A shop closes...

[cerich]

we face a epic battle, and like your industry there are many who feel "it's just the economy" or worse "we can stop that little problem" (RIAA, or in my industry, just don''t allow our stuff to be sold online LOL). the first is stupid, the second moronic because instead of figuring out the problem and the potential cust. base it puts you at odds with them. Actually both are stone dead stupid.

Today I exchanged a PM with another brand here on SB, in it I expressed the following

"I am starting to believe that we could easily see another 20-30% down in sales thru this time next year industry wise. Not good as we are sitting approx 40-55% down from 3 years ago already.

The big picture is that diving is about to lose it 'consciousness of existing" as a valid recreational activity to the masses. Of course in survival mode many in the industry are missing that tidbit..."

Knowing what I wrote above I start to reason that my best course of action is to stop fighting to get some common sense applied to our problems, instead continue to grow EDGE (which has been rocking thanks to all of you!) and after the dust has settled and there is virtually no dive industry left, band together with the other fire tested survivors and start over making diving something cool again. Of course I would prefer that we stop the bleeding now, it has gone on enough. But for the purpose of maintaining the status quo we don't (and I suspect won't) have the will among the accepted "industry leaders" to do that. Those stupid power games will end up costing them...dearly.

 

[Leadking]

I took my first dive in 1967 and went on to form an diving equipment company in 1978, joined DEMA in 1980 and first exhibited at the DEMA show held in the Las Vegas Hilton ballroom. It was 1981 and the country was in recession. I rode the wave and went on to create the largest company of its kind in the world and sold out three years ago almost to the day. Why? Because I saw no future in the dive industry. It's not anyone's fault. Sure everyone, including DEMA, could have done a better job, but the ending is inevitable. Diving is not going to die, it's just not going be what we hoped.

The reason I got involved with DEMA in the 1990's is I saw a demographic wall coming at us and tried to get involved to get over it. With the baby boom generation coming on, with a disposable income and few leisure activities, just looking for something to do. You were defined by what you did! You were a diver or a fisherman or a skier. You had at most two major activities that defined you as a person. Now we have "experience collectors", those who move from activity to activity, seeing how many they can collect.

Think about how society has changed. In the '60-70's, no one I knew, went on a cruise. It was beyond anyone's comprehension. Now cruising is an mainstream activity. The competition for time is incredible. Now with computer games, the internet, and cable tv competing for the leisure time of the public, they don't even have to leave their home.

All that said, there will be some successful dive stores, but I think the overall trend is that most dive stores will roll up into the sporting good stores they came from.

Sorry to sound pessimistic but my advice to myself for years was "Understand when the market turns against you, and don't follow your business down a rat hole."

I love this industry, I love diving, and I wish the best for all of you.

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

I stumbled across this PDF for a youth trip (Youth Educational Summit) co-sponsored by NABS and NOAA. Thought it was interesting and pertinent in context.

http://www.nabsdivers.org/images/AGENDANABSYES2.24_1_.pdf

 

[clint@uniquescuba.com]

Things are changing out there!

One of the most impressive shops I've personally seen in the last few years is a shop outside of Lake City FL (Ft. White), out in the middle of nowhere, behind a guys old trailer. This shop is absolutely ROCKIN!, and you would never guess it to look at it. He doesn't have a state-of-the-art facility, no pool, no showroom, no classroom, none of that.

What he does have is LOCATION! and a culture of divers that are passionate and friendly.

Oh, and I'm guessing, he has a very low "nut" to cover

Check these guys out on the net @ Amigos Dive Center

Despite the bad economy, they opened shop in 2006 and seem to be going strong.

 

[DiveNav]

.... I rode the wave and went on to create the largest company of its kind in the world and sold out three years ago almost to the day. .....

Excuse my ignorance ..... but what was the name of the company ?

Alberto (aka eDiver)

 

[cerich]

Excuse my ignorance ..... but what was the name of the company ?

Alberto (aka eDiver)

Lee owned Sea Pearls, weights and other accessories., sold to XS Scuba

 

[DiveNav]

Lee owned Sea Pearls, weights and other accessories., sold to XS Scuba

Thank You

 

[TechBlue]

I am in a unique situation here in Mallorca, recreational diving is mostly wham bam give us your money and hasta la vista, or even worse just try dives @ 60€ to 100€ a head depending on the hotel. The local market is currently almost none existent because nobody has promoted it, on the other hand the opportunies for technical diving are incredible because we have a 3,000 year old culture on an island and nobody is even remotely interested in doing anything below 30M, we also have the longest cave systems in Europe.

My biggest problem here is the EU, and Spanish rules and regulations and the cost of gas and support, I am working on the support side but a T bottle of O2 costs me 300€ Helium is about 500€ and partial pressure blending is prohibited in dive shops.

I am working my way through all the "legalise" which is a nightmare but once I get through it we will be diving on wrecks that have never been touched.

I think that the US sold themselves out going after the high volume low profit market and the never ending supply of new divers to fleece as disposables. Here on the island everything is insanely expensive so this should prove to be quite interesting. By maintaining a high level of training and professional support I believe we can get the locals to start diving and also support serious international divers I think we may a shot. I will keep everybody in the loop because I hope to see some of you guys over here in the not too distant future.

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

Is anyone out there working with the Boy Scouts?
http://www.padi.com/scuba/news-events/default.aspx?id=11654

 

[Wookie]

The boy scouts is a major part of the business for Blackbeard's cruises, the Conch Pearl liveaboard, and the M/V Fling still gets a venture crew or 2 per year. Liveaboards love boy scouts.

Aside from the PADI link you posted, SDI just sent out a newsletter to it's member facilities about how to work with Boy Scout Troops/Venture Crews. I wish when I was a Boy Scout folks had been that willing to work with us. We spent a lot of time camping.