reefer buddy
New member
If you could open a little shop, fish and coral what would you carry? Just live stock and food? What would your dream shop have? Just wonder what others think.
If you had a store.
- Thread starter reefer buddy
- Start date
mr.maroonsalty
New member
I'd have an open by appointment shop selling long term turnkey systems. In the back would be a work shop on one side and large fish room on the other.
andrew2010
New member
I would make sure I had enough investment money to open properly first. I formerly had a electronics store (home theater car audio , and pc's) . If one has enough to open a retail store properly, a game plan and investment strategy are key.
I would carry high end quality products/dry goods at a reasonable markup. ( I know how much things are marked up). I would also make sure that I have a website up and running with all my dry goods available with good consumer support for repair /replacement of products with a exceptional warranty service for all products. One cannot rely solely on walk ins . I would also have as many products under my brand name such as led lights manufactured under my brand (easily achievable at a reasonable price from led manufacturers. (ie stark lights in cali)) sales would also be solicited on ebay and amazon for increased revenue. I would also offer a cleaning /maintenance service which is not offered in my area.
As far as live goods, I would try and set up a large fish /coral room with a couple display tanks and a warehouse type trough system for coral to be easily viewed and easy maintenance (not that any maintenance is easy). Affordability and sustainability of this hobby would be paramount. Repeat educated customers that are not getting the shaft would be paramount for a successful business in this hobby. Having a educated and knowledgeable staff is also important. If your staff does not know if one Wrasse is compatible with another fish or coral and your employee does not educate a customer on the difficulties of the purchase just to get the 20-30$ sale . Then you may have lost a repeat customer that could have spent thousands at your establishment. (yes , this is a pointed statement)
With my previous Business which had a high profit margin without the high markup. I found that if you make a little more with high volume sales and happy customers. Than with a few customers at the regular markup. At any rate you must diversify sales strategy's among various venues of sales and exposure or as a business you will fail. Effort and dedication will be the true measure of success in this economy.
I would carry high end quality products/dry goods at a reasonable markup. ( I know how much things are marked up). I would also make sure that I have a website up and running with all my dry goods available with good consumer support for repair /replacement of products with a exceptional warranty service for all products. One cannot rely solely on walk ins . I would also have as many products under my brand name such as led lights manufactured under my brand (easily achievable at a reasonable price from led manufacturers. (ie stark lights in cali)) sales would also be solicited on ebay and amazon for increased revenue. I would also offer a cleaning /maintenance service which is not offered in my area.
As far as live goods, I would try and set up a large fish /coral room with a couple display tanks and a warehouse type trough system for coral to be easily viewed and easy maintenance (not that any maintenance is easy). Affordability and sustainability of this hobby would be paramount. Repeat educated customers that are not getting the shaft would be paramount for a successful business in this hobby. Having a educated and knowledgeable staff is also important. If your staff does not know if one Wrasse is compatible with another fish or coral and your employee does not educate a customer on the difficulties of the purchase just to get the 20-30$ sale . Then you may have lost a repeat customer that could have spent thousands at your establishment. (yes , this is a pointed statement)
With my previous Business which had a high profit margin without the high markup. I found that if you make a little more with high volume sales and happy customers. Than with a few customers at the regular markup. At any rate you must diversify sales strategy's among various venues of sales and exposure or as a business you will fail. Effort and dedication will be the true measure of success in this economy.
andrew2010
New member
I would also solicit a education program to area schools. I would donate a fish tank and livestock to science classes to study . With those tanks (with advertising of my business on the side ) It would open a new area of customers that wouldn't have necessarily bought a fish tank . Kids would then ask their parents to go to X fish store because they saw my advertisement on the school tank. I mean how many of us with kids now hear a tv ad verbatim followed by I want X product for xmas? One has to be creative after all. 
ReefTeacher
Member
I would try to offer higher end equipment with the knowledge to advise how to use them. I would also offer rarer livestock.... We don't need another store that sells clownfish and yellow tangs. I would have a QT system to minimize disease in my customer tanks.... and yes a web presence is essential.... Rochester is to small a market.
