I'm opening up a new dive shop in March...

[friscuba]

Just a head's up... I've been running a dive charter here in Kona called Wanna Dive for several years. It's a six pack boat, I carrying 2-6 customers total on the boat. The last couple of years we've been doing about 300 charters a year, I'm looking to bump that up.

I'm putting a shop together directly across the highway from Honokohau Harbor (where most of the dive charters launch) above the Tesoro gas station. We should have it together and ready to open the first week of March.

We're bringing in "stuff" and getting it looking like a shop. Once we open we'll man it daily (closed Ironman, major holidays and possibly Superbowl Sunday). I'm looking at hours of 9am-6pm for now. I'll be doing the rental gear thing and adding more lines as we (hopefully) grow the business.

Here's what it's looking like so far:

Stop in if you can.

Aloha,

Steve Frisbie

 

[Lopaka]

Be happy to check it out Steve. Wasn't there some dive company there before? Seems I saw a dive flag on the 2nd floor?

 

[fisheater]

Nice. Best of luck to you!

I hope to make it back to Kona to dive soon. If I do, I'll be sure to connect with you for dive charters (not to mention a shirt or two).

Oh. If I may make a retail suggestion. I picked up a manta batik Aloha-style shirt at Jack's that was made by a company called Rum Reggae (here in Calif.). I loved that shirt so much, that I have since purchased several more directly from them. They have a great number of designs, many featuring divers and fish; they're very comfortable; and I've even gotten compliments on them. (I NOT the sort of person who gets compliments based upon appearance, if you know what I mean.) I think that dive shops are missing an opportunity to sell a dive-related shirt that a real person would wear (as it doesn't feature menacing sharks, pirates and/or air-brushed unnaturally endowed young women).

 

[friscuba]

Thanks guys!

To Lopaka, I've been there for almost a year and a half, dive flags on the windows, but it's just been an office and a place to store gear, t-shirts and a few masks. I had no regular hours and spent minimal time there except on weekends that I didn't have charters going out, maybe 20 hours a month on average. We're bringing in actual dive gear and useful accessories now and will man it full time to be able to talk story, rent out snorkel and dive gear, book charters and sell stuff. It should be interesting.

To fisheater, thanks on the Rum Reggae suggestion. I've really been interested in it for years myself. It's a nice line of shirts and sundresses. Don't know if it'll be in the cards, at least not for a while. Gotta get open, start getting people through the doors, then bring in more gear lines. We'll see how much I can fit in to a small space and still keep it looking orderly. If I get beyond t-shirts and Chammyz for apparel, it's at the top of my list.

 

[acrofrag]

I'll be out in June. Will need some tanks, stop on by!

 

[scubamarketing]

Congats on the expansion! The shop it looking very nice. Not sure when I'll be out that way next since my friends moved off the island, but I'll definitely swing by the next time I do.

 

[Insta-Gator]

Good looking shop. Congratulations and every success to you.

 

[justleesa]

Looks great! Best of luck Steve!