John Christopher Fine Special Correspondent
• 1/21/15 Sun-Sentinel
Boynton Beach Dive Center expands to add gas fill center, equipment repair facility
In an age when consumers gravitate to online shopping and seek Internet bargains, it is good to know a family business can be successful. Tom and Deborah Muscatello have made their dive shop, at 1550 N. Federal Highway in Boynton Beach, work by delivering friendly service to customers made to feel they are part of that family. The Boynton Beach Dive Center has thrived since it opened in 2007. They expanded operations last month to a large multi-gas fill station and equipment repair facility. Their success gives testimony to the industry of two expatriate New Yorkers that love diving.
"As much traveling as we've done we come back to dive out here off Boynton Beach and along our coast. The reefs are gorgeous," Deborah Muscatello said.
Her enthusiasm for diving is underscored by her husband who laughed as he listened to his wife's willingness to dive every chance she gets.
"Deb loves to go diving. There's always something different to see on the reefs here," Tom Muscatello said.
He was born in 1949 in Brooklyn and grew up in Queens. Every summer since he was 7 his family took vacations at Lake George, N.Y.
"A guy I knew opened an aqua school on the lake. He taught me how to teach Scuba diving in 1963. I've been teaching since I was 14 years old. I've been diving on and off ever since," he said. "Deb and I were teaching partners in Lake George. I coached varsity basketball and soccer. She coached and watched me coach."
Tom Muscatello had been diving with a friend in the Boynton Beach area every opportunity he could get to come down to Florida.
"I retired from the school system earlier than Deb. She came down two years ago. I always wanted to come back to Florida. In 2007 I opened this store. We started slowly. We got through the recession. The last couple of years we've been steadily growing our business. Last year we saw a 12 percent growth," he said. "We have to have a real mom-and-pop atmosphere. We give people a fair price but also provide service. If we have to send a piece of equipment out for service we give the customer a free loaner so they can keep diving."
Rachel Taub, the store manager, organizes a group of Boynton area divers. The shop runs local and overseas trips. They just established a new website divers can use to obtain a monthly newsletter, course information, a blog, read testimonials, find information about dive boats and learn about monthly happenings at the center.
While the Boynton Beach Dive Center has compressors and a Nitrox mixed gas fill station on premises, they acquired a major air and mixed gas fill operation and equipment repair facility at 3000 High Ridge Road in Boynton Beach. It is managed by Kyle Sprouse. Originally from Columbia, Mo., Sprouse is an enthusiastic diver who enjoys living in the area. The fill station and repair facility is operated as Smart Fills LLC.
The new enterprise and their love of diving has brought the Muscatellos into contact with divers that visit from around the area. They hope the new regulator and equipment repair facility will expand their business nationwide. Together with their 9 -month-old Dachshund pup called Deco, the Muscatellos welcome students and divers to visit and participate in shop activities. Visit boyntonbeachdivecenter.com or call 866-724-3483 or 561-732-8590.