Joe started his first
scuba business in a small south Florida town in
the early 70s. He describes it as the
days when scuba was "Back in Black"
because all the gear came in one color - black.
Black Rubber. Not only did gear fit poorly, "You
should have seen the black ring his old black
rubber mask left on his face after a dive!"
jokes a longtime friend.;
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Anyway, as the eighties approached, Joe thought
it was time to expand and build a beautiful facility
with indoor pool and automated classroom. It was
during this time that scuba as we know it today,
went mainstream. Improvements, comfort, gadgets,
and color all gave their contribution to the sport.
It was during the eighties and nineties that Joe
trained more students, carried more manufacturers,
and sold more equipment than most stores in business
today. Combined! Joe became familiar (and also certified
in service and repair) with about every manufacturer
and soon became astute at differentiating between
high quality product and junk. |
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As the end of the century approached,
Joe was once again at the forefront of the industry making
the decision to enter the Internet and e-commerce arena.
"But I better be able to dive as often as I used to"
Joe remarked. As we enter the new millennium we find Joe
Diver's business at a new peak of success becoming the largest
privately owned web scuba business in the United States.
After nearly 6 years of internet success, Joe is currently
aquiring additional scuba businesses to add to the JoeDiverAmerica
family. We still let Joe get out and dive as much as he
wants. "It's the only way to truly tell what gear works
and what is junk" Joe says as he raises his mask and
wipes the salt from his brow during a recent dive in Freeport
Bahamas. "If you think I want my friends, customers,
and family in junk gear, you're crazy! They won't enjoy
the sport. This sport is about turning people on to a neat
experience. Gear hassles detract from that."
When Joe's not in the water (He took an IST mask in
the shower the other day, by the way) he's compiling
products for the On-Line Diving Catalog. His philosophy
has been the same for over a quarter century: "I
want to give my fellow divers the best value, no matter
what their budget." We hope you enjoy your experience
in our store and don't forget to add us to your "Favorite
Places" so you can come back often. If you've got
any questions, please be sure to check our page covering Questions and Answers |
