highland135
New member
Gnome - I was wondering if you have set up a time and place to look at the tanks that are for sale in the previous thread. I got a PM that it was going to be Sunday the 4th, but it did not have location or time.
Waterloo tanks - Gnome
- Thread starter highland135
- Start date
Just as i had expected, the tanks for sale were comming from the old Tropicals Unlimited Store on Almond St in Wtloo. I had stopped by while at work and noticed the owner was inside. He said he was selling some tanks and still has a lot to sell. Im not going to take over and take charge for what Gnome started but at least now you know where they are comming from.
Josh
Josh
waverz
Slave to the reef!
The guy has a ton of tanks, i really want to buy the whole place but the location is just horrible. Its so in the ghetto. Ill bet hes got 300+ tanks there. Im thinking it would be cool to get enought to fill my basement but gotta save some cash. With the wedding coming up in feb. i gotta start saving.
Pro Tropics/Tropics Ultd, both seemed doomed by that location. Waterloo has quite a few promising locations, but nothing that would support that number of tanks. I would love to see the next attempt at a wholesale fish store here in the area. Emporium needs to deceide what they are doing as far as their aquatics go, they seem to have a bit of bad luck with the fire marshall, and keeping it up to code. They must have slipped some money under the table when they were still in W'loo.
xroads
New member
You are right about being in the ghetto. I imagine that it is all brick with a big steel door & no windows. I think you should buy it, last time I looked it was dirt cheap. Check with SBA for a loan. Try & do both the whole sale & retail side, on fish & coral. Even have a website. I would help you in any way I could including business planning & execution. It would be very hard but you are one of the few people I can see making it work.
Craig
Craig
waverz
Slave to the reef!
I did work there on and off for a few years and always wanted to buy it but i was just too young and wild. Now it seems im in the total opposite posistion, i just bought a house and am getting married in 3 months.
The wife says noway and my mom wasnt to hip on the idea either. Although i would like to see the numbers on the place. Nate said he was making money running it, and i know that there is some profit to be made but the question is, how much? Wholesale account would definetly be the key, i think there is somewhat of a chance to make a little retail as well its just a matter of the right people being able to find the place. None of the previous owners paid anything for advertisment and wondered why no one knew where the place was.
Anyway, like i said ide love to own that place but it would take a ton of work and time to get it going right, after that its a huuuge gamble.
The wife says noway and my mom wasnt to hip on the idea either. Although i would like to see the numbers on the place. Nate said he was making money running it, and i know that there is some profit to be made but the question is, how much? Wholesale account would definetly be the key, i think there is somewhat of a chance to make a little retail as well its just a matter of the right people being able to find the place. None of the previous owners paid anything for advertisment and wondered why no one knew where the place was.
Anyway, like i said ide love to own that place but it would take a ton of work and time to get it going right, after that its a huuuge gamble.
einsteins
Premium Member
Make sure if you buy any tanks from that store, you find out if they were used with any harmful meds like copper etc.
I had a friend buy a tank from a closing store and it leached meds back from the silicone that caused problems with inverts and the bacteria in his sand and rock...
ein
I had a friend buy a tank from a closing store and it leached meds back from the silicone that caused problems with inverts and the bacteria in his sand and rock...
ein
leeweber85
New member
I think a clean fishstore would do well in the waterloo /CF area. according to the employees at emporium, saltwater was there #1 seller and most stuff was gone before they even put it in there tanks. Petco claims the same thing, I doubt it's completely true though. I think the key would be to have a variety of animals and not just fish/sw. That way you could attract new saltwater hobbiest... and bring in more $$$. The saltwater hobby is growing fast these days now that there's more information about it. All of my friends want to setup an aquarium after seeing mine... So if Emporium has made it for this long (and it's obvious that the owners have very poor business and aquarium skills) I think one could do pretty well opening up a store.
Sorry for all of that babbling
Sorry for all of that babbling
waverz
Slave to the reef!
I do have some friends that are into herps and stuff but i would never ever sell cats and dogs. Just the site of them being in cages makes me ill.
I think it would be cool to have a nice clean shop downtown CF somewhere, as long as it is clean and the prices are comparable to retial around here it should do rather well. Like i said ive been wanting to do this for awhile, im just not sure if im willing to take that big of risk in opening a business.
I think it would be cool to have a nice clean shop downtown CF somewhere, as long as it is clean and the prices are comparable to retial around here it should do rather well. Like i said ive been wanting to do this for awhile, im just not sure if im willing to take that big of risk in opening a business.
waverz
Slave to the reef!
www.SBA.gov tells ya how to get grants and loans...remember that garage door project i was telling you about? Yeah, i need to do that.
