair Township, Phillips Lifestyles offers products, installation and long-term service from one local team.
What Makes Chums Corner Different
Chums Corner takes its name from Deronda "Chum" Crandall, who ran a gas station and grocery with his wife Eva at this highway intersection around 1932. People began calling it Chum's Corners, and the name stayed. Long before that, the Old Indian Trail between Cadillac and Traverse City passed through.
Today it is one of the busiest crossroads in Blair Township and home to Turtle Creek Stadium, where the Traverse City Pit Spitters play. It is also home to the Phillips Lifestyles Chums Corner showroom at 5161 US-31.
Like the rest of the Grand Traverse region, this area sees heavy snow and cold from late fall into spring. Families spend a lot of winter time at home, which is a good reason to make the house a place everyone wants to be.
For people who live here, Phillips Lifestyles is the neighborhood store. You can stop in on the way home, see products running, and know that the service team is based minutes away.
A Hot Tub for Every Season
A hot tub is one of the simplest ways to turn an ordinary backyard into a place the family uses every week. The hot tubs at Phillips Lifestyles come from Hot Spring, Caldera Spas, Jacuzzi, Nordic, Sundance and Marquis. Models such as the Hot Spring Grandee seat seven, and the Hot Spring Aria suits a smaller group. All are built to run through a Northern Michigan winter.
Start with a free in-home consultation. A Phillips Lifestyles team member comes to your home, measures the area, plans the delivery, checks that the cover and lifter will operate freely and helps coordinate finishes with your siding or deck. Approved electrical contractors wire the spa, and the service includes startup and fill.
You can also try before you buy with a free test soak, or look at Endless Pools swim spas if you would like to swim at home.
The Right Fireplace for Your Home
A fireplace or stove makes the main living area the warmest room in the house and takes pressure off the furnace. Phillips Lifestyles sells fireplaces, fireplace inserts and pellet stoves from Heat & Glo, Quadra-Fire, Napoleon, Enviro and Mendota, in gas, wood, pellet and electric.
The right choice depends on how you use the home. For short visits, a gas insert gives heat at the press of a button. For everyday heating, a pellet insert like the Quadra-Fire Castile, which heats 700 to 1,800 square feet, or a wood stove like the Discovery II keeps running costs in check. Electric fireplaces suit rooms where venting is not practical.
Installation is handled by the company's own crew: lead installer Rob Horton and installers Randy Johnson, Jason Jones and Ron Magee. See the guide to choosing a fireplace insert on the blog.
Planning Your Project
A little planning makes everything go smoothly. Begin by deciding what you want from the space: relaxation, heat, exercise or entertaining. Phillips Lifestyles staff then help narrow the choices. For spas, that means a test soak and a free in-home consultation, with online requests answered within 24 hours. The company manages delivery, uses approved electrical contractors for wiring, and includes startup and fill. For fireplaces and stoves, an installer checks venting and clearances at your home before the work is scheduled.
In a neighborhood setting, look at how close a spa will sit to the back door, since a short walk means more winter use. Confirm any association rules, and decide early whether the electrical panel has capacity for a 240-volt spa circuit.
Saunas, a Northern Michigan Tradition
Sauna culture runs deep in Michigan. Phillips Lifestyles offers saunas from Finnleo and Tylo in traditional and infrared styles, plus outdoor units such as the Finnleo Patio Series. For a one-of-a-kind space, the Traverse City Sauna Company, part of the Phillips Lifestyles team, builds custom saunas. Craftsmen Don Ruff and Chris Champt can design around a basement, a bathroom addition or a spot in the yard.
Game Rooms, Grills and More
Phillips Lifestyles also carries billiard and game tables from Brunswick and Olhausen, including shuffleboard, foosball and air hockey. There are premium grills for the deck and massage chairs for the den. Everything can be seen in person at the showrooms.
Maintenance You Do Not Have to Think About
Busy households appreciate having maintenance taken off the list. That is the idea behind the Phillips Lifestyles Spa Maintenance Program. On each visit, a technician tests and balances the water, wipes the spa from the waterline up, cleans the cover, removes debris and replaces the filters with a clean set. Visits can be weekly, every two weeks or every four weeks.
Repairs and other work are arranged through a service request. The services page summarizes installation and maintenance for hot tubs, swim spas, fireplaces and game tables.
Northern Michigan Roots
Phillips Lifestyles describes itself as Northern Michigan's premier spa and fireplace dealer since 1980, and it remains a family-owned business rooted in the community. Dennis and Debbie Riedel are the owners, and Ryan Gubbins is the general manager.
For customers, the benefit of a long-established local dealer is continuity. Tony Fifarek, the lead sales associate and head mechanical consultant, and store manager Tyler Hanna help you choose. Jim Eddy and his service team are there afterward, with technicians, schedulers and customer service staff based in the Traverse City area. The About Us page lists the full team.
Frequently Asked Questions from Chums Corner Homeowners
Where is the Phillips Lifestyles showroom in Chums Corner?
The Chums Corner showroom is at 5161 US-31, Grawn, MI 49637. It is open Monday to Friday from 9 to 6 and Saturday from 10 to 4, with Sunday visits by appointment. The phone number is (231) 888-0721.
Does Phillips Lifestyles build custom saunas?
Yes. Through the Traverse City Sauna Company, Phillips Lifestyles craftsmen design and build custom saunas. The company also sells ready-made Finnleo and Tylo saunas for indoor and outdoor use.
What is the difference between a fireplace insert and a pellet stove?
A fireplace insert fits inside an existing masonry fireplace and can burn gas, wood or pellets. A pellet stove is a freestanding heater that burns compressed wood pellets. Both give efficient, controllable heat.
Where are the Phillips Lifestyles showrooms?
Phillips Lifestyles has two showrooms: Chums Corner at 5161 US-31, Grawn, MI 49637, and Cherryland at 1151 W South Airport Road, Traverse City, MI 49686. Both are open Monday to Saturday, with Sunday visits by appointment.
Plan Your Showroom Visit
Seeing products in person is the quickest way to decide. The Chums Corner showroom is at 5161 US-31 in Grawn and the Cherryland showroom is at 1151 W South Airport Road in Traverse City. Both are open Monday to Saturday. Call ahead, contact the team or submit a product inquiry so staff can prepare for your visit to help with your Chums Corner project.