Diver's Direct broke ground in Dania!

[Phaethon]

Well that's great! Now I have a place to go and spend some time ...

Not just time! ==8^O

(Tip: leave your wallet in your office)

K.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Hmmm...just a thought...wonder if they will become the Wal-Marts of the Dive industry....low prices, beating the Mom & Pop businesses to closure, all the while employing smiley folks who might not have a clue....
Don't get me wrong, I like Wal-Mart and shop there quite a bit, but I also like the atmosphere of my LDS, (and the hardware store round the corner, and the local grocery store, and the small sports store....) Just seems things are going to huge mega stores.... a sign of the times..low prices reign, customer service is nil
/rant

 

[H2Andy]

they'll proably only be attracted to diving meccas, such as South Florida. I doubt they'd bother with diving back-waters.

 

[jonnythan]

Diver's Direct is expanding.. Scubatoys is expanding.... I like this trend.

 

[jonnythan]

Hmmm...just a thought...wonder if they will become the Wal-Marts of the Dive industry....low prices, beating the Mom & Pop businesses to closure, all the while employing smiley folks who might not have a clue....
Don't get me wrong, I like Wal-Mart and shop there quite a bit, but I also like the atmosphere of my LDS, (and the hardware store round the corner, and the local grocery store, and the small sports store....) Just seems things are going to huge mega stores.... a sign of the times..low prices reign, customer service is nil
/rant

I love Wal Mart. I think Wal Mart is an outstanding example of the power of capitalism. I don't care about the service, I never trust what salesmen tell me just on principle. This applies to the dive shop as well as the grocery and convenience store. I'd love to see one fairly large discount dive shop in my area selling Scubapro, Halcyon, Dive Rite, Mares, and Sherwood instead of three little dive shops selling only a few things.

 

[MikeJacobs]

I think Wal Mart is an outstanding example of the power of capitalism. I don't care about the service, I never trust what salesmen tell me just on principle. This applies to the dive shop as well as the grocery and convenience store.

Agreed 100%. As much as I hate to see mom & pops get weeded out most are simply not doing the job. Even the good one's can't carry the inventory selection at the prices DD can. As far as the dive-quality of folks who work at DD, I've found them to be at least as good as the folks who work for mom & pop and often better. Can you trust a salesperson on commission? Yes, you can trust him or her to guide you to the high end... not that that's bad, but I can find the price tags myself. Give me selection and price, hold the sugar.

 

[Wendy]

I'm not a big fan of Diver's Direct. We have one here in Orlando. All they are basically good for is wetsuits, o-rings, lobster gear, and I do buy my xmas cards there every year. But as far as life support type dive gear (regs, BC, etc) I'll shop at my LDS (aactualy none of the LDS I use are local to me). Oh yeah I did buy my mask and first set of fins at DD too. The staff always seems less than knowledgeable, although they are mostely friendly.

 

[showboat]

I still prefer the mom and pops as well. You get treated a hell of a lot better and have been there for many years and to me that makes a huge difference.

As for the mega stores, you see them maybe a few times and never see them again. I can't blame them when they make $5 or $6 an hour, while the the big hunchos make their millions and hate to pay for medicare or give raises to employees.