5th day creations in Chattanooga

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hesstondc

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Yall let me tell you

This place is the best store east of nashville that is for sure. SPS, LPS, and fish, all at great prices. The knoxville stores are a bit to expensive for my taste....

I got a midas blennie (yellow with blue eyes and blue stripes) as well as a red donut LPS coral for around $100....Most LPS corals cost that it knoxville...

If you get a chance stop by and see them, it is well worth the hour drive
 
I wasn't all that impressed with the store the 1 time I've been in there. Their prices on most things were high. CBB for $50, 3" brains for $180. Clams were priced decently. But what ticked me off was I couldn't even get a price on a yuma rock in a tank labeled "ask" for price. I was just told "high". Then Donny said he really didn't want to sell it. IMO, he should have decided that before putting it in a display "for sale" tank. He had 2 people telling him "you're in business to sell stuff" and just wouldn't state a price. I wish them well, but with that store's prices and attitude they won't be getting much, if any, business from me.
 
Siffy:

I'm sure you were there the day of the frag swap weren't you? If so I'd cut the guy a little slack and atlest go visit again and give him a second chance. Most peoples opening day doesn't envolve working the 48 hours prior, participating in the locals clubs event and opening your own store a month early.

They are still only open a couple hours a day until his grand opening in October.

As far as the prices they aren't the cheapest, but neither are his. They are ordering hand picked items from premium suppliers. I've been in their probably 10 times since his opening and the most expensive thing I've seen is 149 for a scoly that if sold online would be well over 200$.

I think you might have caught the guy in an overwelming situation. Atleast stop back by the next time you pass through chattanooga with an open mind and hopefully you will have a better experience.

BV
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10811775#post10811775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bkv1997
Siffy:

I'm sure you were there the day of the frag swap weren't you? If so I'd cut the guy a little slack and atlest go visit again and give him a second chance. Most peoples opening day doesn't envolve working the 48 hours prior, participating in the locals clubs event and opening your own store a month early.

They are still only open a couple hours a day until his grand opening in October.

As far as the prices they aren't the cheapest, but neither are his. They are ordering hand picked items from premium suppliers. I've been in their probably 10 times since his opening and the most expensive thing I've seen is 149 for a scoly that if sold online would be well over 200$.

I think you might have caught the guy in an overwelming situation. Atleast stop back by the next time you pass through chattanooga with an open mind and hopefully you will have a better experience.

BV
Click to expand...

I agree 100%!

Donny and Brent re the nicest guys and are really trying to have the best store this sied of ATL and IMO already have it. They are very new and still learning so I would give them another shot. Also the "brains" you are talking about were probably the primo scolys that they have in and the prices they have for them are cheap compared to other vendors. Also they carry all the primo equipment. Tunze, Geo, MRC, etc.... I have never been in a store that had a full stream kit for sale right there. LOL!

The day you probably went in was the swap say and they had been up for at least 2 straight days I know of getting the store ready.

Give it another try! :)
 
Yes, I was there the day of the swap. They were somewhat busy when we were there, but not crazy overrun. They participated in the swap to make money. That's why they're in business. Handed out flyers for 10 or 20% off fish that were priced almost twice what I can get them at the AC in Nashville or online. Seriously, why should I go back?

It's not cutting them any slack. It'd be inconveniencing myself. I'm 3 hours from Chattanooga, 3 from Memphis, 2 from Nashville, 2 from Birmingham, and have a sister in Atlanta. I'll help you do the math. Aquatic Critter in Nash has the largest selection of fish in the state, probably the SE, and have good prices. They're also in the top 10 in sales in the nation, iirc. Last time I was in Kermit's (March) I got a Pokerstar Monti for less than I could have online. I could be in Bowling Green by the time I'm in Chatt, and if you've never been to Fishey Business, you should go soon. B'ham and ATL really aren't great options. B'ham's "best" store makes 5th Day look cheap and Cap Bay isn't what it used to be. I'm just saying once you look at the options as I do, you should understand that the next time I'm in SE Tenn I'll be going to a store in Cleveland. I've never been, but from the conversation I had with Michael at the swap I'm optimistic since he said he would special order clams and would be lower than 5th Day's "great prices".

They also run all the primo equipment they sell. They have more invested in MRC sumps than some TOTM have in their entire systems. And 400watt skimmer pumps aren't a good way to keep costs down either. Their capital and operating costs are much higher than necessary, and that forces their prices higher than necessary.

But all that is really irrelevant of the primary reason I won't go back. They wouldn't sell me what I wanted to buy. Wouldn't even price it or say for certain it wasn't for sale. It was as if he was waiting for me to price it or trying to read how much I'd have been willing to pay. And that made me uncomfortable, so we left without buying anything rather than about $300 of things I liked and was considering.
 
