Looking for advice with my new store

[xdunaticx]

So I'm going to be opening a coral reef store in the North Valley in the upcoming months. I don't need advice on that but I would like to know all the things you DO and DON'T like about other stores. Please do not mention names I just want ideas to better myself and my brand.

 

[Mael]

2/3 of stock needs to be clearly priced, its perfectly fine to have an ask for price section but the majority of items need to be priced IMO.

Make sure you carry Reef Stew =)

Always nice to be able to get plumbing supplies from the LFS like bulkheads, sch80 fittings and loc-line.

Carry more than 1 brand of salt if possible, some base like I/O and maybe something like RSCP or Seachem. Also goes for supplements and other dry goods, if you can carry a line of brightwell and/or seachem supplements or whatever vendor contracts you end up getting.

lookdown boxes for the frag tanks, helps to have little acrylic pointers so people dont touch the water but not necessary.

Lastly, planning to QT fish and/or coral? From the threads and facebook threads Ive seen on it people seem willing to pay a little extra to get coral/fish that have been QT'd for at least a little while.

All I can think of off the top of my head, my favorite stores all follow these practices for the most part. Which is probably a good idea, to go visit some of the ones that have been around a while and still thrive and see how they do things.

 

[avblanchard]

Where's your store going to be located cross streets?

 

[TangingOut]

I find that new stores will be priced higher as to try and recover their startup cost before they have to readjust to be more inline with the other LFS'.

 

[tank41]

Pricing on Live Stock is huge. Hate going into a store and not knowing the price.
also acknowledge your customers and let them know you will be with them shortly if you are currently with another customer. Open you shop up to local fish clubs for monthly after hour meetings. Make it the place to go to. Keep dead fish out of aquariums. Be clean. There is one store I used to frequent in Omaha Nebraska. Not sure if they are still there. I am about 2 hrs away so don't make it there regularly. Talk about over the top customer service. You were greated with a " Hey hows it going? You need a beverage go help yourself to the fridge located in the breakroom". Was always stocked for the customer. Once a month they would serve pizza during lunch hours on Saturdays. Mostly catered to the saltwater enthusiast but some fresh water also. They were there for you and let you know it. Anyhow good luck and make customer service your highest priority.

 

[CafeReef]

Pricing on Live Stock is huge. Hate going into a store and not knowing the price.
also acknowledge your customers and let them know you will be with them shortly if you are currently with another customer. Open you shop up to local fish clubs for monthly after hour meetings. Make it the place to go to. Keep dead fish out of aquariums. Be clean. There is one store I used to frequent in Omaha Nebraska. Not sure if they are still there. I am about 2 hrs away so don't make it there regularly. Talk about over the top customer service. You were greated with a " Hey hows it going? You need a beverage go help yourself to the fridge located in the breakroom". Was always stocked for the customer. Once a month they would serve pizza during lunch hours on Saturdays. Mostly catered to the saltwater enthusiast but some fresh water also. They were there for you and let you know it. Anyhow good luck and make customer service your highest priority.

Hi Tank41! Which store was this in Omaha, looking for a great shop to become my lfs in Omaha, sorry to threadjack

 

[kitkat717]

Quarantine fish! I would pay extra.

 

[vlad17]

CLEANLINESS AND APPEAL. 80% of the valley reef stores and RAGGIDY and DIRTY!

 

[sweet2004r1]

Clearly marked prices and attentiveness to all customers (not getting caught up in story time with one person)

 

[Stitchaholic]

I agree with the cleanliness and appeal along with not getting too into story time. It's not cool to be ignored. And clear marking the prices also would be a plus.

 

[TangingOut]

CLEANLINESS AND APPEAL. 80% of the valley reef stores and RAGGIDY and DIRTY!

You must have really high standards. I find that most are pretty clean. Shark Reef, Coral reef Imports, Aquatouch, LE Corals, Pet Kona, Reef Monsters, and SW Junkies just to name a few.

