BASIC SCUBA DISCUSSIONS - MY Dive Shop - Midwest Scuba Diving Magazine

Joined on
6/28/2006

O.K. Things have been a little slow here in the fourms..

So here goes...

If you were to open your own Dive Center (with a Store front) in the Northern Illinois
area.... What would you do that others have not done ?

Where ?

What lines would you carry ? (and why)

Who would you associate with ? (PADI, NAUI others) and why

If you have a shop already, and were starting over, what would you do over...

Don't worry, I already did 22 years as a owner and don't have anything up.
Just wanted to get a feeling and maybe some of the replys can help the current owners
and some future owners.....

This is a chance to dream as if funding was un-limited and the sky was the limit...

Have fun with it...

To Error on the side of Safety,
is to Live and Dive Again.

Joined on
3/13/2006

Wow!!! Gotta think on this one, ( i am thinking about opening a shop in the Chicago area )

"" Not throwing my hands up or my dress above my ears don't mean I ain't awstruck.""

Joined on
9/25/2006

Well speaking if money weren't an issue...

I would want a 30' deep tank for training and testing of equipment.

I think I would offer free standard air fills and only charge the actual cost for mixed gases. I would think that would help bring a lot of people through the store and hopefully purchase the things they need from me.

I would like to have a plan in place to allow any instructor to rent the tank and even the rental equipment I offer. I think that independant instructors should be given a great discount on the rental equipment (especially if they are using my facility) because they could help drive business for new equipment my way.

I wouldn't want to descriminate against any organization or manufacturer, but I would also encourage each of them to provide comparison tests between their gear the the other manufacturers. Show me and the consumer the test results on where your stuff performs.

Joined on
3/13/2006

Instead of free air and gases at cost all the time. Why dont you have a " Happy Hour " for tank fills, first come first serve. Then load your showroom with slow moving items at a discount and your impulse buy items. If your giving it away all the time it wont mean anything after awhile!!!!!!!!!!

"" Not throwing my hands up or my dress above my ears don't mean I ain't awstruck.""

Joined on
6/28/2006

I had my shop in the Chicago area for 20 years and had free air fills for all
but the last year. It worked out very well, since the word got out from diver to diver
about free air spread like wildfire, and I had lines for air fills and plenty of sales to make
it worth my effort in the long run. Even had a sign posted..."If you were meant to pay for Air,
Your lungs would have a meter on them" (Hope Todd Stroger and Mayor Dailey don't see this)
I saved a ton on Yellow page ad's.
As far as mixed, I would charge just under the market price , these are your hard core
divers and they'll come as long as the price is less than the other guy.

To Error on the side of Safety,
is to Live and Dive Again.

Joined on
6/28/2006

I had my shop in the Chicago area for 20 years and had free air fills for all
but the last year. It worked out very well, since the word got out from diver to diver
about free air spread like wildfire, and I had lines for air fills and plenty of sales to make
it worth my effort in the long run. Even had a sign posted..."If you were meant to pay for Air,
Your lungs would have a meter on them" (Hope Todd Stroger and Mayor Dailey don't see this)
I saved a ton on Yellow page ad's.
As far as mixed, I would charge just under the market price , these are your hard core
divers and they'll come as long as the price is less than the other guy.

To Error on the side of Safety,
is to Live and Dive Again.

Joined on
6/28/2006

Hey, why did it post twice ?

To Error on the side of Safety,
is to Live and Dive Again.

Joined on
3/13/2006

It posted twice because of a glitch in the SCUBA matrix!!!!!!!!!! Free air for 22 years created a tremor in the force. I have never been ANYWHERE that gave free air fills (maybe im travelin in the wrong circles) shame your not still in business. I would have brought my tanks, my friends tanks, H*ll everybodys tanks to you, ( I'd charge them 4.00 a fill pick up and deliver) I'd hang out and pretend to be fascinated by your tales of diving-derring-do , then at least once a week I'd buy a bottle of anti-fog maybe even a tank banger!

"" Not throwing my hands up or my dress above my ears don't mean I ain't awstruck.""

Joined on
3/13/2006

"" Not throwing my hands up or my dress above my ears don't mean I ain't awstruck.""

Joined on
3/13/2006

I would put my dive shop out by OakBrook mall!!! It would be huge with everything horribly expensive I would have training tanks everywhere!!!!!!!!!!! In the middle of my SCUBA Complex there would be a tank of hot looking nude girls diving.

"" Not throwing my hands up or my dress above my ears don't mean I ain't awstruck.""

Joined on
3/13/2006

I would call them the SCUBA SKANKS !!!!!!! Everyday I would fly to work in my private helicopter, after I landed the music (freebird) would start along withe the pyrotechnics shooting fir into the sky!!!!!!!! I would strut down the ramp, what an entrance, what a spectacle I would be surrounded by my personal entourage of SCUBA SKANKS!!!!!!!!

"" Not throwing my hands up or my dress above my ears don't mean I ain't awstruck.""

Joined on
3/13/2006

Off to the side I would see Capt. Darrick cold ,tired, trying to make his way to me. The SCUBA SKANKS would subdue him, kicking him to the ground! I would stop them, I would help Darrick up, embrace him and slip something into his hand. As I walk away to autograph fins and such. He would look down and find that I gave him HAMMERHEAD dollars with my picture on them!!!!!!!!!! Fully redeemable at my store!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (my benevolance touches him)

"" Not throwing my hands up or my dress above my ears don't mean I ain't awstruck.""

Joined on
3/13/2006

Tears would come to his tired bloodshot eyes, he would whisper "God bless you HAMMERHEAD God bless us one and all"

"" Not throwing my hands up or my dress above my ears don't mean I ain't awstruck.""

Joined on
3/13/2006

I would also have a snack bar in my super scuba complex!!!! The special would be a PADI melt sandwich!!!! Ground up lean 10 year olds, your choice of cheese on toasted rye, with my special NAUI sauce!!!!!!!!!! My lord the absolute magic I would bring to the Chicago area!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"" Not throwing my hands up or my dress above my ears don't mean I ain't awstruck.""

Joined on
3/13/2006

Man it's a slow day over here!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"" Not throwing my hands up or my dress above my ears don't mean I ain't awstruck.""

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