LFS in delaware suck!
- Thread starter pumpdogs
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firecrackerbob
New member
LOL.... I dont have anything nice to say so I wont...
But speaking of semi local FSs... I went down to DC last weekend to see a college buddy, stopped at exotic aquatics on the way back--Very Nice! ... TPP still beats em on the dry goods prices, but EA has some really nice SPS, LPS, and soft stuff... my only complaint is that there were very few written prices on the tanks, always makes you feel liek there is a "locals hookup" at places like that... the things I asked about were reasonably priced though, but still a bit high for my wallet.... I would definitely reccomend it though and plan on going back....
oh, they also have probably one of the nicest display tanks at the enterance that i have seen anywere...
Eric
But speaking of semi local FSs... I went down to DC last weekend to see a college buddy, stopped at exotic aquatics on the way back--Very Nice! ... TPP still beats em on the dry goods prices, but EA has some really nice SPS, LPS, and soft stuff... my only complaint is that there were very few written prices on the tanks, always makes you feel liek there is a "locals hookup" at places like that... the things I asked about were reasonably priced though, but still a bit high for my wallet.... I would definitely reccomend it though and plan on going back....
oh, they also have probably one of the nicest display tanks at the enterance that i have seen anywere...
Eric
The fishman is voted the best in delaware,what a joke.That place will try to sell you a dead clam for $100.It is hard to find time to drive over an hour to get dry goods at decent prices.The best reef place I have ever been is something fishing in allentown.This place is salt only.The only problem is it is an hr 1/2 away.Why do the stores in delaware have to be such a rip off?
gillianandjoe
New member
I'm positive that there will be a contradictory post, but if you are a southerner like me (Dover), Pet Safari in Lewes DE has always been good to me. I think the lady's name is Anne. Have you been down that way? Sometimes the tanks look great, sometimes not so great, but the same can be said of my office. Anyway, they are pretty fair on livestock, and probably 50/50 fish to corals. I've not been in a while, but I may run down this wknd for a look.
SerranidTerror
New member
I guess I can jump in on this thread. Before I got my current job I wanted to open my own store as well, now i'm 95% sure I don't! Its a tough business guys, it really is. First of all, you have to know what you are doing...and running a large system is much different than the "small" tanks people have at home. Ok...so lets say you have the answer to that. Now you have to hire people that know what they are doing and attempt to keep them on the measly wage you can pay them. And finally pricing...somehow these poor stores have to compete with the catalogs and online sites. How many hobbyists have I seen say...so and so is a great store...but the prices are high! Its a really tough biz. I'm not gunna mention any stores or particualr areas but I do have an area I work where a lot of stores are having a tough year.
I'm just trying to point out its not as easy as some people think it is, nor am I saying you guys are sitting here saying "if I had a store I'd do it THIS way." Just I have gotten an inside look on how things work and its very frustrating sometimes!
Also btw...Aquarium Center in Randallstown (west of Baltimore) closed its doors this week. Another large aquatic store bites the dust
I'm just trying to point out its not as easy as some people think it is, nor am I saying you guys are sitting here saying "if I had a store I'd do it THIS way." Just I have gotten an inside look on how things work and its very frustrating sometimes!
Also btw...Aquarium Center in Randallstown (west of Baltimore) closed its doors this week. Another large aquatic store bites the dust
Gordonious
Active member
I would open a store if I hit the loto for sure. And an coral farm.
Gordonious
Active member
I think this conversation has been held at least 4-5 times in the last year on the forum. Fact is right now there is 5 people complaining about it in a chat room. If there were 15 people in here do you think that would be enough to start a biz? Also considering the fact that even if the store was clean and the employees were friendly you still have to compete with the prices and live stock in the other stores out of state.
I think we are extremely lucky where we are. Those stores you mentioned are not that far away.
I think we are extremely lucky where we are. Those stores you mentioned are not that far away.
firecrackerbob
New member
.....I'll play devils advocate here...
Since I am giulty of complaining as well I am in this group also...
