TonyKurtis
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Can anyone share your direct or indirect experience of owning a dive shop. I would love to have one in Florida or the keys, but I would settle for any good spot from Florida to North Carolina...Thanks!!!
I Dream of owning my own Dive Shop
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Can anyone share your direct or indirect experience of owning a dive shop. I would love to have one in Florida or the keys, but I would settle for any good spot from Florida to North Carolina...Thanks!!!
Can anyone share your direct or indirect experience of owning a dive shop. I would love to have one in Florida or the keys, but I would settle for any good spot from Florida to North Carolina...Thanks!!!
Isn't that the implied punch line to the joke: "How do you make a small fortune?"
Punchline: "Start with a large one and open a dive shop?
R
redacted
Guest
I think I would rather open a brothel. In either case, somebody is probably getting ....
Are you sure it's a dream, and not a nightmare?
The best and fastest way to ruin something you love is to turn it into a business.
It's auto-correct via Tapatalk 2, figure it out.
It's auto-correct via Tapatalk 2, figure it out.
I don't own a dive shop. I have two very close friends that own two different shops. I occasionally manage one, and I help out a lot at the other.
I can't think of any place I've ever been to that had more competition than the Keys. There's no way in hell I'd ever open a shop there. Just drive through Key Largo and see how 3 out of 5 dive shops are out of business. Do you think you can offer something they couldn't?
The start up costs are enormous. To get a serious product line like Scubapro, Halcyon, Oceanic, etc. you are looking at a huge investment. I think our initial order with Oceanic 20'ish years ago was in the neighborhood of 30k. Yes, I know you can get with Cressi or Sherwood for 8k or less. But you have to be able to stock the shop. You are never going to be competitive with price if you are buying gear one piece at a time as a customer comes in and orders it. Also, customers want to walk in and walk out with the gear. If they have to wait for the gear, they might as well order online, save on tax, and get it just as fast. We have over 100k in inventory at all times.
On top of that, you need a compressor. Bottom of the barrel, used compressor, 5k+. You want something decent that you won't have to worry about for a few years? 10k+
Are you going to bank nitrox? Are you going to bank Trimix? Money money money.
Do you have the necessary education? You need to be able to teach everything. Which means you have to be certified in just about everything. Are you technical in nature? Can you do rebuilds on regs? Are you certed to rebuild any regs? Or do you plan on paying someone else to do that? There's another expense.
I've owned several businesses. I've never had any business that required as much start-up money and time and effort to maintain as a dive shop. It's doable, but I'd rather not risk that much money, give up that much time and energy, for something that for many people kills the passion of diving for them.
If you're not willing to be the best, and offer everything and more than your competitor, don't even bother. You'll be broke in less than 2 years.
PM or Call me if you want to talk more. My phone number is on my website below.
I can't think of any place I've ever been to that had more competition than the Keys. There's no way in hell I'd ever open a shop there. Just drive through Key Largo and see how 3 out of 5 dive shops are out of business. Do you think you can offer something they couldn't?
The start up costs are enormous. To get a serious product line like Scubapro, Halcyon, Oceanic, etc. you are looking at a huge investment. I think our initial order with Oceanic 20'ish years ago was in the neighborhood of 30k. Yes, I know you can get with Cressi or Sherwood for 8k or less. But you have to be able to stock the shop. You are never going to be competitive with price if you are buying gear one piece at a time as a customer comes in and orders it. Also, customers want to walk in and walk out with the gear. If they have to wait for the gear, they might as well order online, save on tax, and get it just as fast. We have over 100k in inventory at all times.
On top of that, you need a compressor. Bottom of the barrel, used compressor, 5k+. You want something decent that you won't have to worry about for a few years? 10k+
Are you going to bank nitrox? Are you going to bank Trimix? Money money money.
Do you have the necessary education? You need to be able to teach everything. Which means you have to be certified in just about everything. Are you technical in nature? Can you do rebuilds on regs? Are you certed to rebuild any regs? Or do you plan on paying someone else to do that? There's another expense.
I've owned several businesses. I've never had any business that required as much start-up money and time and effort to maintain as a dive shop. It's doable, but I'd rather not risk that much money, give up that much time and energy, for something that for many people kills the passion of diving for them.
If you're not willing to be the best, and offer everything and more than your competitor, don't even bother. You'll be broke in less than 2 years.
PM or Call me if you want to talk more. My phone number is on my website below.
Have you worked at a dive shop? That would seem to be the best way to see the good and the bad. Once you've worked at a dive shop or two and figured out how the business really works in all its facets, then look into the idea of owning one if you're still so inclined. If you've never worked at a dive shop or even hung out with people who work at dive shops and picked their brains, it seems to me your question is seriously premature. It's like someone who has never worked in a restaurant fantasizing about being the chef-owner of one, which is something that happens a lot these days. The best way to learn a business is start at the bottom, observe, and learn all you can.
GrumpyOldGuy
Contributor
The only way to piss money away faster than opening a dive shop is to own a dive boat.
The internet is a very disruptive technology for the dive industry. Only the big guys with lots of inventory, a solid rep and on-line sales seem the thrive. The small new shops are essentially cannon fodder.
The internet is a very disruptive technology for the dive industry. Only the big guys with lots of inventory, a solid rep and on-line sales seem the thrive. The small new shops are essentially cannon fodder.
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And....of all the people I know that own or manage dive shops, most of them will rarely dive anymore.....Most did lots of diving until they got into the shop.....
Peter_C
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If you look at Dolphin Scuba's model (I am sure you have visited the store(s) before), they do a large percentage of online sales. They also venture into swim lessons and such outside diving to put their expensive onsite swimming pool to use. The goal for most successful shops is to certify and sell as much newbie equipment as possible. They make a decent profit of teaching if they can fill all of their classes.
Very few get rich off owning a dive shop and the hours can be brutal. As mentioned above, check into the market saturation and most everywhere you might think of opening a shop there are already three well established stores. You might be able to buy an existing business and that would definitely be the way to do it. Before even considering this venture any further I think you need to look at how many stores have gone out of business in the last three years. It is a scary number.
Now buying an established bar or restuarant in the tropics might be a viable option, and cost less money. Then you just trade meals for boat rides or such.
Very few get rich off owning a dive shop and the hours can be brutal. As mentioned above, check into the market saturation and most everywhere you might think of opening a shop there are already three well established stores. You might be able to buy an existing business and that would definitely be the way to do it. Before even considering this venture any further I think you need to look at how many stores have gone out of business in the last three years. It is a scary number.
Now buying an established bar or restuarant in the tropics might be a viable option, and cost less money. Then you just trade meals for boat rides or such.
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