What would the perfect lfs have?

hagfish

hagfish

Active Member
I agree about the price tags as ninjamini mentioned. This is the kind of thing that is relatively easy to do, but nobody takes advantage of. Just make the pricing easy to read, find, and figure out. And add as much info as you can about each product (livestock mostly).
The newest LFS near us probably has the best setup. They have a tank that goes along the entire wall with dividers to make them into cubes about 24" X 24". Over each cube is a price for every item in the cube. It's simple to figure out the price. They don't have a whole lot of other info though. And this seems to be just for corals. Fish prices aren't as organized. They also have a big tank where everything in it is $40. It's just so easy. And that's what makes it good.
 
kedabo

kedabo

Member
I drive 40 miles one way for a LFS near me that is not a DeathCO excuse me a *****. Owner onsite. A guarantee would be great. Free water quality testing. Discount on pre-mixed SW for regular customer or for large quanities. Information print outs on the care and feeding of the animals. Competative prices. Lots of equipment choices. Knowledgeabel staff who can admit if they dont know something, and point you to someone or someplace who might. These are a few things that would keep me comming back.
 
kedabo

kedabo

Member
Originally Posted by whitey_028
I dont even think there is custom built hoods on the net either and most tanks are standard sizes.
There is a place out of Sacramento, CA that does custom lighting hoods they have a web address where you can order your setup. Of course more people doing it means better choice.
 
kidreef

kidreef

Member
sorry if this has been metioned i have kinda been skimming throught but what about a frag swap like costumor to store and costumor to costumor u could get more variaty without paying as much for a coral
 
rudedog40

rudedog40

Member
One of the LFS's I go to does nothing but livestock and food. He tells me he can order anything I want (supplies, lights, fish, pick one). His prices are comparable to the online prices. He has one side of the shop for inverts and fish, and the other side for LR, every coral imaginable, anemones, clams, and saltwater plants. He seems to specialize in corals. He has around six tanks with nothing but various corals. I went in one week, and he had three orders of around 10 boxes come in that week, 75% were corals. Seems to have generated a large clientele when it comes to them. Most of what he gets in doesn't stay there long. He sells LR for $2.50 - $3.50 per lb. depending on the type and how cured it is. He also cures his own 'dead rock'. The only problem I have with him is the tanks he uses for fish and inverts are filthy. They're all cloudy and have tons of algae in them. But from what I've seen, his fish don't last for more than a couple of days before they're sold. His partner is a seahorse fanatic, so she keeps at least one tank to sell those. He only stocks the popular sellers - Coral Beauty, Yellow Tang, Blue Hippo, mandarin, clowns, and a couple other angels and wrasses. I haven't asked, but I think he just sticks to ordering fish that people ask him to get. Nice small place. Couldn't be more than 500 - 700 sq. ft. Low overhead.
 
zman1

zman1

Active Member
Sixty miles would cover all of the metro INDY area from Columbus. If you would open the store closer to INDY and you commute, this may be better for business.
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
No one is perfect but mom and pop, skin and bone places get on my nerves. The hobby is expensive to say the least but these ratty little shops everywhere preying on newbies disgust me.
Obviously it is a business and they intend on making money, but if they are always waiting on a shipment or when you ask for something they offer to order it it defeats the entire purpose of a true "LFS"
Any shop that doesnt stock dry goods is worthless in my book. They are flash in the pan and trying to just survive by turn-n-burn coral shipments to the newbie crowd that has popped up in recent months.
I might be spoiled or just plain snotty but the entire reason to "swing by" a local shop is to grab some carbon, or Kalk, replace a powerhead without notice ect.
Sure if I need something special or an internal part to some random peice of equipment then thats a different story.
Just sick of these crumby halfwitt shops that have popped up all over that dont even have an adequate supply of the basics. Some are OUT OF SALT for crying out loud!!
JMO
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
After re-reading the post, boy I sound like a jerk.
I commend you on your passion for the hobby and I really wish yourself and your shop the best.
Just please please please never run out of salt if you want to be taken seriously to any of us old goats. Rule of thumb have 20 cases on hand of at LEAST 3 brands at ALL times.
Good luck
 
