Dive Business Dropping off.

[adder70]

It sounds like the article is referring to dive boat mooring, not willing divers.

We all moan about the price of boat dives, but apparently they don't make the money necessary to pay the going rate for slips. I guess it will be interesting given the negative comments seen here concerning Jupiter Dive Center how they fare now being the only mentioned charter service with their own slip.

I don't suppose it matters all that much to me since I plan to get a kayak and do my diving from that, even if I am limited in sites I can visit. I would much rather pay about $600 now than $80+ for every day of diving. Assuming $30 in extra expense (gas, my own food and water, etc) per day, I still would pay for the kayak in less than 15 trips, plus I would be in better shape with the paddling exercise.

 

[Brian Gilpin]

The threat to LDSs here is currently Sports Chalet. It is a chain operation that is diversified across many sports and has a scuba dept. They are opening new stores in CA on a regular basis. Sort of the WalMart of sports. A lot of people like them.

The really well run shops with a good inventory across a wide spectrum of manufacturers seem to be doing quite well.A good example would be Dolphin Scuba in Sacramento. At least they get a lot of my money.

 

[CBulla]

Having read the article, its no surprise that the boats are having trouble. The FL economy is not geared towards small businesses surviving on much past the day to day. In general, it is primarily a tourist based economy that drives a few secondary economies: real estate, contruction, and service. Real estate is the most lucritive of those subeconomies since it is a finite resource, service the most volitile and as you can imagine, very competitive.

At the moment, its not just dive shops getting their doors closed. As a tech who is trying to run his own shop, I'm having a very tough time since Charley came through and literally closed nearly my entire target client base. Those who aren't closed don't have enough money, even after insurance pay out, to even repair their own businesses in whole, much less deal with technical issues. Six of the last 9 weeks was spent preparing, hiding and watching , and cleaning up from hurricanes. For the service and construction portion this is a real killer! Fortunately I had some cash in the bank to hold things over for a few weeks, but thats nearly run out... how long can you go without a gig??

I suspect businesses in all the effected zones that are in service of some sort are feeling the same sort of pinch. I know my LDS is, I know one of my clients that I had before Charley visitied is nearly ready to close his shop up, I know one who is flat out moving her shop to Tampa... a few poential new clienta are so hammered with business its all they can do to keep up.. no time to deal with broken hardware, just removing it (some replacing on their own) and moving on.

Personally I'm moving my family and my shop.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Just keep buying gear online kiddies. First the small ma and pa shops will close. That has happened in my area. The shop I instruct for will stay open as they are well financed but the competition is dying fast.

Yep it's the 21st century and you guys have doomed the small businessman.

No complaining now, it's the modern era

 

[Keysdrifter454]

Hope all you internet buyers are going to buy compressors and will be willing to send your regs out for service.

Fred

I'm pricing compressors now.

You're welcome for fills, bring Corona Light.

I build my own regs, anyone with a lukewarm IQ can do it (as I may evidence...)

Several LDSs in my area are shops run by hobbist owners.

Poor inventory, no pool, and a compressor.

Happenstance hours.

Be a miracle if they survive anyway.

 

[jagfish]

deleted, duplicate post...

 

[jagfish]

The Divers Discount in Sunrise moved to Dania, next to the Outdoor World shop. They took most of their employees with them.

Yup, this move was in the works for almost two years that I knew of and had nothing to do with dropping business. Their old location was not really suited to an outlet, and was more of an office space.

The information I have it that Divers Discount does quite well with internet sales all over the US and World...I think they'll be riding the wave for some time...

 

[CBulla]

Just keep buying gear online kiddies. First the small ma and pa shops will close. That has happened in my area. The shop I instruct for will stay open as they are well financed but the competition is dying fast.

Yep it's the 21st century and you guys have doomed the small businessman.

No complaining now, it's the modern era

I don't buy into this theory as a dive shop does more than sell gear. My fav shop sells gear competitively to the online shops. Why are they suffering? Its certainly not their service and its not their gear prices - Both are reasonably priced and service is top notch.