Just Lost our Last Dive Shop

[waynel]

Shed a little tear this Monday morning. Just got an email from Cajun Divers, our one and only dive shop here in Lafayette, LA. The owner has closed his storefront. It's the poor economy. He will still go around giving lessons and some preventative maintenance. But as a functioning dive shop, it's over. This is a city with a population of over 150,000 and we have no dive shop. Thanks Cajun Divers for your 13 years. I will miss you.

 

[AfterDark]

Sorry to hear that. I suspect we'll be seeing more of this not less. What do divers do for gas now?

 

[MSilvia]

Either enquire at the local fire department, find a friendly guy at the local gas vendor (AirCo, etc), or the same things tech divers do when there is no LDS to do fills for them: Form clubs, and buy/maintain compressors or mix banks with dues or personal resources.

What is the shop doing with their stuff?

 

[Garrobo]

Sounds like an opportunity to start a new shop to me. Buy him out, cut a deal with a supplier and wait for the economy to improve. You'll be all set (till the next depression).

 

[h2odragon1]

How far is it to the next dive shop? You live in a city with 150,000 and now do not have a dive shop? Chicago, (pop. 3 million), has only one dive shop!! Most are in the nearby suburbs.
It's always sad when a dive shop closes!:depressed::depressed:

 

[Michael_Lambert]

If he just closed up shop... Make an offer on his compressor, never the less there should be enough interest from locals to get fills to keep enough money coming into to maintain it. Chances are if he is going to continue to offer education and repairs he might keep the compressor running.

 

[cloudswinger]

He just closed the store front. I'm sure the compressor will be running at home.

 

[OldNSalty]

How far is Lafayette, LA from blue water? I am surprised that shops are able to survive for any amount of time in locations that are either far away or extremely cold-1 shop in Chicago does not surprise me (well, maybe a little). I have to say, when I lived in Atlanta for a few years, diving was not on my mind much. I found myself looking for other hobbies and diving when I went to visit the coast.

 

[PhilEllis]

Shed a little tear this Monday morning. Just got an email from Cajun Divers, our one and only dive shop here in Lafayette, LA. The owner has closed his storefront. It's the poor economy. He will still go around giving lessons and some preventative maintenance. But as a functioning dive shop, it's over. This is a city with a population of over 150,000 and we have no dive shop. Thanks Cajun Divers for your 13 years. I will miss you.

What a shame....a town of 150,000 with not one dive shop left. Brace yourself folks. This winter is going to be brutal on dive stores. I wish them all the best of fortunes.

Phil Ellis
www.divesports.com

 

[kjvander]

How far is Lafayette, LA from blue water? I am surprised that shops are able to survive for any amount of time in locations that are either far away or extremely cold-1 shop in Chicago does not surprise me (well, maybe a little). I have to say, when I lived in Atlanta for a few years, diving was not on my mind much. I found myself looking for other hobbies and diving when I went to visit the coast.

well to say that there is only one in chicago is a little misleading....there are about 6 or so in the chicago area....downtown and in the city only 1 or 2 but in some of the outskirts of the city where it isn't technically chicago...there are more..I know that i am in NW indiana and i have two with in a 30 min drive of the house and even more if i'm willing to travel an hour....i drive about 45 min to work everyday so an hour drive to get to a shop isn't a big deal really