thirty5

thirty5

Member
Ok here is my 2 cents, and since it is actually only worth 1, you are getting half for free :)
1. Clean well lit store.
2. Air-Conditioned... i went into one store and i have to say that i sweated the entire time. I mean that when i left after 20 mins my shirt was soaked. Im not saying that you have to keep at 65 degrees, but a nice comfortable temp is nice.
3. Good selection
4. Clean tanks
5. Clean tanks
6. Clean Tanks
7. Keep some rare stuff
8. I know that you said aquatics only, i hope that you mean no hardware. Make sure that you do carry foods. And you should really have the basics in equipment.
9. Custom Ordering (if someone wants something, find it for them No Extra Charge for custom order)
10. Be truthful with customers, no BS
11. KNOWLEDGEABLE Salespeople. Not sure if you are going to run the store yourself, but it is very important that people can come in an believe what the sales people are telling them. Would be bad if you walk in and tell the salesperson that you have a reef and you want a nice angel and he/she sells it to them. I know that people harp on doing research first, but the research should be at the store, a salesperson should know their stuff.
12. Water Testing
13. RO/DI
14. Discount Card is a great idea. ie Buy $500 get $20 free (overtime)
15. Quantity Discount, like if you buy over $200 you get 5% discount.
16. Parking, hate not having parking, but depends on your location
I know that there is more. Sorry for the rant, i am just picking out the stuff that i thougth of for now.
 
emm0909

emm0909

Member
Man, I'll tell you what. If you ever get up to Rochester NY check out The Reef Shoppe. (www.t_******e.com)
Fist of all Tom the owner has a great sence of class, style and design. On top of the most fantastic display tanks I have ever seen the atmosphere is top. Jazz music, coffee and an excellent selection in great condition.
So in a great LFS I would want display tanks that you could stare at for hours. (at least one 220)
Groovy atmosphere.
Excellent selection.
Someone who will always remember you and talk to you about your tank and beond. Someone who will develope a personal relationship with you.
 
rudedog40

rudedog40

Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
After re-reading the post, boy I sound like a jerk.
I commend you on your passion for the hobby and I really wish yourself and your shop the best.
Just please please please never run out of salt if you want to be taken seriously to any of us old goats. Rule of thumb have 20 cases on hand of at LEAST 3 brands at ALL times.
Good luck

LOL. Actually I went into his shop the other day, and he had several buckets of salt that just came in. I think you nailed this guy as far as being a "mom and pop' type store. I agree there are pros and cons to this type of shop. I just like stopping by every once in a while to see what new livestock he gets in, and it's a easy stop for me to pick up food. I have another store where I can get my supplies.
 
groupergenius

groupergenius

Active Member
Personally I would only supply livestock, foods, and R/O fresh and salt water. All the dry goods can be had from the internet cheaper than you could sell them. Perhaps since you'll have a computer online in the store, direct the customer to the better units. And turn them on to the forums here.

Keeping overhead low will enable cheaper prices and better customer support.
 
thirty5

thirty5

Member
Originally Posted by GrouperGenius
Personally I would only supply livestock, foods, and R/O fresh and salt water. All the dry goods can be had from the internet cheaper than you could sell them. Perhaps since you'll have a computer online in the store, direct the customer to the better units. And turn them on to the forums here.

Keeping overhead low will enable cheaper prices and better customer support.
I agree but you need some dry goods. YOu sell someone something and they ask what they eat, and then you tell them well they eat dry food for example... But i dont carry it, buy it online. You need to stock the most commons foods, some flake, pellets, FROZEN Mysis, silversides, enriched brine.. stuff like that.
 
fishgeek01

fishgeek01

Active Member
i had forgotten that this thread exists.... a buddy of mine and i are in the planning stages for this shop.... it will be on the south side of indy, going to do mostly live goods, but offer some dry goods. going to offer more custom products thatn anything, lighting, hoods, stands, and tanks. but the livestock will be the bulk of our business... going to offer the cheapest frags and colonies in the midwest hands down. All of our stuff will be no less than 2nd generation, typically 3rd and 4th, we have a lot of stock right now that we are cultivating and propogating that will eventually be used as our first livestock. This is taking far longer than we expected but should be open late next year if all goes according to plan, barring any divine intervention.... thanks for all of the comments, keep them coming, i figure the best way to offer what we want as hobbyists is to ask those that we will be serving....
thanks all
Fishgeek01
 
groupergenius

groupergenius

Active Member
Originally Posted by thirty5
I agree but you need some dry goods. YOu sell someone something and they ask what they eat, and then you tell them well they eat dry food for example... But i dont carry it, buy it online. You need to stock the most commons foods, some flake, pellets, FROZEN Mysis, silversides, enriched brine.. stuff like that.
I agree, that's why foods was on my list.
 
grabbitt

grabbitt

Active Member
I for one would be ecstatic simply if I could walk into my LFS week after week and be consistently given the same price quote for the same piece of coral or livestock instead of the ridiculous price fluctuations that occur every time I speak to someone new.
 
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