Support your LFS

[ca1ore]

I'd argue that niche shops are becoming more popular than ever. Comic book stores, record stores, card shops, etc. all other nerd hobbies I've been into have seen tremendous growth recently.

I don't think that's supported by the data frankly. There may be more record or comic book stores today than last year, but certainly far less than 10 years ago .... or even 5. I'm old enough to have bought vinyl before there was digital. Even for CDs, there's really no place for me to buy them locally; unless you count BB, which I don't. Most of the niche audio stores I use to frequent are gone, as are at least half of the LFS.

 

[ca1ore]

I think the LFS that are gonna survive long term are the ones who offer maintenance and/or online sales.

Hardly new news .... that's been true for a decade, maybe longer. All of the surviving, longer-term LFS in my area have done so because they have a maintenance business.

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

I don't think that's supported by the data frankly. There may be more record or comic book stores today than last year, but certainly far less than 10 years ago .... or even 5. I'm old enough to have bought vinyl before there was digital. Even for CDs, there's really no place for me to buy them locally; unless you count BB, which I don't. Most of the niche audio stores I use to frequent are gone, as are at least half of the LFS.

Frankly, there's data directly from the distributor that supports my claim. Just because they're gone from your area doesn't mean that they're repopulating elsewhere.

Diamond ships to approximately 2,306 stores in North America that they classify as comic book stores. That number was stated at the end of 2016. They also estimate 80-100 new shops have successfully opened each year since 2012.

 

[Ulee]

talked to a sales rep dude from Ocean Nutrition while in my LFS, he collects data from LFS in his region, that data goes into a central system where they collect the information based on their surveys, etc.
Boy was that man shaking his head, salt water sales have for plummeted ...they couldn't figure it out.

Even the formula of shipping and servicing for an LFS is too much work, best to just service. Not worth the trouble

 

[ca1ore]

Frankly, there's data directly from the distributor that supports my claim. Just because they're gone from your area doesn't mean that they're repopulating elsewhere.

Sorry you lost me (or maybe just bad grammar); are you saying they're not repopulating elsewhere? The devil's in the details always with these things (mainly how they 'classify'; does 7-11 count?). Maybe comic book stores will be the last bastion of the niche retailer LOL. My point is a broader one, though; that specialty retailers are simply not long for this world.

 

[squampton]

Where abouts in Canada? I find our online vendor's have a pretty good selection and rarely do I see myself longing to shop a US site for equipment anyway. Livestock is a different thing, mostly corals is where the true limitation is I've found.

I am in Vancouver. I buy just about everything from J & L these days since they are local.

 

[JoshH]

I am in Vancouver. I buy just about everything from J & L these days since they are local.

Right on I've ordered from them before but I prefer reef supplies for dry goods. We have Pisces here in Calgary and they are pretty great but there prices on equipment are nuts.

 

[Greybeard]

Ozark Reefs in Nixa, MO. Owner is a hobbiest, and knows his stuff, though he's only open one day a week. I drive right by one dedicated LFS and several chain stores to get there.

 

[tablesalt]

House of Tropicals in Glen Burnie Maryland is the place to go. Great selection.

Quick story: Bought an anemone. Was healthy as could be in the display tank. Brought it home. Could not get it to attach to save my life. After a week, rather than continuing to try an get a Sebae to attach in a tank with too much flow, I decided it was only responsible to bring it back in hopes of it finding a new home. I was expecting partial store credit. They gave me full store credit for, "trying to do the right thing".

Worth a trip!

 

[Aquaholics4u]

FJW in Houston
If you know, you go to FJW.

 

[fish farmer]

I try to patronize my local LFS's, but sadly they're less than impressive.

One of my LFS which is an hour away has it's ups and downs. It could be an impressive fish store, they have big pond style glass tanks and once was actually doing some decent coral displays, but it must be the reef guy left and it is more lizard guys now. They have nice looking lizards and birds as well.

I did reluctantly support them yesterday, had to buy fish for the wife's fresh tank. Everytime she would look at a fish I was like nope, nope, nope, they all had ich or looked off. We did find one very active and healthy looking gourami so that did come home.

 

[tony'stank]

I’m very lucky that we have 7 high quality LFS in the Detroit area. One of them is the same LFS that I bought my first saltwater tank from more than 30 years ago. Same owners. And last year I bought my latest tank, RSR 450 from them. What makes me appreciate the LFS more is the fact that I lived in. Rural AZ for 9 years . My closest LFS was in Las Vegas, 100 miles and 2-21/2 hours driving time away.

 

[tangtime]

I’m very lucky that we have 7 high quality LFS in the Detroit area. One of them is the same LFS that I bought my first saltwater tank from more than 30 years ago. Same owners. And last year I bought my latest tank, RSR 450 from them. What makes me appreciate the LFS more is the fact that I lived in. Rural AZ for 9 years . My closest LFS was in Las Vegas, 100 miles and 2-21/2 hours driving time away.

7 in Detroit? How does that city’s economy support 7 I wonder?

