Closing a Store - Stepping Back to Move Forward
Patrick Hammer talks about difficult decisions in Florida that helped strengthen his dive operation.

Posted Wednesday, April 7, 2010

 


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Last year, PADI Platinum Course Director Patrick Hammer and his wife Sherry made the difficult decision to close Scuba Emporium in Florida. Here, Patrick talks about the process AND how in today's marketplace, sometimes it's best to take a step back in order to move forward.

I always wanted to be a part of the Florida DIVE market since I was a kid diving down there. I am one of those men who never wanted to look back at what I could have done. So when opportunity called to open a Dive Center in the Fort Lauderdale area, we went for it. Unfortunately, this was just over a year before the economy went to pieces. I was soon faced with my biggest challenge yet -- to hold on and wait for things to get better or pack up and say good bye to Florida and my dream. After crunching the numbers we decided it was best to take one step back in order to jump forward three.

After opening my first dive center in 1974, I knew I had the experience to make things happen. Today my wife Sherry and I operate SCUBA EMPORIUM, a PADI CDC center. It is one of the largest dive centers in the Midwest. In 2009 I saw Illinois doing ok and Florida was like a roller coaster. We decided to shut down Florida and focus on one location. That was the smartest thing we ever did. Our Illinois store is doing well and our Instructor Development programs are so strong we have two, full time PADI Platinum Course Directors. Our classes are strong and equipment sales are fine. Now, looking back, I am glad we did what we did. I also know when I move on to my next adventure I will not look back and wonder what would it be like to have an operation in Florida.

The main lesson is two locations do not make twice the money. But for sure it did double the work load and the related headaches. Sherry and I stayed focused on one location (Illinois), and we were able to keep our main store strong and keep all the employees working.

Too many times, we get to a point and do not want to let go. Our decision to move our efforts and energy back to one location has paid off. I am proud to be where we are today and glad I was able to look at my business from a business point of view and not a love of the sport point of view. Had I stayed with my dream, I may not be here today. In these tough times, it is way too hard to operate over a thousand miles away and make it. Today we all must stay very focused on our family and business and we need to make healthy desions that will earn us rewards. By working from one location I can think through every move and plan them out so I make the proper choice that will result in a successful result. I now have time to look at the positive and negatives of all I do and the end results. This is making our business decisions smarter and healthier for the store and staff.

I love to teach and this has also given me more time to teach Instructor courses in the Caribbean, Arizona, as well as Illinois. It is fun taking the lessons I have learned and sharing them with my IDC candidates. I zero in on those looking to open a business and help them as much as I can as well as those looking to expand making them aware of what I have learned.

So one step back and a huge leap forward, has kept SCUBA EMPORIUM in Illinois very strong. We have taken the lessons we learned from Florida and incorporated that in Illinois. I developed a Resort Training Course in Florida that helped the many potential dive professionals in training learn how to work in the resort field. We have taken that back to Illinois and now to Arizona, Jamaica, and St. Lucia, where we can train divers to get more prepared for their new venture in to the dive business.

We all need to look at our business and what is working. Then take a good hard look at what is not and get rid of that. In some cases it might be your friend working the counter or teaching classes. No matter what to succeed today you need positive thoughts and ideas and aggressive workers. Next look at where you’re advertising. Are you getting in the people that are working and have money for SCUBA? If what I believe 15% of the people are off work then take two points from that. 85% are working and from that 25% are not hurting like some think. Also look at the people out of work. They now have time to become an Instructor or diver and they also will spend the money for diving. They are confident they will be back to work soon or change careers and diving just might be that new career.

www.ScubaEmporium.com