Aquarium Designs going under???

[futureeyedoc]

Does anyone knows what's going on with Aquarium Designs here in B'ham? I went there today and it was crazy barren. His front display tanks were down to just limited liverock and 1 fish. I think between his 3 walls of tanks where he usually has fish for sale I might have counted 3 total (in about 50-60 tanks proly total). Several of his coral tanks were empty... This was definetly something's going on empty and not "we had a great last couple of days busines wise" empty....
???????

 

[8BALL_99]

Why didn't you just ask them? I would have worded it a little different then are you going down. Maybe just ask if they are moving again or something...

 

[freddy4130]

Was in last week and he said nothing of it. He was actually planning on some remodeling. But he was out of a lot of things. Like fish.

 

[The0wn4g3]

Every time I'm in there I make a comment on the lack of livestock. Sean always tells me they just sold a ton from the shipment Thursday. I'm always there on Friday or Saturday, so I never see these "huge shipments". Maybe they do just sell a lot on Thursdays but I highly doubt it as we never got close to selling out on the day of the shipment at the Patton Creek location...

 

[WickedReefer]

the front tank is gonna be a fish only tank (sharks, rays, angels, tangs, etc.) Yea he keeps telling me the same thing about being really busy on thurs too. but I have to agree the past few sat. I've been have been deserted as far as corals, inverts, and fish.

 

[futureeyedoc]

Well as any of you know that have visited there, Sean doesn't exactly go out of his way to talk to you if there's someone else in the store he's already dealing with... I was gonna ask about what the deal was - but he was yapping away with some kid in there who didn't even buy anything. I was going to buy extra RO for a water change and some fish but after seeing the place and there not even being an eyebrow lifted in my direction after 10 minutes I just left... not exactly the situation to be asking what's going on....I seriously wonder how these people think they can stay in business... if you're already getting killed by online prices and selection - you really have to go above and being with customer service - or in his case, provide ANY customer service?!

I showed up around lunchtime today (Friday) so I HIGHLY doubt he sold out of everything from Thursday.... they used to have like 10-20 fish in every tank.....If he sold out, he must've only ordered in like 10 fish!

 

[mebo926]

Usually "GOOD" LFS will keep the fish in their tank for at least a day, to moreless calm down the fish if it occurred any stress in the move and just see if they are healthy eater. Why would a store sell something that all they did was pick from a catalog and have no idea about the fish. This I actually learned from a store owner I knew in Michigan. She would get her shipment in on monday and get them in the tank and wouldnt sell till late tues almost wed. I can say that I NEVER lost a fish from her store, If I did it was because of my own tank. I truly feel that there are some people that should get together and open a DECENT shop. I know as fellow reefers we know hat things should cost and what we want to pay. Honestly Id buy from someone on here before Id go to a shop.
Enough with my ranting!

 

[freddy4130]

there simply is not enough reefers here. One MUST have freshwater and saltwater to make it in the town. I have been to the mega shops in Atlanta and they have an enormous customer base. Most sell fresh and salt. It is just like most business here in Bham. Retail is very tough here unless you sell clothing. Speacialty shops are few and far between. I have seen countless comic book stores, magic shops, hobby shops and the like go under. We just don't have enough people here. Sean is a great guy. I would advise getting some freshwater livestock.

 

[RUGDOG]

Aquarium Designs was always a phenominal business and still could be if well managed. During the old days before they moved to the high volume shopping center with all the tire kickers they were always busy, cash register ringing and most of the time there was someone to offer you assistance. After my one and only visit to the "new" AD after calling to see if they had something, was told they did (just to get me in) only to find out they didnt and encountered who I considered to be an extremely snotty female and almost nothing else (stock wise) I will not go back. Unfortunatley with the internet age I am sure it is becoming increasingly difficult to compete but well stocked and staffed a good store could thrive. I would always prefer to look at and pick my livestock as opposed to mail order.Also as Mebo mentioned in the old days Tien would always let fish settle in and begin eating before he would sell them which is why I always favored them over the other store that is still in Hoover. I always do and encourage shopping local but in our area and hobby it has become very hard to do.
Sorry for the rant
Terry

 

[Crazyfist]

Sean is a great guy, he's helped me out on numerous occasions. They have never really had a lot of stock, except when they were in Patton Creek - but I'm sure the rent on that place is stupid. I went for the first time to Imports in hoover, and they do have been customer service. I'd like to see them and AD go in together and do something. But we all know that will never happen...

 

[freddy4130]

The main problem is that fish stores are not something a guy who is a really good businessman would ever open. It is always a guy with a passion for his hobby. Running a business is much more than just loving the product. Unfortunately we like fish and we have to deal with it. Both the fish stores here are fine. I like both guys.

 

[Crazyfist]

my buddy Paul told me there was a sweet LFS is Montgomery...i havent been, but i want to go.

 

[scapes]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14608757#post14608757 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Crazyfist
my buddy Paul told me there was a sweet LFS is Montgomery...i havent been, but i want to go.

you are probably thinking about aquarium fantasies. the owner is the sponsor for our local club. he is having an inhouse fragging demonstration on sunday, march 22 at 2pm. he will be selling these frags at 50% off for club members and 25% to non-club members. he is not normally open on sundays so if you want to go there early on that particular day, he may not be there.

there is also atlantis aquariums, right down the road from aquarium fantasies. the owner is just now getting this store going.