 

[Ascended Reef]

I love hanging out at some of the stores but especially Amazing Aquariums and Reefs. Reef builders did an awesome video on Ali's store recently. I buy my eco tech stuff from him and what ever else I can get but I have to get my salt and test kits online. They are double in store.
Being in southern Orange County allows me to get to most OC and San Diego county stores within an hour.

Same! I love that store. Have you hit up Two Guys Corals in Anaheim? Amazing place with so many tanks. They're a wholesaler for corals.

 

[Amado]

That’s funny I order every thing online. I get all my supplies from amazon/brs. I trust the coral from WWC. I have a shop close to me but they are not very friendly and prices are double. I live in central NJ I drive to ACC to buy some coral
They have great prices. Aquarium care center they have great prices on Coral and live stock.

 

[Philt56]

I don't think that's supported by the data frankly. There may be more record or comic book stores today than last year, but certainly far less than 10 years ago .... or even 5. I'm old enough to have bought vinyl before there was digital. Even for CDs, there's really no place for me to buy them locally; unless you count BB, which I don't. Most of the niche audio stores I use to frequent are gone, as are at least half of the LFS.

I read bestbuy is removing CDs from retail stores this summer.

 

[Salty.Reefer]

Same! I love that store. Have you hit up Two Guys Corals in Anaheim? Amazing place with so many tanks. They're a wholesaler for corals.

Yeah I have been there twice. Awesome guys and impressive system. I was the only one there for a while so I got the full tour haha. Have they set up the display in the entry yet?

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

I’m probably the biggest dork of all, but I have not bought any of my fish stuff online ever. I have always gone to my lfs the one that I like, and if they don’t have it they always order it for me. If they have it through their vendors then I pay whatever price he gets it for plus whatever they mark it up as. (They have to make Money).

However, there were a few things I wanted that he wasn’t sure if he could get through his vendors. If he couldn’t then he has always charged me what the online price is. I would never buy anything online, I would rather support my local shop instead. If the one I always go to ever closed I would
Be devastated. The other two stores we have, well they are way over priced, and most of the people who work there are less than honest or ethical.

What’s also really nice is that, they know me well enough that when I do go in, and if they are super busy they know I don’t mind if they help others first. They always test water for free, and the first 10 gallons of Rodi water is always free as well. I have purchased fish before and sadly some didn’t make it a day. Not sure why, but as long as I call them and (if I can find them and get them out) everytime they have either given me another fish, or store credit.

Their corals selections are really good most of the time. The down side is, they are known to be the best so when coral does come in, it’s gone in two days. It’s terrible when they get acros in, most of the time, they are gone as fast as they come in.

In addition, I really can’t remember the last time I actually bought something online. Good grief it had to be over three or four years. I just have never really seen the major benefit of it.

 

[NinnJinn]

My pet store doesn't carry saltwater fish nor do they carry anything related to saltwater.

I was on the LRS site to see what the closest store was that carried Reef Frenzy. Closest one was 100miles away so yesterday my daughter and I took the trip down there and I was utterly amazed at everything that they had as far as saltwater livestock and their prices.

Although they do not have any kind of warranty on their saltwater livestock, their prices were cheaper to a dollar more then the online fish sellers Before their overnight shipping charges.

Regular tiny clowns $12 a pair.
Tiny Blue Hippo Tangs $40
Small Blue Hippo Tangs $45
tiny Yellow tangs $30
Small yellow tangs $35
Small Powder Blue Tang $60

Chocolate chip starfish where $5
Most of their different kinds of snails were $1.99


Their LRS Reef frenzy 8oz was $5 cheaper than the only online store that I saw selling it plus didn't have to pay the $25 overnight shipping for it.

They had oodles and gobs of Frags and they had quite a few different species of saltwater fish.

The one guy that helped my daughter and I seemed very knowledgeable about the saltwater fish and was very helpful and not trying to sell us something that we would regret later. Was going to get some Nassarius snails but he said not to get those because my chocolate chip starfish would eat them and also made sure that I was aware that the chocolate chip would also eat some corals. He also took the time to show me and tell me about what foods to give for the starfish and the trochus snails since I currently do not have algae nor fish in tank yet.

Although it's a hundred miles one way I will definitely be going to this store again but to make the trip worthwhile will be making out a big list of stuff to get.

 

[Snuggs]

While I did order both my tanks from online vendors, most everything that went in them comes from my LFS, I am a regular at Best Fish in Milwaukee WI. I find they are truly interested in selling me what I want, not the latest hype. Granted, the higher end corals are hard to come by, but the staff know me, my tank and are always there to guide me..love them

 

[Jeepguy242]

i was a fan of my LFS till they told me a fish i had would not be a problem with a fish i wanted to buy just to make the sale of a 60$ fish

i should have done my research...

now i will be driving past them to go to a not so local LFS because the guy there owner/only employee has told me in the past not to buy a cretain fish because of one i already had in my tank...

the only reason i stopped at the other was because the prices are similar on most things but it was alot closer