Divers Direct Orlando

[mike_s]

Aren't they somehow affiliated with Gander Mountain or Bass Pro? (I know there's a Bass Pro next door to the Dania Beach location)

I thought I read something to that effect????

Gander Mountain was the store...

but they didn't put the Divers Direct in all the Gander Mountain stores and also stopped doing that in the last year or two in a couples of stores.


Google found this recent thread of Gander Mountain stopping to carry Divers Direct in their Lakeville MN store for example.

Gander Mountain (Lakeville) Scuba - Gone


Another thread on ST forum about several of their stores closing their scuba departments

http://forum.scubatoys.com/used-stuff-sale/15633-new-stuff-sale-gander-mountain-closeouts.html

 

[sskasser]

Gander Mountain looked like its supply of scuba gear wasn't being restocked when I was in there a week ago. There were lots of empty spaces on the shelves. Part of the problem is that they rarely ever had an employee assigned to the area.

My LDS, Wet-N-Fla is open 10-7 Mon-Sat though. And they never seem to close "on-time", especially when I show up late needing fills...cuz sometimes dives just POP up, and ya gotta go, ya know? He's also got Trimix, which is great to finally have in the area.

 

[DixieDolphin]

My LDS, Wet-N-Fla is open 10-7 Mon-Sat though. And they never seem to close "on-time", especially when I show up late needing fills...cuz sometimes dives just POP up, and ya gotta go, ya know? He's also got Trimix, which is great to finally have in the area.

Yeah, but the problem is after I've sat through two hours of I-4 traffic between Celebration (where I work) & Lake Mary, they'd be long closed. :mooner: DD was great, cuz it was right along my commute and open till 9PM. Alas, I'll miss that place.

 

[Jupiter31]

Surprizing. It appeared to be the only dive store around Orlando doing a good volume of business. Others closed or are withering. Some folks figured DD was like Wal Mart; edging out the Mom and Pop places.

I will miss it. The smaller stores in our area open late and close early. DD was open until 9 pm, or (later on) 8. They have sale prices that are tough to beat. The present economy and outlook must have been a contributing cause.

The big killer in retail is rent; your cost per square foot - regardless of your volume (and even profitability, to a certain extent) - if your monthly rent is high, out of wack, its tough to make it.

They were located off International Drive, a great location, sure, but pricey.

 

[Buoyant1]

Gander Mountain was the store...

but they didn't put the Divers Direct in all the Gander Mountain stores and also stopped doing that in the last year or two in a couples of stores.


Google found this recent thread of Gander Mountain stopping to carry Divers Direct in their Lakeville MN store for example.

Gander Mountain (Lakeville) Scuba - Gone


Another thread on ST forum about several of their stores closing their scuba departments

NEW stuff for sale...Gander Mountain closeouts!!! - Scuba Forum - Scuba Diving Forums and Discussion Board

When I first heard that they were doing that, I was curious to see if they employed people that were divers, or just hired flunkies that someone gave a 10 minute "quick and dirty" on the gear. They never put any scuba gear in my local Gander, so I never got to "test" them!

 

[BekaLynn]

My LDS, Wet-N-Fla is open 10-7 Mon-Sat though. And they never seem to close "on-time", especially when I show up late needing fills...cuz sometimes dives just POP up, and ya gotta go, ya know? He's also got Trimix, which is great to finally have in the area.

The hubby and I just recently found that place... great guy there too! When we went in there, he had no hesitation staying open late and answering questions we had about classes, equipment, and just sharing really cool stories of dives and such. It's a very comfortable place to visit... yep he stays open late...



If you needed him to stay open a little later so you could get your fills, you could ask him about it, he seems like the kinda guy that would do that. He's one of the few around that are in it cuz they LOVE it... My husband is planning on taking the stress and rescue with him as soon as he puts together a class.

 

[Stu S.]

Still a good place to buy from on-line. I typically spent the $6 for UPS delivery than the $12 in gas to go there. After a day's work, I did not relish a trip into Disney traffic.

That Orlando store had a feature that I really liked. All prices clearly marked on each item. Asking the price at an "unmarked dive shop" may mean looking the guy in the face to say no. That gets varied responses, typically none cheerful.

 

[mike_s]

When I first heard that they were doing that, I was curious to see if they employed people that were divers, or just hired flunkies that someone gave a 10 minute "quick and dirty" on the gear. They never put any scuba gear in my local Gander, so I never got to "test" them!

I'm sure it was like this.... the kid who went snorkling on vacation with his family when he was 12 was listed as having some experience and put in that department.

I'm sure they had a few stores with people with more experience and some with none.


but that's not that far from some LDS's. some folks who work at some LDS's are just as clueless.

at least at Gander Mountain you don't get that LDS "ego" with a clueless employee who just got stuck working that deparment because everyone else was out.

 

[Stu S.]

The Gander Mountain Store in Lake Mary Florida had a lady running the SCUBA department with over 2,000 dives. They had an associated instructor who taught on-site, and sponsored a club that is still operating. I believe they still have free air.

It only operated as a Diver's Direct for a little bit. They may have had bad timing, but appeared to be off to a serious start.

 

[fisheyeview]

The big killer in retail is rent; your cost per square foot - regardless of your volume (and even profitability, to a certain extent) - if your monthly rent is high, out of wack, its tough to make it.

They were located off International Drive, a great location, sure, but pricey.

Now, let's just stop this misconception right now. As a landlord of commercial & retail properties rent is never too high. Tenant's are just too cheap.