 

[alabrew]

I too have had some of the same problems with AD - they just can't see me there with a wad of cash in my pocket. I have been in several times, walked around the whole store and not even gotten a nod of the head.

I don't buy this "you should have been here Thursday" BS I have heard it from several shops. I have been back on "Thursday" (or what ever day they make up) and they still don't have much. I own a small hobby shop. If I am selling out of the 10 widgets I bought this week, you can be sure that next week I will order 20 more. If I don't have it, you can't buy it from me and will go somewhere else.

I don't see that the locals are really concerned with the LFS. There are several calls for group buys on this forum to the exclusion of the LFS. Local shops can't compete with the internet. Most of the time, the local shop nearly pays what internet venders charge after they pay have it shipped to them. Don't forget that the LFS overhead for the building, all the electricity, water, etc. Appreciate that they are there when you have that emergency but you have to support them. They can't order fish, corals and dry goods if you are buying somewhere else.

 

[Crazyfist]

I have never bought anything LIVE from the internet - in all honesty, Ive never bought anything for my tank online, I have always gone to the LFS, because I enjoy having it here. Plus, I'm skiddish of buying coral or fish online - I mean, who really knows what your getting or how it's going to arrive....

how many of you have bought LIVE product online? What did you get? What site did you order from? Were you happy?

 

[scapes]

i buy live stuff online all the time--well, when i had money before this money crisis hit. i ordered corals from lots of places. the only place i've ordered fish from was www.marinedepotlive.com (out of business). they all arrived alive two years ago and are still alive. in all my many online purchases, i'd say i am about 90%.

sites i've ordered from
liveaquaria
marinedepotlive
reefscience
clams direct
reefermadness
zoanuts
reefhotspot
pacificeast aquaculture

gosh, so many!!

 

[RUGDOG]

Yes I do as well and with the same success as the ones mentioned above as well as vivid aquarium and believe it or not several times from e-bay auctions. If a nice LFS had a good selection I would perfer to buy from them and when you factor in shipping costs it is usually as cheap or cheaper to buy from LFS but it has been quite a while since I have found a good selection local.

 

[jrobison]

liveaquaria.com is my favorite place to buy online. It has impecable customer service and I have never gotten a product that wasn't EXACTLY as described. And with their "Diver Den" section you see exactly what you are getting. That, plus 14 day no questions guarantee and I buy nowhere else.

 

[JWJTide21]

I also was in AD yesterday and I agree...... nothing in the store. Here is my short story. I was a regular when they were located in Hoover and Tien was running it. They had a nice selection of coral and seemed to carry a decent supply of frags. The first problem I ran into was they carried the same items all the time. So once I bought them, they never had anything new.
So then they moved when Sean took over. I will say he did carry a whole diff line of fish, alot more of the not so common stuff. I am more into coral instead of fish so that didnt really appeal to me. He carried a few diff types of coral but not a great selection and no frags. I asked him about the lack of frags and he told me he wasnt going to carry frags because it was bad for business. He stated he couldnt sell larger pieces because everyone would buy frags. I personally like to buy frags and watch them grow so once again, did not appeal to me. I did keep stopping by and never really found anything to buy. I was looking for a sea hare once and they were going to order it, 6 months later...no call.
This is my biggest problem I have!!!! I have stopped by there 4 times in the last few months during regular business hours and they have been closed!!!! With no sign posted indicating a closing. I even felt bad once because I ran into someone from out of town at petco and they asked me about a store to visit and I said AD. After telling them about it I decided to drive over myself...CLOSED on Sat about 1 oclock!!!! I was there yesterday at 11 when they were supposed to open and hung out for 15 mins or so and left. I did come back a couple hours later (not sure when someone finally showed up) and saw the store empty and walked back out in 2 mins and drove an hour and 15 mins to Valley Tropical in Oxford.

I can say I am done with AD due to these reasons: poor business practices, poor customer service, and lack of product that I am interested in. I may one day decide to try again but it will be a while. I just feel like I am wasting my time going there now ( all that considering there are very few stores in bham)

And to the idea there is lack of interest in Bham....I understand its not the most active city but it has supported several stores for many years so someone has to be buying something. I believe if someone opened a store and ran it right, it would thrive!!

 

[futureeyedoc]

the guys at aquarium imports in hoover claim to be busy lately, and frankly I believe them.... take a stroll in there on the day they get their stuff in or a Saturday afternoon and you'll see they're plenty busy.... and they actually keep stuff in stock (what a thought!)

Sure those places aren't going to sell a lot of "supplies" with their prices as such - ESPECIALLY AD.... but there's more than enough demand to make a living - just on fish alone.....

It's really not a matter of B'ham not supporting the stores - there's plenty of business to go around, I bet even just at AI... but as a local small business there's 2 musts in ANY location:
- must keep product in stock
- must provide exceptional customer service

- you provide those 2 and price is somewhat flexible!


if you don't provide both of those to the fullest, you're not fullfilling basic customer needs, basic simple business needs, and honestly - you don't deserve to be in business any longer!