The Dive Shop

Specialties

We are Richmond’s oldest full service scuba diving facility. We teach all levels of scuba diving. We service all types of scuba gear. We sell all any and all the gear any diver could need for diving including Oceanic, DiveRite, Cressi, Mares, Zeagle, DUI, & Henderson products. Our staff is very experienced and our instructors are all certified PADI professionals with years of experience and the patience to allow you to become comfortable in your new environment.

History

Established in 1982.

Thirty years ago a biologist working for the state of Virginia decided to follow his dream and provide Richmond with a place to learn about scuba diving and the equipment to do it. Jim McNeal started The Dive Shop in 1982 and hasn’t stopped since. He will tell you himself that the shop was never meant to make millions. Instead he has dedicated the last three decades of his life to building a community of divers who appreciates the beauty of the undersea world and has done everything he can to bring in and introduce that world to new people!

Meet the Manager

Jeff K.

Manager

Jeff started diving in 2008 and after his first breath underwater at the Shady Grove YMCA he was hooked. He spent ten years traveling the world with the US Army after graduating high school and leaving Richmond. Finally after returning from Iraq he picked up rock climbing which eventually lead to meeting Jim McNeal who introduced him to scuba. The rest is one big dive adventure.

In just 4 years Jeff had over 700 dives. He has been to Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Key Largo, Key West, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Lake Superior, and more. Simply said, Jeff would dive in a puddle if he could get deep enough.

After returning from working in St. Croix last winter he took the job of Assistant Manager under Jim and has helped steer The Dive Shop towards fun and excitement! He is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, the shop’s service technician, the gas blender, trip leader, and he who is always at the shop.