Biggest thing killing dive shops?

[Charred]

I love that this thread has turned into into boomers whining about millennials whining.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I love that this thread has turned into into boomers whining about millennials whining.

I don’t know about whining, observation maybe.
It doesn’t really matter to me, I do my thing and my time is pretty much full just trying to keep my own life straight.
But in light of why (or if) dive shops and diving in general is dying, some of the observations about our new upcoming millenial generation might have something to do with it.
All I have left to say is that the only thing you can count on for sure is change.

 

[Saboteur]

What do you think of the vialbility of a facility such as Nemo 33 or Y-40 in North America? It would need investors with deep pockets and/or the amalgamation of a few dive shops. The ones in Europe seem quite successful and have international attraction. It could offer many unique services and events apart from the typical dive shop pool. It would likely have to be in a major city that draws tourists and conventions. I'm a vacation diver and I crave getting wet at least once a month so I go the the LDS and dont really get bored with it. I always work on some skill. I'd use something like this at least twice a month.

 

[mdb]

I love that this thread has turned into into boomers whining about millennials whining.

Good observation-the older generation always whines about the following generation-We walked three miles to school
uphill both ways!

All I want for my Grandkids is that they live in peace, find something they have a passion about, pursue their dreams.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

What do you think of the vialbility of a facility such as Nemo 33 or Y-40 in North America? It would need investors with deep pockets and/or the amalgamation of a few dive shops. The ones in Europe seem quite successful and have international attraction. It could offer many unique services and events apart from the typical dive shop pool. It would likely have to be in a major city that draws tourists and conventions. I'm a vacation diver and I crave getting wet at least once a month so I go the the LDS and dont really get bored with it. I always work on some skill. I'd use something like this at least twice a month.

I went to the Nemo 33 website, pretty cool.
I’ll bet Disney could pull it off. After being there and seeing how huge and elaborate the entire Disney theme park and brand has become they could probably do an outstanding job of creating an underwater dive park specifically for divers. Knowing them though it would be very elaborate. They would have it set up to look like a real coral reef with all kinds of structure, rocks, swim throughs, etc. and it would be a bonus if there was a tunnel system around the tank with observation windows so people could see them underwater. They could also rent gear and do discover scuba or have snuba.

 

[tridacna]

I went to the Nemo 33 website, pretty cool.
I’ll bet Disney could pull it off. After being there and seeing how huge and elaborate the entire Disney theme park and brand has become they could probably do an outstanding job of creating an underwater dive park specifically for divers. Knowing them though it would be very elaborate. They would have it set up to look like a real coral reef with all kinds of structure, rocks, swim throughs, etc. and it would be a bonus if there was a tunnel system around the tank with observation windows so people could see them underwater. They could also rent gear and do discover scuba or have snuba.

I actually looked into this. Forget Disney - it needs top be a serious aqua-facility. With a restaurant and LDS. It is hugely expensive to run. Heating costs (in the NE) and insurance are killer. The Italian one uses a natural fed warm spring to keep the temps up. Yes, I think that it could work but you need serious investment $ and a very carefully constructed business plan. If implemented well, you would put all the LDSs around you out of business unless an agreement was established with them. I could talk endlessly about this. SSI will allow you to do the first few dives of OW checkout etc. etc. This would steal 3/4 of the Dutch pleasure divers away in a heartbeat.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I actually looked into this. Forget Disney - it needs top be a serious aqua-facility. With a restaurant and LDS. It is hugely expensive to run. Heating costs (in the NE) and insurance are killer. The Italian one uses a natural fed warm spring to keep the temps up. Yes, I think that it could work but you need serious investment $ and a very carefully constructed business plan. If implemented well, you would put all the LDSs around you out of business unless an agreement was established with them. I could talk endlessly about this. SSI will allow you to do the first few dives of OW checkout etc. etc. This would steal 3/4 of the Dutch pleasure divers away in a heartbeat.

I was going to say, insurance and the massive team of lawyers on retainer needed to protect yourself would be HUGE.
Aside of heating costs that would be the biggest expense. Maybe other countries are not as litigous?

 

[tridacna]

I was going to say, insurance and the massive team of lawyers on retainer needed to protect yourself would be HUGE.
Aside of heating costs that would be the biggest expense. Maybe other countries are not as litigous?

Not as much as you think. Not much more than any standard water-park. I REALLY investigated this in some detail. Insurance is expensive but not as bad as you suppose. The key is a good size facility (with parking) near a lot of people. You have to have a restaurant and other facilities. Think not too far from NYC - no winter diving at all and an affluent population. I actually went to Nemo to have a looksee with an IB - he liked the idea a lot. Hey, you never know...

(We were looking at around $10-15M buildout).

 

[rjgiddings]

I dont know how online sales will ever replace my LDS.
There is no way an online retailer can do a tank fill.
Or hydro. Or inspection. Or regulator overhaul.

Right guys?

I saw the writing on the wall - online retailers grabbing a lot of those dive dollar$ though.
This was about 2002 and Seattle had something like 20 dive shops.
There's just no way a town of this size could keep them all humming along. It was over saturated.

Some of these shops closed for other reasons, besides loss of customers/ $ but here you go:

UW sports in Kirkland - closed.
UW sports in Everett - closed
Scuba Set in Federal Way - closed
NWSD - in Kenmore, moved to Lynnwood, then closed.
Bubbles Below in Woodinville - closed
Smokey Point dive center- closed

The shops that are still here...well...some of them are a dump.
The shop itself is kind of gross, or the staff is extremely young and not very well paid. Or informed.

I've been in shops that were so pushy, and so weird that I wasn't buying
a rebreather - that they couldn't be bothered with me.

I've been in shops that were constantly undercutting MSRP on gear - just to make that sale- and getting caught by the manufacturer - who then pulled their line from that shop altogether.
I would love to see the data on how many shops that do that.

 

[Trailboss123]

Going local;
1 - Support local business
2 - I'll have it NOW
3 - I'll chat it up with the staff (social aspect)
4 - See what's new
5 - Grab a couple of tacos at the place next door to the shop for lunch
6 - Get out of the house
7 - I'll probably stop at Sprouts or Target on the way back, to grab something else I need
8 - Drive by beach, check surf/conditions
9 - I may need support/assistance/question on my purchase

#Sprouts!