If a new Shop were to open?
- Thread starter Climb16
- Start date
ynnhoj86
New member
i would like it to be in the central area of tucson, maybe around the U of A. I think the most important thing that you need to stock your store with is good employees that know about fish and coral. Your live stock is gonna be the same as other stores here because your not gonna have crazy rare stuff, otherwise, the stores here would already have it.
fishaholic911
New member
^ +1
Tanque Verde
New member
I thought Oracle and Prince was the NW side of town.
sillygoose
New member
Clearly we need branches all over the place 
I like Johnny's suggestion of the UA neighborhood.
I like Johnny's suggestion of the UA neighborhood.
phenom5
Member
Yes please. We definitely need something more northwest.
As far as what to stock. Healthy, pest free livestock. Reasonably priced drygoods/ equipment.
Bifferwine
New member
It would also be really nice if the store stocked employees that weren't condescending and rude that ignore customers when they come into the store because they are too busy talking to each other; employees who are consistently unable to answer even the most simple questions (i.e. how much do your astraea snails cost), who know nothing about what they are selling, and have all the livestock mis-labeled (i.e. having to google common fish that are in the store because they don't know what they are and the tanks aren't labeled, or they don't know what a ricordea is) and mis-priced as well! Hopefully that's not too much to ask.
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It would also be really nice if the store stocked employees that weren't condescending and rude that ignore customers when they come into the store because they are too busy talking to each other; employees who are consistently unable to answer even the most simple questions (i.e. how much do your astraea snails cost), who know nothing about what they are selling, and have all the livestock mis-labeled (i.e. having to google common fish that are in the store because they don't know what they are and the tanks aren't labeled, or they don't know what a ricordea is) and mis-priced as well! Hopefully that's not too much to ask.
I agree. You found labels on the livestock? Where? These guys are business to sell their product. They have time to price and lable the product. You can't tell they have no time during the day to do that. My hats off to Oasis for a clean and neat looking store. Can't say that for the other one.
Fitchguy
Member
We need a store down in Sahuarita Area!! We have a a huge community and there is not much retail down there, so whatever kind of store opens, people swarm to just to take a look at. And everyone saying that you need employees that know what they are talking about is harder than you would think. All of us have our own careers and jobs and for most this is their hobby. Especially answering questions from us hobbyists that spend a lot of time on here and know quite a bit of information already. There are not a lot of people out there with this knowledge that are willing to work at a store part time.
Fitchguy
Member
And I also believe, that I don't think anyone intends on being condescending or rude but may come across that way. If I was working at a store and someone wanted to buy a tang for their 20 gallon tank that was just set up today, I am not going to sell it to you. Or no I am not going to sell you an SPS with you normal flourescent strip light. I think the employees of pet shops need to be firm on what they sell, to whom they sell certain things too, and take the responsibility for that animal that they are selling. If you don't know what the animal is that you are looking to buy, you shouldn't buy it right then. Ask them to hold it while you research it and come back. Relying on the employees to inform you can be risky unless you truly trust their knowledge and that they are honest
Bifferwine
New member
I agree with this. But I have been an exclusive customer of one store in this city for the last 5+ years. They know me. They've been to my house(s) and seen my tanks. They've delivered two tanks with stands that I bought from them (a 240 gallon and a 90 gallon) to me in the past two years. I've spent thousands of dollars in their store in the past few years, have traded corals to them, have ordered equipment, food, special-order livestock, etc. And I still wasn't able to get someone to acknowledge me when I came through the door, let alone bag up the livestock I wanted to buy and ring me up for it.
I'm not some newbie buying a tang for a 20 gallon tank. I'm a customer wanting to give them my money!
That's all besides the point though. Even a newb wanting to put a sohal in their 12 gallon BioCube deserves a "hello" and an explanation why they can't get what they want, and perhaps some direction to the goby section of the store instead
Being dismissive of people that are new to the hobby and in need of an education is not a way to attract business or keep people in the hobby -- if anything, the newb will probably get discouraged and feel attacked and walk right out. A better approach would be to share knowledge in a friendly way, and direct them to something in the store that they CAN buy and keep alive.
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scubabum1983
New member
as somebody who has worked in a lfs store in town it can be really hard to get good people. the store i worked for is no longer here. but i can tell you it takes alot of work to keep tanks cleaned, it takes alot of work to keep things labeled and up to date, and it takes an extreme amount of work to keep the floors clean. but i have seen stores that do and those stores shine, and every time i am in there there are at least 10 people looking around at things to buy in the shop. management sets the pace and the expectations. When i worked in one i knew what had to be done, and i did it. the problem i ran into is they didnt pay for the work i put in. And i burned out afer 8 months of it and had no desire to go back. point is good service can be done, but you get what you pay for. I will say mike at sws has stepped it up lately. +1 for closer to UA farther NW means higher retail space per square foot and higher prices to cover the cost.
Akwarius
New member
You're right. The work can be done. Just look at some of the Phoenix stores: tanks labeled with current prices. I admit that when I first got into the hobby it really bothered me that nothing was labeled and store clerks seemed to invent prices on the spot. Now that I've been in the hobby for awhile, going to stores in Phoenix and looking at corals online almost daily, I know when I am being gouged. With the knowledge of going rates, I can say there is one store in town that has reasonable prices and often provides discounts. Either way, labels would take minutes out of their day to create and make customers feel much more comfortable. And if they really wanted to get advanced, maybe some husbandry requirements on the label such as: daily feeding, light, flow, etc. I think it would also benefit these stores to have a beginners section of hardy, cheaper corals and fish. The idea is to draw new people into the hobby and make it accessible for anyone. Treat a customer right in the beginning and they'll keep coming back as they evolve through the hobby.
savageAJC
New member
agree with around u of a sorta only sw stores in tucson are all around same area? sws,oasis, and down the street (sorta lol ) petland and t.kingdom? unless im missing any.
but +100 to a store that welcomes you, i cant count how many times ive been to a one of the above mentioned stores and the people at the counter (including the owner) just take a look at me and continue their convo about football or whatever topic it may be. Def. makes me not want to buy from there, unfortunately not too many choices to buy from though. I dont think its too hard to say hello or welcome or hi maybe a wave?
but +100 to a store that welcomes you, i cant count how many times ive been to a one of the above mentioned stores and the people at the counter (including the owner) just take a look at me and continue their convo about football or whatever topic it may be. Def. makes me not want to buy from there, unfortunately not too many choices to buy from though. I dont think its too hard to say hello or welcome or hi maybe a wave?
