Leading swim school franchise to open in Fall 2025; franchise opportunities remain available throughout the U.S.
TROY, Mich. (April 23, 2025) – Goldfish Swim School Franchising, LLC, announced today that Swim School of Wilmington LLC led by Anthony Pistilli and Greg and Alexandra DeRise have signed a lease agreement to open a Goldfish Swim School in Wilmington, Delaware. Pistilli and the DeRise’s currently own and operate three Goldfish Swim Schools in Pennsylvania and Delaware with more than 100 employees. The new Goldfish Swim School – North Wilmington is now in development at the 202 Shopping Center, which is located at 5333 Concord Pike in Wilmington, DE 19803.
The North Wilmington 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. Each swim school employs 50 people, on average. This location is scheduled to be open by Fall 2025 and employment opportunities will be available in the coming months.
“From the moment we first became Goldfish Swim School franchisees in 2018, we knew this was an organization we would continue to invest and grow with,” said Goldfish Swim School franchisee Anthony Pistilli. “Our passion for teaching children both safety and swim skills is the driver behind each new location and we are privileged with the opportunity to bring such an impactful business to the Wilmington community.”
Goldfish Swim School provides swim lessons and water safety instruction to infants and children aged 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 both in and out of the water 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.
“Anthony and Greg’s commitment to nurturing children’s relationship with water has established them as a strong group for expanding the Goldfish Swim School brand,” said Chris McCuiston, CEO and co-founder of Goldfish Swim School. “The Wilmington Goldfish Swim School will meet an important need in the community, and we look forward to the opening of our second Delaware location.”
Franchise opportunities remain throughout the United States – with key markets available in California, Tampa, Dallas, and 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.
For more information on the grand opening, lesson registration, or to learn more about the Goldfish Swim School programs, visit https://goldfishswimschool.com/North-Wilmington/ or call 302-246-8207.
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 185 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.