Maybee we should put our $$ where our mouths are and join together to start a store???
set up a smaller store with quality marine fish and corals... minimal dry goods since everyone knows that TPP beats everyone in the area... set up a seperate facility where we can cultivate captive stuff.. send people to places to cherry pick corals and what not... setup a webpage to compete as well.... Sell used equipment that is baught from all the people who get out... with enough of us we could still keep it hobby like and not nessisarily a job...
What cha guys think???
Eric
Since I am giulty of complaining as well I am in this group also...
Maybee we should put our $$ where our mouths are and join together to start a store???
set up a smaller store with quality marine fish and corals... minimal dry goods since everyone knows that TPP beats everyone in the area... set up a seperate facility where we can cultivate captive stuff.. send people to places to cherry pick corals and what not... setup a webpage to compete as well.... Sell used equipment that is baught from all the people who get out... with enough of us we could still keep it hobby like and not nessisarily a job...
What cha guys think???
Eric
SerranidTerror
New member
Yeah you guys are very lucky...try living somewhere like North Carolina where you may only have 1 or 2 small stores within an hour or 2 drive from you. I do question why Big Al's didnt open here in DE as the no sales tax would probably be a big draw.
Gordonious
Active member
I'll put my -$10,000 life savings in! (note the "-" infront)
Jon
Jon
Gordonious
Active member
I didn't hear about the newspaper stuff. Fishman's short run in Rehoboth should speak a good amount to the demand for LFSs in DE. I understand the point is a good LFS, but seriously how many of us used to love going to stores before not knowing at all how bad they really were. How many of the "bad" stores do we go into that still have people. The "average" person doesn't know that these stores are "bad" in any way.
Shnabbles
New member
oh my god these "bad" stores are kept in business by people who dont know any better...
no i dont know squat about fresh water fish and these stores may not be to bad with what they offer in fresh water... but their lack of knowledge and experiance in salt water really shows.
im sure it is very difficult keeping a large system like that running and looking nice.
but That Pet Place, Exotic Aquatics, and The Hidden Reef have have ALWAYS looked great the times i had been there.
no i dont know squat about fresh water fish and these stores may not be to bad with what they offer in fresh water... but their lack of knowledge and experiance in salt water really shows.
im sure it is very difficult keeping a large system like that running and looking nice.
but That Pet Place, Exotic Aquatics, and The Hidden Reef have have ALWAYS looked great the times i had been there.
SerranidTerror
New member
Altho we have a great exception in our area, from experience doing minimal dry goods in your store is business suicide. Although we all enjoy walking into a store with great livestock, how often do we walk out with a whole ton of livestock? Probably not often. Your business is going to thrive off consumables, cartridges, fish food, light bulbs, etc. You also mention TPP being best on prices in the same thread people are complaining about all the good stores being too far of a drive...maybe some people would rather pay a little more and drive less. Just a thought.
I don't want to bash your idea or anything, just trying to give some constructive criticism and advice. In fact I think it would be pretty darn cool if someone from here became a sucessful store owner. I simply am inputting what I see on a day to day basis. So please don't think i'm trying to be mean or condescending.
I am more than willing to give the best advice I can, if its worth anything to anyone!
firecrackerbob
New member
Hi Serranid--No Worries! No offense taken!
My earlier post was more of a beginning of a “thought experiment†if you will and I would certainly look to this forum and ones like it for feedback on needs and wants before even starting to crunch numbers about how to put a store together…
I generally agree on the dry goods issue… I used to work in a surf shop when I was in college. People would always come in and try to low-ball us on surfboards and other gear. What they never realized was that while a surfboard might cost between $400-900, it was only marked up at MOST 10% from our purchase prices from the manufacturers. We made very little from the gear. What we always made the killing on was stuff like clothes and consumables… I would imagine the same goes for fish dry goods…
I guess the idea behind what I was talking about would be a little different than any store that I have been in so far. Again, whether or not that would be profitable is another matter completely….
The idea is that TPP is kind of like Wal-Mart and to compete one would need to be small and nimble (go the other way if you will)... For me personally, owning two tanks, going up to TPP every few months or so saves me a lot of $$, not to mention the ridiculous prices I have gotten at some of the sales... Even after gas and PA taxes… just one item as case and point that has become my main comparison item: polyfilter. I go through about 1pack a month. TPP sells it for about $7 after taxes and what not, Exotic, had it for ~10, and Newark tropicals used to sell if for ~12.50….