Ummmm ok, then shop somewhere else. ;) It's not hurting me for you not to go back. I was just saying give it another shot, but you obviously are very upset about this one incident. So I will leave it at that.
 
Also I disagree about the fish being overpriced....

Then again you can probably get ick infested and sick fish cheaper at your run of the mill mom and pop store.

You pay more for better quality and that includes livestock as well. I say that, but I still do not think their fish are overpriced compared to any decent fish store I know. Actually they are cheaper than several stores I know in town and in ATL.
 
Hello there Siffy,

I do remember you i think. I'm very sorry that you left feeling that way. It wasnt my intent to talk down to you or to not sell you something that you were wanting. In my defense I hadn't slept in 48 hours and had been working non-stop to get the store open for the swap.

As far as the Yuma rock that you wanted, I had just recieved that rock not 1 hour before you came in the store. Why did I have it in the sale tank?? Because our quarantine tanks weren't up yet and I had no safe place to put it at the moment. When you asked me how much, I didn't even know how much I payed for it. Secondly, that mushroom that your so upset you didn't spend 80 bucks on died not long after... I truly wonder what kind of negative post that situation would have produced?

I'm not upset with you truly, if your who I think you are I thought you were a cool guy and would love to have you in the store "even just to chat" anytime. Both me and my partner have traveled long distances to stores only to be treated like crap many times and swore that we would not do that to people. It doesn't matter to me how much money (if any) your going to spend I'm going to do my best make you feel welcome. Unfortunately, that day my best was not very good apparently, despite my sleep deprivation I was rather stressed feeling completely unprepared for the problems that occured that day.

On pricing, if you can get your fish cheap then be my guest I have never made the proclaimation that I'm the cheapest store. I will say that my prices are less than me or anyone I know have payed at any other store around here.


On equipment, you say I have overspent myself and your probably right. But I refused to do something crappy. Brett and I bought the items we felt would best sustain and encourage growth of the corals/fish that we keep. We like what we do and even though were still working 2 jobs to pay our bills it makes us happy to know that we are providing the best possible environments for our pets. I don't feel that money is wasted as I know that I have done everything in my power to provide a healthy fish/coral to my customers.

Finally, I hope you are able to come by again sometime but I will not hold it against you if you dont. Both me and Brett have driven many hundred of miles just to be able see a nice store with some unusual selections. Again I'm sorry for your dissapointment and given the opportunity I would love the chance to change your mind...

Sincerely,
donny holland
Fifth Day Creations
 
Donny I sure do like the place that is for sure, worth the 1.5 hour drive for me that is for sure, keep up the good work and see you next paycheck!
 
Wow! This has been very interesting reading.

It kinda makes me laugh. We like to make jokes about yard sale reefers and I think weve found one. A yard sale reefer is someone who doesnt belong in the hobby cause they can't afford it. They constantly go and complain about the price stores ask for there stuff.

I have been to 5th day creations and was impressed with the quality and selection. I didnt feel like the prices were at all out of line. I would have to say siffy that based on your responses you don't like to spend any money, therefore it didnt matter how much he wanted for the coral. You would have posted this anyway cause he wanted to much for it.

I'm also thinking maybe you have more of a reason for your comments. It seems your looking for a reason to bash a store just because they didn't give you a price. that doesnt make sense. anyway hope you are able to find cool stuff at petco!
 
I think calling him a yardsale reefer is premature. I've met siffy and he's a cool guy (just like Donny said). Apparently his customer service standards are high, though. :D Maybe it would have been best if Donny had looked him up a quote and told him it was only an hour old to the store, probably siffy should give the guy a break... but either way its over. :)

Anyway, I'm gonna have to check the store out! Now I'm trying to think of excuses to go down there... lol. Maybe my wife and I should go to the Aquarium too... haven't been there since 7th grade! :D

FWIW, I thought the Aquarium in Knoxville had more fish than the Critter usually does... (although at MUCH higher prices on things than I had anticipated... Ocellaris for $40? Yikes!) but maybe its just me. I must say we're extremely fortunate to have some AWESOME fish stores in the Nashville area. Sounds like Chattanooga now does as well.

Brandon
 
I have to say that Donny has been nothing but absolutely awesome to me. He helped me out when I was in a pinch to get rid of all of my stuff and he was more than fair with me...being extremely generous IMO.

I'm sorry for your misgivings about his store, but I think you ought to give him another shot. He's got the best intentions when it comes to that shop and none of those guys would intentionally treat you poorly.
 
