Anyone know how well LFS do?

[yacobito]

Does anyone know how well LFS owners do? I wonder if it is a good business to be in. I think it would be such a fun occupation. When I retire (which isn't for years and years to come) I think that would be my number one thing I would want to do. I wonder how hard it is to keep a FS in the positive. Anyone know people who own their own?

 

[sharkboy13]

well in theory its a good business becuz there is such a high demand for salt at the moment, id say start out small and get big

 

[reefrobert]

I have to buy everything from the on-line supplier because most stuff is 2X the price in the books. I buy only the tanks and things I need now!

 

[ophiura]

I would say it is probably not easy, and IME not fun (at least working there). Lots of things to deal with, both in retail and ethically.

 

[xdave]

It was good before the giant chain stores took over the market.

 

[1journeyman]

Seen 2 good ones in the DFW area that were started by enthusiastic owners go out of business....

 

[phsyco]

I have started my own fish store. A bit modest but at least for the suplies I need I can get them at wholesale prices instead of retail prices. Saves between 100 and 500% markup. Like instant ocean by the 200gal box instead of by the 150gal bucket, and fish at a whole lot cheaper prices but there is a minimum order on almost all wholesale order and shipping is the worst of all things in the buisness. expecially ordering live items. If I put a $500 order in to most of my wholsale supliers I pay around half the total in shipping cost. but $500 in fish would cost $2000+ getting them from a retail store. Dry goods are a lot easer on shipping if you can wait a few days to get it. Most of the time I can get items in on Mondays if ordered by Friday. Some items can take a little longer depending on where I have to oredr it from. The only reason I can think of for most store owners to mark things up like they do is the mager over head of having to keep the fish till they sell or the loss if the item dies while in the store. Most wholesale fish have no return policies if the item dies after it is receved, only if it dies in transit.

 

[yacobito]

I guess you really would have to find a good market to start in to begin with. Phsyco, thanks for your information. I have a friend who started a coffee shop and has horror stories of shipping problems. I can only imagine what it would be like to deal with getting live stock shipped. Do you sell just sell SWF or do you also sell FW? I still think it would be a fun endeavor under the right circumstances. I think opening your own business, regardless of what it is, comes with a lot of headaches and hardships.
Ophiura, I wasn't sure what you meant by "ethically"? Do you mean selling fish/corals to people who won't give them the proper care or facilities? I could see that being a problem. Just curious. ***** here opened/remodeled a few of their stores here in the Detroit area (now offering larger SW selections) and from what I have seen they are selling their livestock considerably lower than the LFSs in the area. I wonder how much business they will take away.

 

[puff_puff_]

where in pa are ya phyco?

 

[phsyco]

I live in Cambridge Springs PA. zip code 16403. I don't sell fw fish at this time but I do have wholesale supliers I can get them from. most of the local stores have so manny fw fish for sale there's not much of a market left for them. Saltwater on the outher hand is a whole diffret kettle of fish. Most stores don't want to keep stock in due to overhead, Cost of the fish, Minnimum order size from the wholesalers, and loss due to improper water and aclimation of the fish. Corals are the same way. Not the correct lighting, water and food so there losses are insane in most store tanks. If I get enough people that want items I place an order and tell them when the order will be in so they can make sure the fish go wright from the wholesaler tank to theres. That way the fish get as little stress as posible and have a much higher survival rate, as they don't have to be aclimated 2 or 3 times before they get to the new owners tank. It also keeps over head to a minnimum.

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by Yacobito
Ophiura, I wasn't sure what you meant by "ethically"? Do you mean selling fish/corals to people who won't give them the proper care or facilities? I could see that being a problem. Just curious. .

Exactly. I found that I started making rapid judgement calls about what people could and could not "handle" when it came to fish. You may have to sacrifice some of your "ideals" to sell fish to less than ideal situations. You may have people who want fish in the tank for the Super Bowl and to heck with it if they are dead in a few days. Do you get the several hundred $$ sale or say take a hike? And what line do you have? For me, the lines are pretty tough to cross, and it got to me. I could never own a store myself. Couldn't work at one again I think either.

 

[1journeyman]

Great points, as always, Ophiura.
Phsyco, good luck man! That's exciting. I hope it works out extremely well for you!

 

[phsyco]

Thats the best thing about the way I sell them I know the people who are buying from me and how they treat there pets, how large there systems are and what will work in there tanks. If it's a fish or item I'm not sure about I look it up to make sure I know what I'm selling and what it takes to take care of it before I sugest it or sell it. Alot like Purple Up...... I tried it before I would say yes or no to buying it.... With the time I used it I would say it's a major wast of money. You get beter results from leaving your a actinic lights on longer and using a toothbrush to scrub the coraline you already have to make it grow faster and spread much easer than using it. It also played havoc with my water levels all over the place. I can say there are much beter ways to try to kill you fish and corals than using that suff. old age is one of my favorites.......

 

[phsyco]

***** Is one store to be verry carefull of!!!!!!!!! I have seen a lot of there stores and asked manny manny questions about how they aclimaterd and what treatments they put in there tanks. Alot of there fish come in sick from "unknown areas and reasons" so they keep there full system with copper and a few outher treatments that could verry well kill a lot of reaf systems if even a little of there water happen to make it in are tanks. So again I advise to ask what's in there tanks for chemicals and look carefully at what you buy before you buy it!