Southern Recreation
Southern Recreation is a Jacksonville, Florida-based full-service dealer of playground and park equipment, serving schools, multifamily developers, HOAs, daycares, churches, and municipal parks across the southeastern United States. The company supplies, customizes, finances, and installs playground, shade, surfacing, and recreational products.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersJacksonville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Southern Recreation does
Southern Recreation is a privately held, full-service playground and park equipment dealer headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, operating across the southeastern United States including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The company serves schools, multifamily housing developers, homeowners associations, daycare centers, churches, and municipal parks departments, with selected projects also installed for healthcare facilities and master-planned residential communities. Founded in 1985, the business runs on a sales-led go-to-market model where customers request quotes through the website or by phone, then receive support across planning, budgeting, ordering, financing, permitting (Florida only), installation, and ADA-compliant site work.
The core product portfolio spans nine categories: playstructures (American-made, ages 6 months to 12 years, with custom, themed, and recycled material options); freestanding equipment (swings, slides, climbers, spring riders, in-motion, climbing rocks, rope climbers); site amenities (picnic tables, benches, waste receptacles, grills, bike racks, water fountains); ADA-compliant site surfacing (mulch, PIP, mats, synthetic turf); shade structures (umbrella, cantilever, hip, shade sails with proprietary glide-elbow quick-release technology); park shelters (all-steel or Lamboo laminated bamboo); dog parks; fitness and athletic equipment; and musical equipment. Notable technical components include powder-coated steel construction under SRP manufacturing, exclusive glide-elbow shade mechanisms, and Lamboo laminated bamboo structural materials sourced through Lamboo Technologies.
The business model is one-time equipment sales supplemented by professional installation services and a financing referral arrangement with Navitas Credit Corp (Finance Express). Pricing is quote-based with no public list prices; playstructures average 8-10 week lead times, with per-unit pricing ranging from roughly $2,995 for small structures to $9,071 for standalone slides, and monthly financing options from $207 to $1,868 per unit. A 50% deposit is required at order with the balance on shipment, and Net 30 terms are available to qualifying government and established customers. The company differentiates through bundled project delivery rather than proprietary technology, with documented custom design wins such as the Palencia Park pirate-themed replacement playground in St. Augustine.
Southern Recreation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Southern Recreation
- Legal name
- Southern Recreation
- Website
- https://southernrecreation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Southern Recreation is a Jacksonville, Florida-based full-service dealer of playground and park equipment, serving schools, multifamily developers, HOAs, daycares, churches, and municipal parks across the southeastern United States. The company supplies, customizes, finances, and installs playground, shade, surfacing, and recreational products.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Southern Recreation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Playground and Park Equipment
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (713990)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outdoor Play & Sports Toys Distribution (CRAOAMAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Outdoor & Ride-On Toys Retail (CRALAFAC)
Keywords
Where Southern Recreation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Jacksonville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Southern Recreation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Playground Equipment Sales: Sale of playground equipment including playstructures, freestanding equipment (swings, slides, climbers, spring riders, rope climbers, climbing rocks), site amenities (picnic tables, benches, waste receptacles, grills, bike racks, water fountains), site surfacing, shade structures, park shelters, dog park equipment, fitness equipment, and musical equipment.
- Financing Services: Financing options offered through Navitas Credit Corp partnership, allowing customers to finance playground purchases with monthly payments.
- Installation and Site Services: Full-service offerings including permitting (Florida only), footers, shelter erection, concrete slabs, and connecting sidewalks for ADA compliance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Playstructures - Custom and Standard |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Freestanding Slides |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Site Amenities |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Southern Recreation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Southern Recreation is a full-service playground and park equipment dealer that sells, designs, finances, and installs commercial-grade outdoor recreation products. Its offering spans playstructures, freestanding equipment, ADA-compliant site surfacing, shade structures, park shelters, site amenities, dog park equipment, fitness/athletic equipment, and musical play equipment, primarily manufactured by Superior Recreational Products (SRP).
Product overview
Southern Recreation is a full-service playground and park equipment dealer offering a comprehensive portfolio of products for outdoor recreation. The core offerings include Playstructures (American-made equipment for children 6 months to 12 years, including standard, themed, recycled, and custom designs), Freestanding Equipment (swings, slides, climbers, spring riders, in-motion equipment, climbing rocks, rope climbers), Site Amenities (furniture and fixtures), Site Surfacing (ADA-compliant safety surfaces), Shade Structures, Park Shelters, Dog Parks, Fitness & Athletic equipment, and Musical Equipment. Products are available in various age-specific configurations and can be customized with color options. The company provides financing through Navitas Credit Corp and offers services including permitting (Florida), installation, and ADA-compliant design. The portfolio features products from Superior Recreational Products and uses materials including recycled plastics and Lamboo laminated bamboo technology for shelters.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Playstructures Commercial-grade playstructures for schools, parks, multifamily housing, HOAs, daycares, and churches, with configurations for 6-23 months, 2-5 years, 2-12 years, and 5-12 years plus themed, recycled-material, and discovery center lines.
- Freestanding Equipment Standalone playground components — swings, straight-chute slides, climbers, spring riders, in-motion pieces, climbing rocks, and rope climbers — used to augment playstructures in parks, schools, and residential amenities.
- Site Amenities Park furniture and fixtures — picnic tables, park benches, waste receptacles, park grills, bike racks, and water fountains — for parks, schools, multifamily developments, and public spaces.
