What do you use your LDS for?

[Thumpers]

My LDS was a social hangout for us.
We would go in to look at new toys, though after a while they ceased to look new, but mostly just to chat.
My wife and I were divemasters and we worked 2 or 3 weekends a month.
That gave us ample excuse to go in and plenty of conversation topics.
Sadly my dive shop went under last year due to recent trends in the diving industry as fewer and fewer people are seeking out the sport.
It was sad to us, it was part of our lives.
Starting over with a new shop just does not and has not seemed attractive yet.

 

[String]

My nearest shop is used for gas fills and servicing of gear. Thats pretty much all i want any dive shop for.

 

[fnfalman]

I use my LDS to help with improving my diving skills. The owner had been a diver for forty years with tens of thousands of dives under his belt. He's a fountain of wisdom and knowledge.

 

[Monkey_Gland]

Pretty much everything - he'll always match an internet price as any good LDS should for a loyal customer. Travel too. And tea, he does a fine cuppa.

 

[siikik]

Answer from an LDS perspective..

Our customers use us to buy equipment at the best prices, repair equipment, for good old friendly advice, custom travel assistance and or group travel, a way to get rid of their used gear (we buy it and/or consign it- and sell on Ebay for them,) a way to get pool time in dead of winter, a place to hang out, air and nitrox fills, a place to watch movies (we have a theater,) a place to shop online (we have internet access for them so they can price match in the store - then walk out with their gear,) a place to come and see Guest Speakers... we have them occassionally, a place to try gear before they buy it (we allow you to try anything in the store before making a committment,) and for other reasons I'm probably forgetting...

So If your local shop isn't doing all these things - ASK THEM TO! Maybe you'll find more reasons to go and see them!

Happy Diving!

I like your "tools" page.



Ken

 

[elbicho]

I was trying to decide which of the two LDS's in town (Underwater Connection or Divers Reef) I would use until both shops came up with some rude, snippy employs. They only seem to be interested in the money. Once they get that they loose interest.

Since then I have spent almost all of my money for equipent over the internet (Leasure Pro,
Scuba Toys, etc.) and look for good advice here on the Scuba Board.

 

[Plumb bob]

Sounds like some of you may have some very good dive shops nearby. I have on the whole found the locals near me to be manipulative, abusive and substandard.

I wouldn't use them for a toilet stop.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Although I could get by completely without a shop if I wanted to, I have a really nicely run shop close to where I work. I rarely spend less than a couple hundred dollars a month in there. They have my business because they're nice to me, very accommodating to friends and students I've sent their way, and I want to see them grow a healthy business.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Although I could get by completely without a shop if I wanted to, I have a really nicely run shop close to where I work. I rarely spend less than a couple hundred dollars a month in there. They have my business because they're nice to me, very accommodating to friends and students I've sent their way, and I want to see them grow a healthy business.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

You're lucky.

One shop in town I only go into (regretably) for air fills, but when my air card runs out I think I will move on. They are rude, unfriendly, and none of them even dive locally or could care less about diving. It just a way for them to make money. I get the old "buy something or get out" feeling everytime I go in there.

Another one about 20 minutes away does a better job and is friendly enough but their compressor seems to go down quite often so buying an air card there might mean not getting air all the time when I need it. They also don't stock anything that I use, but I will take my regs there to get them serviced.

Another one out on the coast is very small. There's always only one person sitting in there watching tv and barely says hello. Their air tastes like compressor oil and they don't stock anything I need so I don't go there anymore.

There is one way up on the coast that is my favorite shop. I go in there every time I go up to Mendocino to dive. They are wonderful.They are friendly, they have great prices, and have all kinds of neat and unusual stuff in the store. I make a point to buy something from them everytime I go up there just to help them out. They are too valuable to see go away.

I've considered moving up to Mendocino and starting a new life just because they have a great dive shop.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Although I could get by completely without a shop if I wanted to, I have a really nicely run shop close to where I work. I rarely spend less than a couple hundred dollars a month in there. They have my business because they're nice to me, very accommodating to friends and students I've sent their way, and I want to see them grow a healthy business.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I spend less than a couple hundred per month and they are much closer to home than work (a dive charter), but everything else you said fits my relationship with Maui Dreams Dive Shop here in Kihei.