"POOH BEAR" Now Offering New Services to Community

Sparta, WI - Despite the weak economy, one local painting contractor has recently expanded his business to include several new services.

Ray Erickson, owner of Pooh Bear Painting, is now offering landscaping, lawn care, roofing and siding. “We’re doing a little bit of everything,” the 44-year old Sparta native explained.

While many competitors are struggling, Erickson is moving ahead with his time-proven business philosophy. “We try to work with everybody to keep our prices low. We offer competitive rates, good, honest work, and we try to treat everybody good, no matter how big the job is. I think we get more business that way."

Erickson is no stranger to hard work and entrepreneurship. As a young boy of 12, he worked for his father’s construction business, learning how to perform the various construction tasks at an early age. Later Erickson worked for several years in the maintenance field. For the better part of the last 30 years, he has been self-employed, having owned the “After Dark” tavern in Sparta from 1996 until selling it in 2006. Later that year, Erickson started his current company, Pooh Bear Painting.

So, why “Pooh Bear?” Erickson laughed and replied,

“Well, that’s the nickname my wife and son have called me for years, so we just thought we’d call it that, just to be different … hopefully people remember it.”

Pooh Bear Painting is a family business; both Erickson’s son Skyler and his father Weldon work for the company. The three generations specialize in residential and commercial painting, and also do sealcoating of driveways and roofs. Erickson said that they serve not only the Sparta area but much further out in some cases. “We’d probably go up to 100 miles in one direction if the job was worth it.”

When Erickson is not busy with his business venture, he enjoys fishing and golf. “But I’m not really good at either one of them,” he chuckled.


Erickson's company is experienced, fully insured and offers free estimates. To contact Pooh Bear Painting, call Ray at 608-487-4212 or send him an email at repoohbear66@yahoo.com