LDS Closures

[ReefHound]

Sorry, Papa Bear. It was GUBA that said "let me know how you perform those hydrostatic tests, okay?".

I've heard far more horror stories from people who have shopped at their LDS than online. What do you mean about stores going out of business? It's the local dive shops that are going out of business.

 

[vshearer]

I wouldn't say they're toast. There is still a segment of the population, myself included, who likes to have some personal interaction. Now, I'm not going to pay a twice as much for something just to get it, and that personal interaction had better be in the form of a knowledgable, friendly staff who appreciates me as a customer and doesn't spend every moment we're together trying to upsell me, but if when I find a shop like that (and I have before) I will spend a little extra to see that smiling face when I walk through the door.

I agree 100%. And my initial feeling is my not so local LDS fits that bill and I will be doing as much business there as time and distance allows. He is very competitive with online retailers within his brands. Had he been 20 miles closer than the Hydro facility I probably would have dropped them off there, as the Fire Equipment shop left the tanks unsealed and they don't clean them afterwards meaning I would still need to take them in...but then I built a tumbler this weekend....

 

[Guba]

Yup, it was me that mentioned the hydros, I admit it. However, I wasn't commenting on one's ability to get a hydro without an LDS--I was a certified fireman for 27 years, and I know where to take a tank, too.

I was just making a (presumably) flippant remark about a person's "eyesight" and independent nature. Certainly didn't mean to start a flame war, so please let me off the hook.

 

[ReefHound]

Hook released, thrown back in water.

 

[Stu S.]

I wouldn't say they're toast. There is still a segment of the population, myself included, who likes to have some personal interaction.

A lot of stores in the Orlando area have closed. Certainly, there are a lot of reasons. One guy is sure to make it. He sells Scubapro, at list price, in a wealthy area where folks don't shop for price on things like SCUBA. I now drive there for fills. I had a good shop just a few miles from my house.... once.

Outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing are on the decline, and SCUBA seems to be following the trend. Computer and video games have taken over, I suppose.

 

[cruiser]

I'm waiting for air to become mobile. In other words, a truck with a compressor drives to remote and not so remote scuba locations (like the snow cone man but without the repetitive tune blaring from a speaker on the truck). Or maybe he could play a scuba tune to let us know he's in the area. Anyway, everyone needing air queues up and gets their fill(s). This would be handy at dive sites that charge too much for air because they can.

The truck and compressor and operator would all have to pass specs and certifications as a dive shop.

 

[micklock]

I see Gander Mountian sells scuba equipment now and air fills and certifications.

 

[Garrobo]

Guba: My LDS doesn't perform any hydros. They send them out to a tester in Col's, Ohio. (Just as I am doing now if I need a hydro which is seldom.) The testing facility charges less that the LDS does. It costs me $15 each way to UPS them to them which is about $6 less than the cost of gasoline to take them to the LDS, plus I save on their profit which is abut $15 on each tank. Any other questions professor?

 

[Papa_Bear]

I you think it's such a great idea put your money up and make it happen! You will find out just how expensive it is to run and maintain a hi-speed/volume/high-pressure compressor and not kill someone! The insurance and overhead for how many sales per day and just on weekends? The LDS looks better all the time! I keep telling people we need more than 4million divers nation wide! The more divers the more competition the more innovation the more all divers will have! But you will find divers who don't want more divers! They want it all for themselves and want to have people think they are special "Diver Steve's" and "Not just anyone can dive!" When nothing could be further from the truth! Maybe we are getting fatter all around the world because of video games, maybe we need to go diving more often and support the dive store of your choice, the one down the road, that provides YOU with the best service! The Capitalist way!

 

[Stu S.]

Gander Mountain SCUBA is here, in Lake Mary Florida. Last time I checked, they did not have Nitrox, and fills are available only when certain people are in. There's often nobody "home" in the SCUBA department. (That eliminates high pressure sales techniques, for sure.) They were once associated with Diver's Direct, and are like a miniature version of that store. I bought some fins, and a T shirt from them.

It looks like they have potential, and are not there yet.