General Info:
Northwest Divers has been in business in the same location for over 45 years. We are a full-service dive store with a reputation for providing quality at affordable prices. We sell diving and snorkeling equipment, teach classes, repair equipment, rent equipment, do commercial diving, and organize dive travel adventures all over the world. Charlie Van Raden was the original owner and along with Pat his wife, were well known in the diving community for their life-long interest in the sport. Charlie has been diving for over 50 years and was the first instructor in this area. In 1993 he was the recipient of the prestigious Platinum Pro 5000 Award. There are fewer than 1000 Platinum Pros in the world which include the Cousteau's, astronaut Scott Carpenter, Dr. Sylvia Earle, and Marty Snyderman to name a few. In April of 2001, Charlie and Patricia retired and Charlie's son, Rick, came back to run the business. Rick grew up learning the business from his dad. He's always yearned to own his own business and with great pride he's taken over the family business. Rick worked with Charlie at Northwest Divers until the age of 24. He left to go to college, graduated from Moorhead State University with an accounting degree and became a CPA. He never lost his love for diving while away from the business. Rick is accompanied by his wife Sheila, his son Joshua, and daughter Jenna. Sheila, Josh, and Jenna are all scuba divers. We teach small classes for the new diver by providing quality instruction that leaves the new diver with a good understanding of diving and the equipment used. The new diver will then have the ability to be safe, comfortable, and competent divers. The Northwest Divers repair department is well known for dependable service and most of the dive rescue teams in the tri-state area have Northwest Divers provide their yearly equipment service on tanks, dry suits, regulators and other equipment. Many divers who have moved out of the area continue to have their equipment serviced at Northwest Divers because of their trust in the safe reliable service.