Gabi Loco is Open for Business!

[Mossman]

I agree. Unless someone is really bent on shopping, would they willingly go inside? As a fervent anti-shopper, whenever I've been in Cozumel with someone who wants to shop (i.e. someone of the female persuasion, as sexist as that may sound) we stick to the shops accessible from the street and eventually end up at Cinco Soles where there's a convenient bar inside for me to wait.

And thus my mind wandered enough to create this edit: Why not offer tequila shots, beers, margaritas, whatever to those of us who otherwise hate the idea of being stuck inside a shop of stuff that we have absolutely no inclination to buy? I've heard of places in L.A. that offer martinis to their shoe-shopping customers and Nordstroms have pubs inside most of their shops, why can't a Cozumel business offer the best of both worlds? A selection of fine crap for the ladies to browse while we manly men browse the selection of tequila shots on offer? I'd bring all my lady friends there. Heck, I'd be inspired to meet new lady friends!

 

[Darol]

And why not go off the beaten path to spend some time with a diving legend, and a great human being?

 

[love2fishfork]

Stopped by to visit Gabi last week. He seems to be doing great! His store has some nice stuff including wall art, and jewelry. All good quality. Bought a few things then took him and his wife to get a drink (Gabi stopped drinking alcohol) so I had a margarita while he had some kind of fruit drink!

I would encourage all of you to pay him a visit to help him get his business going!

 

[mstevens]

I know this is an old thread, but I just spoke with Gabi. He told me business is really poor - it's Sept-hambre, after all, and he's in a bad location. However, he also told me he's learned of a number of people who've tried to search him out and were told by other shop owners "this is Gabi's shop".

We never dived with him, but in my mind Gabi is a diving hero and I always check his shop (and don't dicker on price) when I need to get a gift for someone. If he doesn't have what I'm looking for, his sister will (her shop is to the right of Gabi's at a right angle to it).

Anyone looking for Gabi, consult post #9. I actually came to this thread to post my own pic, but the info is already here: if that sign isn't above the shop, it's not Gabi's. He's often not there and the shop is staffed by his wife or kids or by his sister who can watch his shop from hers.

They're sold out (because we bought all of them) right now, but he's making some great pendants out of flamingo tongue shells and silver. They look wonderful and are highly appropriate for Cozumel divers. The shells are collected by his spearfishing friends outside the marine park and the silver work is done for him by a guy at cost, so all the profits go to Gabi. This is a unique item you can't get anywhere else. He's getting more as fast as he can. I'm afraid I can't post a pic right now because I just returned to the US and my wife has them all in Cozumel.

It's been a while since the incident, but this man who suffered a terrible injury trying to save another diver still has a family to feed. I only met him post-injury, but he's a great guy with a nice family who doesn't ask for help but has more than earned it.

 

[cvchief]

Thanks for mentioning after you bought them all!!

Seriously, they sound cool. Post a pic?

 

[betsyinczm]

Wait.....I'm confused. It's "okay" to kill flamingo tongues because they were taken OUTSIDE the park boundaries?........SERIOUSLY? We all know that their shells aren't exactly lying around dead on the bottom.......again, seriously? Enjoy the jewelry, I guess........and Chief, he said he had no pics in his post. Wow.

 

[cvchief]

Wait.....I'm confused. It's "okay" to kill flamingo tongues because they were taken OUTSIDE the park boundaries?........SERIOUSLY? We all know that their shells aren't exactly lying around dead on the bottom.......again, seriously? Enjoy the jewelry, I guess........and Chief, he said he had no pics in his post. Wow.

Well, I dunno. Maybe they were saving coral? On the other hand, a quick Google seems to say population are declining in popular scuba areas because of people collecting them....

I did also read that when they die the shell is left laying there so maybe.....

Argh......

As for pics, as far a I know, he and his wife do talk and she has wifi at the condo.....

 

[kixy1]

Since the pattern and coloration of Flamingo Tongue shells are actually due to the mantle (which it wears over it's shell), once the nudibranch dies the shell is very plain. It does have somewhat of an unusual shape, but I wouldn't call this shell anything special. IDK, maybe they ARE laying around on the bottom and I've never noticed?

 

[Pelagicsal]

When very newly vacant, they have a lovely peach color that fades to gleaming white along the center of the back. I find them some but few still in the glossy, peachy stage.
Seems quite a shame to kill them for jewelry... I will keep my flamingo tongue glass bead that DOES still have the spots!
Beautiful photo by Ian Kennedy.

 

[cvchief]

And honestly, am I the only one that doesn't get the mantle over the shell thing? I mean I have examined a ton of them munching on coral. I have observed those with spot and not and I can't see how the mantle thing works. I mean I get the theory, I just can't see it in practice.