Biggest thing killing dive shops?

[Trace Malinowski]

I don't have all the answers. But I am a millennial, and I can tell you how we think. My girlfriend and I are the only scuba divers we know that are our age.... And we live in San Diego!!! So that's ABSOLUTELY a market I would try to expand into.

That was eye-opening. I remember walking into at least 3 surf shops in San Diego only to discover the owners no longer surf, but go snowboarding instead. I joke that my girlfriend and I must have been born in the wrong bodies because she is from Los Angeles and is a figure skating coach who skis while I'm from the Pocono Mountains and I'm a scuba instructor who surfs. Maybe scuba has entirely lost its cool factor and is now officially the new geriatric shuffleboard?

"Yeah. We dive sometimes, but only to make our grandparents happy. They enjoy crosswords, knitting, and scuba diving."

 

[Wookie]

That was eye-opening. I remember walking into at least 3 surf shops in San Diego only to discover the owners no longer surf, but go snowboarding instead. I joke that my girlfriend and I must have been born in the wrong bodies because she is from Los Angeles and is a figure skating coach who skis while I'm from the Pocono Mountains and I'm a scuba instructor who surfs. Maybe scuba has entirely lost its cool factor and is now officially the new geriatric shuffleboard?

"Yeah. We dive sometimes, but only to make our grandparents happy. They enjoy crosswords, knitting, and scuba diving."

Our grandkids are not us, they don't dive the way we do, and they don't travel the way we do. We moan and carry on about airline baggage fees, they pack 12 sets of clean undies (and have no issue going commando if they can't turn them inside out any more, or find time to wash them in a sink) in a carry-on. We moan if we can't have our own reg set and dive computer, they rely on the divemaster to keep track of the dives for them. We spend our afternoons drinking beer, filling out our logs, and lying to each other about what we saw, they go zip lining.

As I remember, that's how I traveled too when I was in my late 20s and mid 30s. Then I got into diving, and the rule was you brought your own gear with you because rental gear wasn't "trustworthy" somehow.

We are dying out, and leaving diving for various reasons. Our grandkids learned to dive because we taught them, and paid for them to go with us. They still dive, but far differently than we do. The LDS caters to us, not them.

 

[Trace Wilson]

The popcorn and sodas are pretty much zero cost, with the exception of labor (which is pretty low).

True, but my understanding is that the theater keeps virtually ZERO of the ticket sales. The concessions are paying for the entire theater (building, land, taxes, salaries, inventory, utilities, etc.). All, or a VERY large percent of the ticket sales go to the studio.

 

[muzikbiz22]

True, but my understanding is that the theater keeps virtually ZERO of the ticket sales. The concessions are paying for the entire theater (building, land, taxes, salaries, inventory, utilities, etc.). All, or a VERY large percent of the ticket sales go to the studio.

I believe this to be correct. All the profits of theaters come from the snack bar.

 

[Wookie]

I believe this to be correct. All the profits of theaters come from the snack bar.

My local theater has beer and wine, real butter on the popcorn, and home made cookies. The teenagers are not made to feel comfortable there, as I don't enjoy a sticky floor. The multiplex in town has been closed since Irma, they may not open. I am a member at the local theater, so I can get in for less than 11 bucks, so I can spend $40 at the snack bar buying my wine and popcorn. I'm just happy the teenagers can't afford to go.

Get off my lawn, damn kids.

 

[Bob DBF]

As I remember, that's how I traveled too when I was in my late 20s and mid 30s

If my wife isn't along I travel the same way now as then, I just have to make sure she doesn't decide to pack for me. The extra, just in case, adds up.


Bob

 

[StefinSB]

So I'm guessing that you are a millennial. Agreed on your statements, as one of the things I like about that generation is the emphasis on experiences over material possessions. The millennials finally got that one right as compared to previous ones.

So, I'm in Seattle. Water is cold, dark, weather sucks (hence my username). How can I appeal to millennials to try diving and investing in some gear so that they keep at it? What's the right approach? It is a tough sell, since most people going through OW just want to dive somewhere warm and sunny. Though there are good days to be had here, it takes a bit of resilience to not give up after not so good days. I do go on fun dives with students post certification, and provide my BP/W, regs, backup Shearwater. But they still need exposure protection.

Make sure you have enough gopros on selfie sticks in your rental stock. Millennials are not interested in taking that one perfect shot of a nudie; they can google that. They want endless videos of them self everywhere to post on Instagram and count the “likes”. ;-)

 

[Wookie]

Make sure you have enough gopros on selfie sticks in your rental stock. Millennials are not interested in taking that one perfect shot of a nudie; they can google that. They want endless videos of them self everywhere to post on Instagram and count the “likes”. ;-)

We all get it where we can. Who cares why folks dive, only that they dive. I'm sure my time spend in the seagrass beds looking for pipefish and sea slugs would bore most divers to tears, especially since I wouldn't dive with a camera for love nor money.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

We all get it where we can. Who cares why folks dive, only that they dive. I'm sure my time spend in the seagrass beds looking for pipefish and sea slugs would bore most divers to tears, especially since I wouldn't dive with a camera for love nor money.

This reminds me of years ago (90's?) when a local ski area (Stevens Pass) started a yearly event where they'd bring in alternative bands to play at the new snowboard park to appeal to younger riders. The person who proposed the idea was at first shut down for it until he asked "So how many of you liked Jimi Hendrix growing up? And what was the attitude of your parents towards your taste in music."

Everyone switched their vote and it was a huge success.

Hey, whatever is their thing is their thing. As Frank said, who cares? I don't. Just get them to dive.

 

[Wookie]

This reminds me of years ago (90's?) when a local ski area (Stevens Pass) started a yearly event where they'd bring in alternative bands to play at the new snowboard park to appeal to younger riders. The person who proposed the idea was at first shut down for it until he asked "So how many of you liked Jimi Hendrix growing up? And what was the attitude of your parents towards your taste in music."

Everyone switched their vote and it was a huge success.

Hey, whatever is their thing is their thing. As Frank said, who cares? I don't. Just get them to dive.

I love Steven's Pass. When stationed in Bummertown I would drive around the sound and ski there. Snowboarding was only just a thing, but they welcomed the snowboarders. The rest of the traditional skiiers just wanted them off the lawn. The Traditional skiiers went to Snoqualmie. The cute single chicks went to Steven's pass.