Closed on Sunday?

[Grateful Diver]

Somebody needs to invent a coin (or card) operated self-serve fill station ... mebbe put it in an AM PM or something ...

Don't laugh -- have you seen Amigo's down in Ft. White, Florida? Next time you hit the caves, you should check it out. Fills can be 24/7 with prior arrangement - and it's all self service fills of anything (mix, air, o2, etc), with PayPal check out. Wayne's got the coolest shop I've ever seen, bar none. The only thing missing is the beer 'fridge.

It'd probably never work up here, though

I have thought long and hard about doing this. I would love to do this but.... My insurance company says it is NOT a good idea.

It's much easier to do in a Third World country like Florida ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[camerone]

I have thought long and hard about doing this. I would love to do this but.... My insurance company says it is NOT a good idea.

It's much easier to do in a Third World country like Florida ...

Aluminums go to four, and steels to five, right?

I'm surprised as all get out that he can do it, and that it's profitable for him, but also grateful for the convenience...I think they done scared off them fancy-talkin', city slickin' lawyer types down there.

[DFessler]

Just an FYI.. Although Underwater Sports Federal Way is closed on Sundays, our Lakewood store is open from 9-5. To accomodate our customers Mike and I flipped days closed, so as they are closed on Mondays, we are open. As long as we keep doing well this winter this won't change until we open back up 7 days in spring.

[Pinkpadigal]

My husband and I have talked and we have decided to reopen on Sundays from 10am-4pm.

[no excuses]

]
quote]
It's much easier to do in a Third World country like Florida ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)[/quote]

LOL when I was living in New Orleans LA commercial diving I would tell the locals that I was doing my time in "third world country" :roll:

[neoerik]

I will never understand why a business that provides supplies for an activity that is done outside of most people's work hours would be closed during the time when most working people would be available to do the activity. This applies not only to dive shops, but many other businesses like golf stores, barber shops, etc. For instance, my work schedule is Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm. This gives me only one day on the weekend to get to either of my dive shops of choice, if I have nothing else going on that weekend. Traveling from Seattle to Kent after work in the evening completely eliminates one of my dive shop choices, and rarely gives me time to get to the other shop before 7pm.

I understand that it costs money to stay open on Sundays, but maybe close during the week sometime, or provide a 2-3 hour posted time that people can come get what they need on one of their only two days off.

[defied]

LOL when I was living in New Orleans LA commercial diving I would tell the locals that I was doing my time in "third world country" :roll:

When I wanted to get in a bar fight, I would call it "Failed France". Or I'd call them a bunch of Canadians.

I will never understand why a business that provides supplies for an activity that is done outside of most people's work hours would be closed during the time when most working people would be available to do the activity.

Because I like my Saturday's, and Sunday's off. I'm sure they do too. Also when the mainstream considers Sunday a day of Sabbath...

I feel you on the weekdays part though. There's an Electronics store down the street from my house that opens at 9 (I'm at work in Seattle by that time), and closes at 5 (I'm stuck in traffic, or just leaving work at that point), and is closed Sat and Sun. Inconvenient for me. Sucky.

However.... online fills!!! Someone has a pic somewhere...

D(B)

[Pinkpadigal]

I know it may surprise many of you, but working in a variety of retail businesses over the last 25 years, Sunday is typically the slowest day of the week for retail sales. You have the least amount of traffic and sales per hour are very small. It never made any sense to me...I just figured Sunday would be as busy as Saturday. Working in several malls in the Puget Sound area, and in stores like Nordstroms and Foot Locker, it was rare that we had a sale before 11am, and after 5pm, unless it was Christmas or back to school sales. Even during those times, Sundays were still not as profitable as a Friday or Monday.

When I first opened my dive center, I thought it was crazy to be closed on Sundays. Our Sunday hours were 9am-7pm. In 4 years, we have never had a sale after 530pm in the evening and most Sundays, especially in the winter months, cost us more in payroll than we made in sales. I have talked to many dive center managers in the area, and they all thought I was crazy to be open on Sundays because they had all experienced the same thing. I thought I would do a lot of airfills business on Sundays because everyone else was closed. Not so.

Looking back to when I was a diver, I dove a lot on Sundays, but typically got my air and rentals on Friday or Saturday, then returned later in the week. We have found that when divers are typically diving, business is slower. That is why Fridays and Mondays are busier.

In the last year and half, most small businesses have felt the economic downturn more than others. Many dive centers have looked at ways of saving money and buying less inventory, laying off employees, and closing one day a week are ways everyone is tighten their belts. We have been lucky in the Northwest because we haven't really lost any dive centers, in fact 2 new centers have opened (Scuba Set and Scuba Sports). Unfortunately, we have lost charter operators and while it seems that the worst has pasted, there are still many people out of work. The good news is as we come out of this economic slump, more people will be looking to dive and purchasing classes, equipment and trips. As business gets better, so will inventory and store hours.

I can only speak for myself, but as a LDS owner, I just want to say thank you to everyone who have visited us, taken classes, got air and purchased items from us. We appreciate your support and hope to see you under the water soon.