Just drove down Great South Road Southdown (between Penrose and Otahuhu) and spotted the new Mares Store.

They are not officially open till March but if you ring the door bell someone may be up stairs to serve you.

They seem quite well stocked with Mares gear but nothing else.

Now Im not personally a fan of Mares. In fact the only item I have ever owned of theirs was a computer and I will never own another. But I do hear really good things about their BC's. A dive boat operator recently told me his rental BC's are Mares and even with heaps of use they still look like new.
I know alot of people use their fins too which seem quite popular.
Oh actually I have owned several "Mares" tanks which are the best tanks I have ever used sor single tank diving!

I think its a bit of a brave thing to do to open up a single brand store. What do you guys think?

In my most humble of opinions some of their masks are very good and their fins are ok but most of the gear is, as far as I know, just branded by them and you can get just as good unbranded gear at a fraction of the price...

I am gobsmacked that someone would contemplate opening such a niche shop at the start of the end of civilisation as we know it... The end is nigh!!!!

wonder if its going to me more used as a distribution store?? Dive HQ stocks alot of Mares

PB off topic, you watch "2012 - Fact or speculation" yet, its pretty good...

I like my Mares fins My first Jacket BC was Mares - it was terrible - vertical trim, rode up around my head, squeeze... BUT its still in great condition and it has lasted very well, and its my "spare kit" cupboard.

Epic fail!

Sooo a bunch of Mayans pull a bunch of numbers out of their collective arses and because they are so wise (but not wise enough to prevent their demise through deforestation) they are able to predict a forty year window of potential destruction centered around the date 21/12/12.

But we may be able to prevent this disaster if we focus our collective consciousness?

This ability to use conciousness has apparently been discovered on the fringes of science? yes.. the lunatic fringes.

Sounds to me like someone is trying to:

1, Sell a book
2, Start a doomsday cult (do we have to kill ourselves at 1159 on 20/12/12 to ride the celestial comet to nirvana? pass the cool aid...)
3, Encourage reckless spending.
4, Have a laugh
5, Feel less lonely in their lunacy (along the lines of misery loving company)...

Anyone know if this shop is open yet? And where is it exactly?

Yeah its open. Its in Southdown (between Penrose and Otahuhu) opposite BOC on great south road

Packhorse, have you been in it? If so, any interesting stuffs to purchase from there as of a good value?

Yes I have. As per the first post, Its all Mares gear, or at least was.

I haven't been in there, but talked to them on the phone. The Mares Store = Dive HQ Central. I think they also distribute to the other Dive HQ stores.