With over 40 years of experience training divers, our certified instructors help you develop the academic and water skills you'll need to feel comfortable with your equipment and the underwater environment. With our beautiful, indoor heated pool, plenty of water time and practice time is available to you.

Group classes, private and semi-private lessons are available. Don't miss out any longer, sign up for a class today!
 

Mac's History

In 1938, Carroll and Ruth Johnson opened the original "Beach Store" (later known as "Mac's" then "Mac's Dive Shop", and now
"Mac's Sports, Inc").

Back in 1938, this was the only place on Clearwater Beach where you could get groceries, magazines, newspapers, tobacco, beachwarea, fishing tackle, soft drinks, candy, almost everything!  "It was like an early 7-11", says Ruth Johnson, "At least we were open from seven to eleven and sold most anything we thought people would want".  They also rented bicycles and fishing gear!  Called simply the "Beach Store" and located on Mandalay Avenue, it opened the same year as the hamburger stand which became the Pelican Restaurant.  Ruth and Carroll Johnson, newly arrived from Birmingham, Alabama, started the business and, as Ruth reports, "worked very hard to make sure it would succeed".  It cost a whole $500 to get set up in business in an area where the existing businesses were limited to the Pelican, the Palm Pavilion, Langford's Service Station at the end of the causeway, a seafood market where the King Cole Motel now stands and not much else.  Langford's had something brand new that the tourists really like.  It was called a "self-service" laundry where you could pay to do your laundry in machines.  

After the births of their two sons, the Johnsons moved to New Mexico.  "Mac" McCarthy purchased the Beach Store and renamed it "Mac's".  During WWII, it was a favorite shopping place for the young people of the Beach because Mac made sure that what few candy bars and Cokes he could obtain were squirreled away to be sold only to youngsters.  Returning from New Mexico six years later, the Johnson's went back into the grocery business and, eventually, they purchased the little store back from Mac McCarthy and this time the bought the building.  Their son, Jim Johnson, eventually turned it into Mac's Dive Shop before his sports business outgrew the small building and he moved it to the mainland.  

Carroll Johnson dies in 1980 and Ruth Johnson continued to live on Clearwater Beach until her death.  The trailer park (which was replaced by the Surfside Holiday Inn) was on both sides of Mandalay Avenue.

The Johnsons were among the first young couples to be permanent residents of Clearwater Beach because their son, Jim, along with a young lady named Barbara Burton, were said to be the first children born to "real" Beach residents.

 

1938:  Mac's Original Mandalay Ave. Location on Clearwater, Beach	Beach Store later reopened as the "Sandal Factory"

"Still Blowing Bubbles after all these years!"

STORE LOCATIONS:  Click on Photo to visit Our Other Store Pages One of the largest SCUBAPRO Dealers in the USA
CLEARWATER	TAMPA	DUNEDIN
2126 Drew St., Clearwater, FL  33765 (727) 442-9931 clearwater@macssports.com 6,000 Sq Ft Showroom Full Lines of SCUBA/Ski/Snowboard In-Store Year Around Heated Pool Over 40 Years in Clearwater! Store Hours MON-SA 10-7 SUN-12-5	10414 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa (813) 961-3297 tampa@macssports.com Awarded the elite status of SCUBAPRO PLATINUM DEALER Real Sand Classroom (Total FUN Tropical Atmosphere) Store Hours TUE-SAT 10-6 MON/SUN-Gone Diving, come join us!	2058 Bayshore Blvd, Dunedin (727) 733-6227 dunedin@macssports.com Mac's Newest Location! SCUBA/SURF CLOSE to the Water!   Store Hours TUE-SAT 10-6 MON/SUN-Gone Diving, come join us!