BUT any LFS definitely needs to have some level of dry goods, and even with all the planning in the world I still have to go out and pick up an emergency box of salt or something every now and then locally… BTW I don't fault LFS for having higher dry goods prices than TPP! I realize that very few places could ever get to the point where they have a setup like that and I imagine that much like Wal-Mart, TPP orders huge quantities of items to keep prices low… the two things that burn me about ANY store, fish or not is #1 customer service and #2 prices. My ever-growing list of stores that I no longer shop at is primarily a result of 1. In fact I will happily pay higher prices at a store that I know wont screw me. What does burn me A LOT is how inconsistent the price of livestock is. It MAY have something to do with where the goods are coming form and a lot of other reasons I don't know much about, BUT I find if you are going out to buy corals or salt fish, you better really know what your buying and what it's worth on the “open market†if you will… when it comes to LFSs in this area it's truly buyer be ware!!!
Anyway… like is said, just kicking around some ideas about what could be offered to fill the gaps in the area LFS scene. I think some balance could be struck between professionalism, price, cleanliness, ect and still be profitable, but it's a question of how!
SORRY for the long ranting... It's Monday, my brain hurts and I'm waiting for the coffee to sink in…LOL
Eric
My earlier post was more of a beginning of a “thought experiment†if you will and I would certainly look to this forum and ones like it for feedback on needs and wants before even starting to crunch numbers about how to put a store together…
I generally agree on the dry goods issue… I used to work in a surf shop when I was in college. People would always come in and try to low-ball us on surfboards and other gear. What they never realized was that while a surfboard might cost between $400-900, it was only marked up at MOST 10% from our purchase prices from the manufacturers. We made very little from the gear. What we always made the killing on was stuff like clothes and consumables… I would imagine the same goes for fish dry goods…
I guess the idea behind what I was talking about would be a little different than any store that I have been in so far. Again, whether or not that would be profitable is another matter completely….
The idea is that TPP is kind of like Wal-Mart and to compete one would need to be small and nimble (go the other way if you will)... For me personally, owning two tanks, going up to TPP every few months or so saves me a lot of $$, not to mention the ridiculous prices I have gotten at some of the sales... Even after gas and PA taxes… just one item as case and point that has become my main comparison item: polyfilter. I go through about 1pack a month. TPP sells it for about $7 after taxes and what not, Exotic, had it for ~10, and Newark tropicals used to sell if for ~12.50….
BUT any LFS definitely needs to have some level of dry goods, and even with all the planning in the world I still have to go out and pick up an emergency box of salt or something every now and then locally… BTW I don't fault LFS for having higher dry goods prices than TPP! I realize that very few places could ever get to the point where they have a setup like that and I imagine that much like Wal-Mart, TPP orders huge quantities of items to keep prices low… the two things that burn me about ANY store, fish or not is #1 customer service and #2 prices. My ever-growing list of stores that I no longer shop at is primarily a result of 1. In fact I will happily pay higher prices at a store that I know wont screw me. What does burn me A LOT is how inconsistent the price of livestock is. It MAY have something to do with where the goods are coming form and a lot of other reasons I don't know much about, BUT I find if you are going out to buy corals or salt fish, you better really know what your buying and what it's worth on the “open market†if you will… when it comes to LFSs in this area it's truly buyer be ware!!!
Anyway… like is said, just kicking around some ideas about what could be offered to fill the gaps in the area LFS scene. I think some balance could be struck between professionalism, price, cleanliness, ect and still be profitable, but it's a question of how!
SORRY for the long ranting... It's Monday, my brain hurts and I'm waiting for the coffee to sink in…LOL
Eric
Gordonious
Active member
you would be surprised at the amount of money made on paper and inl at Staples. The big expensive machines are hige losses in proftit if the buyer gets there supplies elsewhere.
Another example could be Microsoft and there videogame systems. All the money is made back sell chip disks in little plastic boxes.
Another example could be Microsoft and there videogame systems. All the money is made back sell chip disks in little plastic boxes.
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