- Site Surfacing ADA-compliant playground safety surfacing including wood mulch, poured-in-place (PIP) rubber, borders, mats, and synthetic turf for playground fall protection and accessibility.
- Shade Structures American-made shade structures in umbrella, cantilever, hip, shade sail, and integrated styles, featuring exclusive glide-elbow tops for quick removal, sold to parks, schools, and developers.
- Park Shelters Outdoor park shelters in hip, gable, hexagonal, and octagonal designs plus custom structures, available in all-steel or Lamboo laminated bamboo construction, with installation services including permitting, footers, and concrete slabs.
- Dog Park Equipment Dog park equipment including agility courses (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Small Area), play components such as walk-the-plank and tunnels, dog houses, benches, and waste stations for residential and municipal dog parks.
- Fitness and Athletic Equipment Outdoor fitness and athletic equipment including cardio walkers, strength stations (chest press, leg press, chin-up, lat pull down), basketball and sand volleyball courts, and bleachers.
- Musical Equipment Outdoor musical play instruments — cymbals, musical flowers, tuned drums, glockenspiel, and chimes — designed to be ADA-accessible and integrated into playground environments.
- Playground Financing (Finance Express) Third-party financing program offered through Navitas Credit Corp that lets commercial and institutional buyers spread playground and park equipment purchases over monthly payments, with monthly examples ranging from approximately $207 for smaller units to $1,868 for larger structures.
- Installation and Site Services Full-service installation offerings including permitting (Florida only), concrete footers, park shelter erection, concrete slabs, and ADA-compliant connecting sidewalks for playground and park projects.
Quantifiable outcome
- 8-10 week average lead times for playstructures from manufacturer to warehouse
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Southern Recreation
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Southern Recreation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Southern Recreation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Superior Recreational Products (SRP)coreSuperior Recreational Products is the primary manufacturer providing American-made playstructures, shade structures, and related equipment. Southern Recreation serves as a dealer for SRP products, offering custom design collaboration including projects like the Palencia Park custom pirate-themed playground replacement.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Southern Recreation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Kompan: Global playground and outdoor fitness equipment manufacturer with a significant US dealer network. Comparable products (play structures, fitness equipment) and overlapping customer base, particularly in municipal and school segments.
- GameTime: One of the largest US commercial playground equipment manufacturers, selling through a network of regional dealers including direct competitors to Southern Recreation. Represents the upstream supply side and a potential disintermediation threat.
- Miracle Recreation Equipment Company: Established commercial playground equipment manufacturer with a dealer network serving schools, parks, and developers across the US. Overlapping product lines and customer segments make it a relevant upstream/competitive peer.
- Landscape Structures: Major national playground equipment manufacturer with a broad dealer network serving parks, schools, and HOAs. Comparable product categories and customer base; represents both an alternative supply source and a competitive incumbent.
Direct peers
- Great Western Recreation: Colorado-based full-service playground dealer serving schools, parks, and developers across the Mountain West and Plains states. Comparable dealer business with similar product categories (playstructures, shelters, dog parks, site amenities) and end customers.
- Recreation Today: Texas-headquartered playground equipment dealer with a regional sales footprint across the southern US. Similar product portfolio and customer segments to Southern Recreation, competing for similar municipal and commercial projects.
- Adventure Playground Systems: Texas-based playground equipment dealer serving schools, municipalities, and developers in the South Central US. Comparable dealer/distributor model focused on commercial playground equipment and site amenities.
- All Play Inc: Texas-based playground equipment distributor and installer serving schools, parks, daycares, and HOAs. Directly comparable in dealer role, customer mix, and Southeastern/South-Central US presence.
- Cunningham Recreation: Ohio-based full-service playground and park equipment dealer offering a comparable end-to-end model (planning, design, financing, installation) to municipalities, schools, and HOAs. Closest analog in business model and customer mix to Southern Recreation.
Regional players
- Park Place Recreation: Regional playground and park equipment dealer operating in the Midwest US with a similar dealer model. Not a direct geographic competitor but a strong comparability reference for dealer economics, project mix, and customer segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Southern Recreation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Southern Recreation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Southern Recreation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Southern Recreation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Southern Recreation
What does Southern Recreation do?
Southern Recreation is a full-service playground and park equipment dealer that sells, designs, finances, and installs commercial-grade outdoor recreation products. Its offering spans playstructures, freestanding equipment, ADA-compliant site surfacing, shade structures, park shelters, site amenities, dog park equipment, fitness/athletic equipment, and musical play equipment, primarily manufactured by Superior Recreational Products (SRP).
Is Southern Recreation a public or private company?
Southern Recreation is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Southern Recreation founded?
Southern Recreation was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Southern Recreation based?
Southern Recreation is headquartered in Jacksonville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Southern Recreation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Playground Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are financing Services and installation and Site Services.
Who are Southern Recreation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Kompan, GameTime, Miracle Recreation Equipment Company and Landscape Structures. Direct peers are Great Western Recreation, Recreation Today, Adventure Playground Systems, All Play Inc and Cunningham Recreation. Park Place Recreation is listed as a regional player.
Does Southern Recreation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Southern Recreation.
What industry is Southern Recreation in?
Southern Recreation's product category is Playground and Park Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOAMAG, Outdoor Play & Sports Toys Distribution, with a secondary code of CRALAFAC, Outdoor & Ride-On Toys Retail. Its NAICS code is 45911 and its SIC code is 7990.