Josh40996
New member
If someone was going to gift to me the initial startup costs, I think my shop would be a little like this.
First, I would have a shop that would provide all of its energy requirements from solar panels and be able to sell some excess electricity to the local grid to help with dry goods and water.
The shop will have a 10k gallon display tank cram packed with the most colourful and rarest Softies, LPS and SPS colonies that could be fraged from to supply all coral stocks. Clams will be imported on request of the customers and anemones will be grown and split in a separate display tank.
Ofcourse, we need somewhere to put all the frags to heal and to display for sale. So, a 5k shallow tank will be used to display healed frags and colonies and also newly cut frags that can be reserved buy customers for a small deposit.
The latest and greatest dry goods will be on display along the perimeter of the shop with the frag tank in the middle whilst the display is on the back wall.
Since all coral will be frags of colonies and the upkeep non existent, prices can be very low and dry goods can be sold at bulk prices.
There will be also another tank (somewhere) where as many fish species can be bred and sold again at very low prices.
Hmm, now only if someone will pay initial costs...
First, I would have a shop that would provide all of its energy requirements from solar panels and be able to sell some excess electricity to the local grid to help with dry goods and water.
The shop will have a 10k gallon display tank cram packed with the most colourful and rarest Softies, LPS and SPS colonies that could be fraged from to supply all coral stocks. Clams will be imported on request of the customers and anemones will be grown and split in a separate display tank.
Ofcourse, we need somewhere to put all the frags to heal and to display for sale. So, a 5k shallow tank will be used to display healed frags and colonies and also newly cut frags that can be reserved buy customers for a small deposit.
The latest and greatest dry goods will be on display along the perimeter of the shop with the frag tank in the middle whilst the display is on the back wall.
Since all coral will be frags of colonies and the upkeep non existent, prices can be very low and dry goods can be sold at bulk prices.
There will be also another tank (somewhere) where as many fish species can be bred and sold again at very low prices.
Hmm, now only if someone will pay initial costs...
andrew2010
New member
@ josh, Be realistic lol . With those lofty displays and colony fraging supply needs, You would need a 2-3 year upstart period where you wouldn't even be open. But then again if money is not an option then why even open? jk lol Any investor looking at that investment josh would be foolish without an already established sales business. Unless they are looking at a tax write-off from a failed business.
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andrew2010
New member
If you have mermaids ...... I want one
I would sell frags !!! $20 frags healed
Some colonies but mostly frags
I would also try to keep and aquaculture the nicest corals I came across and grow them in the main display !!
I would concentrate on selling entire turn key systems built by the store!
As far as dry goods I would offer 3 grades
Cheap ,middle the road ,and premium goods and equipment having first hand knowledge of each trying and testing everything I sell!
Also eventually get website up and running!
That being said I would never open a Lfs
Some colonies but mostly frags
I would also try to keep and aquaculture the nicest corals I came across and grow them in the main display !!
I would concentrate on selling entire turn key systems built by the store!
As far as dry goods I would offer 3 grades
Cheap ,middle the road ,and premium goods and equipment having first hand knowledge of each trying and testing everything I sell!
Also eventually get website up and running!
That being said I would never open a Lfs
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
Hey you've gotta dream
That's what the lottery is for!
redrider911
New member
I'm sure the lfs owners are laughing right now.
Jacwil
New member
This!
Randrew215
New member
I would employ a savage guard dog.
sean obergfell
New member
How about quality clean used equipement re sale dept.
Johnny C
New member
I would definitely have a large, unobstructed display aquarium chalk-full of colorful fish and coral with a sitting area directly in front of it. :spin3:
Word of Advice: If you are considering opening up a local fish store, do your research... it isn't nearly as glamorous or worry-free as some may think.
Word of Advice: If you are considering opening up a local fish store, do your research... it isn't nearly as glamorous or worry-free as some may think.
lhscouchmonster
New member
how difficult would it be to keep mother colonies and just sell your frags? not just a few things, i mean the majority of a store just as frags. I like the idea of everything being grown out locally. You could sell online as well.
reefer buddy
New member
No not opening up a store, just thought it was a good question.
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