Nebraska-based Diventures, the nation’s largest and fastest-growing swim and scuba center, announced its most recent expansion into central Missouri with the acquisition of Capt. Nemo’s Dive Shop. Diventures’ newest facility will offer swim and aquatics programs and bring expanded scuba and travel offerings to the area.
“We’re excited our growth plans brought us to central Missouri,” said Dean Hollis, founder of Diventures. “I have known Capt. Nemo’s owners, Dwain Gardner and Mary Stanford, for more than 10 years, and I was thrilled when they asked to join the Diventures family. With this partnership, we will be able to build upon Dwain and Mary’s legacy of excellent customer service, our shared dedication to safety, and fun in the water and fulfill an unmet need for an indoor scuba and swim center in central Missouri.”
Columbia, Missouri swim enthusiasts and scuba fanatics have something exciting to look forward to. Diventures plans to build a new facility that will include an 8,000-square-foot scuba and swim center, an indoor heated pool ranging in depth from 3.5 to 12 feet, a retail store, a classroom, a scuba service center and a travel center. The location will build upon Capt. Nemo’s strong dive and travel program and offer Diventures’ world-class swim program and expanded scuba and travel services, making the location a go-to for all aquatics enthusiasts.
“This expansion represents a significant investment in a thriving and growing local economy,” says Will Munroe, general manager of Diventures. “While we may be a bit landlocked in the Midwest, demand for scuba and swim instruction has always been strong, especially in central Missouri. We look forward to being a part of the Columbia community and are excited to continue our expansion efforts in Missouri and beyond.”
Capt. Nemo’s owner, Dwain Gardner, and his wife, Mary Stanford, will continue to remain involved in the operation of the location.
“We’ve been helping people dive for more than 40 years,” said Gardner. “We’ve been lucky enough to find something we are passionate about and live our lives doing. We are thrilled to be part of Diventures and excited that our customers will now have access to expanded scuba services and a best-in-class swim program.”
Stanford added, “I am particularly looking forward to offering our customers more travel opportunities, including more than 40 scuba trips planned for 2021! This will be a great thing for divers in our community, and we are excited to embark on this next adventure.”
Diventures was founded in 2009 with one location in Omaha, Nebraska, and has expanded to six locations across four states. Diventures is currently looking for a new building site in Columbia and plans to break ground later this year with an opening date planned for late 2021. Capt. Nemo’s Dive Shop is currently located at 1414B Rangeline Street and will remain open throughout that time.
For more information, visit www.diventures.com.
About Diventures:
Diventures was founded in 2009, with one location in Omaha, Nebraska. We continue to expand with more than a dozen locations across the U.S. Diventures provides concierge-level customer service for swim lessons, scuba certifications, equipment sales and service, and group and private travel. Diventures is committed to safety and fun in the water, as well as giving back to support local and global communities. Employing hundreds of people and serving thousands of customers per year, Diventures uses their passion, and the power of the water, to impact lives and change the world… and have fun doing it!
