Leading swim school franchise to open in winter of 2025; franchise opportunities remain available throughout the U.S.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (June 12, 2025) – Goldfish Swim School Franchising, LLC franchisee, The Gilbride Management Group, led by brothers Jim and Brian Gilbride, has signed a lease agreement to open a Goldfish Swim School in Orchard Park, New York. Located at 3310 Southwestern Blvd., it will be the second Goldfish Swim School in the Buffalo region.
Scheduled to open in the winter of 2025, the new Orchard Park school will bring about 50 new jobs to the area. It will be the 14th Goldfish Swim School for The Gilbride Management Group, which owns and operates locations throughout Alabama, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee.
“Bringing a second Goldfish Swim School to the Buffalo region is a meaningful milestone for our team as we continue to educate children to be safe in and around the water,” said Jim Gilbride. “For years, Southtown families have traveled to our Williamsville location, and this expansion offers a more convenient option to the area as we strengthen our commitment to water safety and confidence.”
The Orchard Park location will feature a state-of-the-art, shiver-free 90-degree pool, a viewing area for parents and a tropical-themed facility designed to provide a comfortable and enjoyable experience for both kids and parents alike. With Goldfish Swim School’s unique curriculum and small class sizes, children will be able to develop essential swim skills, build confidence and have fun in the water.
“Jim and Brian are ideal franchise owners to expand the Goldfish Swim School brand in the Orchard Park community because of their experience, passion and commitment to local families and water safety,” said Chris McCuiston, CEO and co-founder of Goldfish Swim School. “The Orchard Park Goldfish Swim School will be the 17th New York location, and our growth is fueled as we continue to meet an important need in each community we enter.”
Goldfish Swim School provides swim lessons and water safety instruction to infants and children ages four months to 12 years, teaching children how to be safer in and around the water. Each school offers swim lessons and programs using a proprietary philosophy, The Science of SwimPlay®, to build life skills using play-based learning in a fun and safe environment. Each school’s number one focus and main priority is always the same – educating children on water safety while teaching them how to swim and respect the water.
For more information on the grand opening, lesson registration or to learn more about the Goldfish Swim School programs, visit https://goldfishswimschool.com/orchard-park/, or call 716-293-2836.
Franchise opportunities remain available throughout the United States, including in key markets in California, Tampa and Dallas, and in Canada. For more information on Goldfish Swim School and its franchising opportunities, please visit https://www.goldfishswimschool.com/franchise-opportunities/ or call 248-801-1850.
About Goldfish Swim School:
Founded in 2006 by husband-and-wife team Chris and Jenny McCuiston, Troy, Michigan-based Goldfish Swim School provides swim lessons and water safety instruction to infants and children aged 4 months to 12 years. Classes are led by specially trained instructors in a safe, child-friendly environment using a research-based philosophy called The Science of SwimPlay®. Since opening its first franchised location in 2009, the brand has grown to more than 190 schools in over 35 states and Canada, with an additional 150-plus in development. Goldfish is ranked No. 75 overall in Entrepreneur’s 2025 Franchise 500® and has been recognized as the No. 1 swimming lessons franchise for nine consecutive years, was named to Franchise Times’ Top Brand to Buy in 2024 and is rated as a Top Franchise by Franchise Business Review for 2025.