Im sorry if It came across as name calling. I really got irritated when reading siffys comments. Here is a brand new store opening up and he comes in on the opening day and complains about the fish being double priced, corals being over priced and the buisness owner being rude.
Ok lets look at the descriptions in detail:
He said a Copper band butterfly was over priced at $50. The other local fish stores charge $60. and personally I think $50 is a great price for a copper band butterfly. $50 is hardly double. show me where you can buy a copperband for $25 to your door and ill buy it for you.
he says he saw a brain for $180. there isnt anything in the store marked $180, especially not a brain. And if the coral prices were so high as you say, then why did you say there was $300 in stuff you wanted to get. Something must have been priced good enough for you.
as for the attitude you say you got, you admitted yourself that he told you he didnt want to sell it, at that point you ,move on. what part of that do you not understand. He just set the store up and didnt have any displays tanks or quarantines setup yet, When you walk into kermits do you ask to buy stuff out of there displays? if you did and they said no would you bad mouth there store?
I was in kermits this week and there prices on corals are the same as 5th days, there fish were higher priced on most and the same on others. all in all I was very impressed with it, and there were some zoos I wanted there that they wouldnt sell, but ya know what Ill still go back cause its a fish store and they can sell whatever they want to.
as for going to michaels in cleveland, I think thats a great idea! And ill look forward to reading the thread where you complain about his store to.

all in all I Guess I am being harsh, But I didnt feel like the comments being made by siffy were intended to inform the public, they seemed more to bash a store for no reason. Im all for posting if there is a problem with a local fish store, cause we have all had situations were we felt cheated or talked down to. but please be tactful and remeber that fish stores are not gold mines, these people have to work hard to make a living, and a bad reputation is hard to fix. we all know what reputation every store has that we go to. and this store is way to new for someone to try and put a stain on there reputation for no reason.
 
I'm all for interesting threads (even if they bash people I like...or me for that matter)!
 
Sorry guys, its not even my clubs thread, I just feel I need to stick up for donny,and brett, I know how good they try to be and It affended me to read those comments, I was there when they were determining there pricing and they were very concerned about balancing the gap between LFS prices and internet prices, even though LFS usually cant price at interent prices and make a living. And people that think a Local fish store should compete with internet prices dont understand how little markup there is in this hobby. In most cases id like to know what the people who complain do for a living. I bet if we broke down the pricing of what they do for aliving it would make them understand more. anyway Ive got to stop now, cause the next thread will be bashing me! :D I really am a nice person, I just havent learned how to sit back and let others be hurt.
 
Well, not even let others be hurt, but let people express themselves. Right or wrong, he can and has expressed his concerns. Its up to those listening/reading to form their own opinions and those with opposing views to express theirs. :)

I do have a question, though. If there's little markup, why can online shops afford such cheap prices? For example, $5 wholesale clowns selling for $40 in shops when they're $15 online?

I understand there is more overhead in a store, but that to me is significant markup, even with more overhead. :)

And, FWIW, I'm curious, not arguing. I also applaud 5th day for trying to find a balance! I've GOT to make it down there soon... :)

Brandon
 
here is the bottom line.
when a distributor sells 5 clowns to a LFS the price is $15 each, and standard markup should be from 2X to 3X cost. so if he the store paid $15 then he would need to retail it for $30 or $45 to make a profit. when a online vendor calls the distributor and orders 500 clowns, they pay $5 each. and mark them up 2x to 3X which would be $10 to $15. These arnt exact figures obviously but the bottom line is with live goods quantity brings the price down drastically. Somethings that cause the need for 2x to 3x markup is overhead (utilities, employees, maintenance, rent, shipping charges, and one of the biggest is fish losses.)Its is amazing to try and figure how much money is lost in DOA and everyday fish and coral deaths. You have to understand that when that coral or fish dies the store still paid for it. so the money has to come from somewhere. I know it doesnt seem fair to have to make the public pay more for a fish or coral that they didnt omn. but to stay in buissness the prices have to be enough to compensate for loses to. Its just how it works, plus just because a fish costs $15 doesnt mean that is how much you paid for it. Shipping sometimes can cost more than the fish. if you order An order that totals $3000 your shipping bill could be $1000. anyway, all that to say that there is alot more to it than what a fish costs. And something else to think about, I dont feel comfortable buying a fish I cant see, plus you have to buy alot to make the shipping charge equal out to the money your saving. Im not trying to say dont order frm online vendors, cause I order alot of my dry goods online, But I also try and buy as much as I can from the LFS, simply cause I think alot of hobbiests will really miss them when they are gone because they couldnt pay there bills.
 
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