 

[plantastic]

Do a lot of research into how many stores have come and gone. Two of the most predominant common denominators have been low/no profile locations, and catering to coral collectors. The thin margins, and Large start-up costs/high on-going overhead, cannot be sustained by such a small demographic.

Now look at the two stores that have been around the longest, Aquarium Arts and Aquatouch. Both are located just off the access of a major freeway (easy access), and both, are in a typical strip mall (high visibility).

Although a lot of the members on this forum go to these stores, the primary demographic that keeps these stores going, will never be members on this forum, or any other forum. Meaning, your concern should be, "How do I inspire the typical American family that this is a hobby they will love, and do I offer everything they would need to come in, be inspired, and leave a few thousand dollars lighter, but totally excited about their new adventure!"

 

[Sammykonga]

do a lot of research into how many stores have come and gone. Two of the most predominant common denominators have been low/no profile locations, and catering to coral collectors. The thin margins, and large start-up costs/high on-going overhead, cannot be sustained by such a small demographic.

Now look at the two stores that have been around the longest, aquarium arts and aquatouch. Both are located just off the access of a major freeway (easy access), and both, are in a typical strip mall (high visibility).

Although a lot of the members on this forum go to these stores, the primary demographic that keeps these stores going, will never be members on this forum, or any other forum. Meaning, your concern should be, "how do i inspire the typical american family that this is a hobby they will love, and do i offer everything they would need to come in, be inspired, and leave a few thousand dollars lighter, but totally excited about their new adventure!"

+1

 

[reefstew]

We need a like button here on RC. Some good comments.

 

[Vanpire]

If I were to start a new fish store, it wouldn't be a fish store alone. I think it would be cool to have a coffee shop that sells coffee along with fish and coral. Would like a place I could just go and hang out and have some coffee while checking out fish and coral.

Don't know how it would work but it would be different and you could draw non-hard core enthusiasts into the store. Might be a good way to increase traffic.

 

[CoralFiend]

My old favorite LFS would hand me a beer when I walked in. Seriously, always have stock on hand! I am amazed at some of the LFS I have been in and there was little there to be had. How can you sell stuff you don't have?

QT'ing of fish and maybe even have preventative treatment while they are in QT. One of the shops in our reef club has just started doing this. Like already mentioned, I would pay extra for fish I feel have already been acclimated to captivity, observed or even treated for disease / parasites and know they are accepting food before they hit the sales display.

 

[Sinekal]

Carry frag tanks from deep blue professional...there doesn't seem to be a west coast distributor.

+1 QT and pricing, both will keep me coming back

 

[frogg21]

Always thought this would be pretty cool.. I think you'd have people coming for a drink and a cheaper than zoo/public aquarium outing.. Some of my first dates were at Pet's Inc.! If you had a great location, this would have a good chance at really working. Not sure if the health inspector knocks off points if you get a Nemo in your mocha.. (no sir, not contamination, thats our new sushi drink!)

If I were to start a new fish store, it wouldn't be a fish store alone. I think it would be cool to have a coffee shop that sells coffee along with fish and coral. Would like a place I could just go and hang out and have some coffee while checking out fish and coral.

Don't know how it would work but it would be different and you could draw non-hard core enthusiasts into the store. Might be a good way to increase traffic.

 

[xdunaticx]

Thank you everyone for the awesome advice. I'm looking currently in the north Scottsdale area. But currently just building the brand, marketing, making sure I've got clientele before the building

 

[mrcyrus]

1. Carry only livestock that wount die. We have a store here that orders sea slugs. Each species has its own specific food and the WILL die in a home aquarium unless they have it. I told the store owner this and he still orders them making me not want to buy from him.

2. Keep it proffesional, I sometimes feel like im in a flea market when I go into stores.

3. IMO most stores are dark and blue lit, maybe try a lot of white and blue lit in your store?