I think a huge problem (at least in my area) is the lack of quality LFS. I would support a LFS but there are none worthy of my money.
For reference I live in Rhode Island which is in the greater Boston metropolitan area if we are being realistic. Around a million people live in RI alone. I've been to every LFS from here to Boston and can honestly say I haven't been to one that I felt was half way reasonable.
The main thing they share in common is being filthy. They stink, rust is everywhere and the floors are always messy/wet. They also are very outdated with no thought to creating a pleasant shopping experience. It seems like they showed up, threw some some tanks in there and called it a day.
The tanks themselves are also depressing. Algae, cyano and unhealthy fish is more common than healthy tanks. Despite this the prices are extremely high. The only LFS I visit in this area sells Bartlett anthias for 100 dollars a piece and they are usually skinny and infected with ICK. Meanwhile I can go online to the Divers Den and pick up 3 extremely healthy ones for $150 and be a stones throw away from hitting free shipping.
My final complain is lack of anything remotely interesting as far as coral is concerned. I'm not sure how you can be a business owner and not try to figure out what people want. They always have ugly sps, boring zoas and generic LPS. Who is buying this overpriced garbage? So this leads to me buying all my coral from local people who have frag set ups in their basement.
"They stink, rust is everywhere and the floors are always messy/wet."
Seriously? People go to Stores do buy stuff not rate it like this.
It is a Pet Store not the Bellagio.
Anybody I ever talk to is concerned about Price, Quality of Livestock, Customer Service, Knowledge of Employees.
The last thing I ever think about is how the floors look.
Weather they are wet or immaculate and gold plated marble I couldn't even tell you because I wouldn't bother to look.
I can tell you how the coral is though.
"My final complain is lack of anything remotely interesting as far as coral is concerned. I'm not sure how you can be a business owner and not try to figure out what people want."
Please keep in mind that the LFS caters to New Hobbyists not the I want the latest and greatest $5,000 Chalice crowd.
Just because you do not like it does not mean others do not.
I have seen people say "Are these Corals Dead (Pointing to Named Expensive Acros) because they do not even move" They could care less about Acros but are mesmerized by Xenia beacuse it moves.
Collectors would throw Xenia in the Toilet but that stuff is like Gold to a Noob.
One mans junk is another mans treasure.
You can stock a store with all the crazy expensive corals but that store will soon go out of business because nobody would buy it.
That crowd buys online and from frag swaps.
I think most stores do indeed know what their customers want and buy accordingly.
You are just not the target customer.
Don't get mad and complain just go where they have what you want (Online and Frag Swaps).
It is as simple as that.
The Sore Owners are not Stupid and they are not going to Alienate 100 Customers to please 1 Customer as that is terrible for business.
