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SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW LFS

reefsandrotts

reefsandrotts

NJRC Member
Hello all
I'm in the process of opening a shop and I'm looking for input on what everyone looks for in a LFS.THe shop will be located in far north NJ,I'm currently looking for the right building to set up shop in.I look forward to any and all suggestions the club has.And yes the club will get DEEP discounts.
Thanks
Jim
 
JohnS_323

JohnS_323

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Hey Jim, that's great news. I wish you a lot of luck.

Some of the things I look for in a store are:

  • A good selection of healthy livestock - Not the just the run-of-the-mill, but a good mix of both unusual and common fish and corals.
  • A good mix of frags and colonies.
  • Descent pricing, but I will definitely pay more for healthy animals. Unfortunately, that's one of those trust things that develop over time.
  • A regular supply of certain items. For example, there is one LFS in my area that ALWAYS has chocolate chip star fish. I know when I need them, that's the place to go. While I'm there I always look around and occasionally come home with more that just the star fish.
  • A good selection of plumbing parts unique to reef keeping (bulk heads, uni-seals, plastic hose clamps, etc)
  • A good variety of test kits and additives
  • Bulbs are a tough one. I would almost recommend not carrying them at all. The problem is that there is no practical way to carry every bulb considered "common" to the person coming in to look for them.

Those are just a few things I can think of. I'll add to the list if I can think of anything else.

Again, good luck with this endeavor.
 
reefsandrotts

reefsandrotts

NJRC Member
John
I'm planning at least 4 frag systems around 120 gallons each,fish will be a wide range from like you said usual and unusual,main coral tanks are going to be 10'x3'x30' hoping to have 2-4 of these all in coming fish will be QT'd for a minimum of 10 days in a seperate holding system, I may lose sales that way if someone won't wait but that would be there loss.I will keep some stars in stock for you ;)

Malv,
Customer service is everything I've been doing this for over 20 years and have seen my share of people in shops going um-duh you could,maybe and with people like that I feel sorry for the shop owner because his employee just black balled his shop.

I have a glass guy lined up who has built many tanks over the years as well as a carpenter to build stands and canopies for the custom tanks at very reasonable prices.

Please keep the suggestions coming,I am hoping to find a place large enough to have a meeting room for clubs to meet or for people just to hang out.
Thanks again
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

JohnS_323 said:
Some of the things I look for in a store are:

  • A good selection of healthy livestock - Not the just the run-of-the-mill, but a good mix of both unusual and common fish and corals.
  • A good mix of frags and colonies.
  • Descent pricing, but I will definitely pay more for healthy animals. Unfortunately, that's one of those trust things that develop over time.
  • A regular supply of certain items. For example, there is one LFS in my area that ALWAYS has chocolate chip star fish. I know when I need them, that's the place to go. While I'm there I always look around and occasionally come home with more that just the star fish.
  • A good selection of plumbing parts unique to reef keeping (bulk heads, uni-seals, plastic hose clamps, etc)
  • A good variety of test kits and additives
  • Bulbs are a tough one. I would almost recommend not carrying them at all. The problem is that there is no practical way to carry every bulb considered "common" to the person coming in to look for them.
Click to expand...
.

* Cleanliness- I'm not looking for Monk/o.c.d. clean, but the fish room should not feel humid. It should not smell. The floor should be relatively dry.

*Minor quip- It would be nice if the store accepted all major credit cards.
 
JohnS_323

JohnS_323

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
MikeNapoli said:
A couch.
Click to expand...

LOL! I was waiting for someone from the AO crew to suggest this! I was going to include it but I thought I'd leave it up to one Will's Couch Potatos!
 
reefsandrotts

reefsandrotts

NJRC Member
MikeNapoli said:
A couch.
Click to expand...
Mike for you how about a massage chair for you,if it doesn't cost too much I'll have it monogramed for you... ;D

Phil519-I hear you on clean and the humidity issue I hate walking out of a store and feel like I just went swimming

Jceli-Looking for the right location now but it will be in our area,lets face it there is NO good shops around us.
Thanks again for the input
 
jimroth

jimroth

Jim--
Go see that store our friend runs, see how he runs his SW system and what kind of people he hires.




Then do everything the opposite way!!!
 
jimroth

jimroth

On a more serious note:
I think you need to be up front with people about why they need a relationship with a physical store in these days of mail-order and teh intraweb.

Maybe you could offer a 24-hour emergency number, for regular customers, who might be in a situation off-hours.

You certainly need to offer maintenance services here in big-bucks North Jersey.

I have always wanted a store to post a board with:

--what's just come in
--what's on special
--a frozen foods menu

One of those black boards with the white letters would do nicely.

It might be nice to make the store a center for education, maybe run a class once a week on:

--setting up the tank
--solving common problems
--coral fragging etc.

You could possibly drag club members into this process...
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Those are all quite interesting ideas that Jim came up with. I like the deli counter style menu idea...
 
V

vangvace

Assuming you're going to have a website... a list of what brands of drygoods you regularly carry woulld be nice. (Maybe even a listing of the companies you can order from but I don't know if that would work)

A small selection of bulbs would be nice in case of emergency. Kinda thinking maybe one of each common wattage of your favorite brand to start off and then expand with your customers needs.

Space for two adults to be back to back with noses against the glass without rubbing butts; or at least so you don't touch the tank behind you when you bend over to look in a tank.

Clearly labeled prices and an organized register area.
 
reefsandrotts

reefsandrotts

NJRC Member
jimroth said:
Jim--
Go see that store our friend runs, see how he runs his SW system and what kind of people he hires.




Then do everything the opposite way!!!
Click to expand...

Jim
You killing me with our friend, ;D 24 hour service might not be a problem if I get 1 more hair brained idea my wife is going to make me sleep there so I guess I could just put up a door bell for the night crowd.As far as the "MENU" they will be a led board in the fishroom with pricing and specials,tanks will be done with a lable machine I hate crayons and markers for pricing sometimes it's like trying to read something a newborn baby scribbled.
 
blange3

blange3

reefsandrotts said:
Jim
As far as the "MENU" they will be a led board in the fishroom with pricing and specials,tanks will be done with a label machine I hate crayons and markers for pricing sometimes it's like trying to read something a newborn baby scribbled.
Click to expand...

Sounds good! My biggest gripe is not seeing prices on livestock. I don't mind grease pens as long as I can red them.

2nd biggest gripe is not keeping the posted hours.

My main reasons to visit an LFS are:

1)Great, healthy, livestock. I only buy cleanup critters online.

2)Good selection of foods, particularly frozen.

3)Nice, comfy couch with plenty of room. ;)
 
L

Lord Viper

drive out to Something fishy in Northhampton PA (Sorry AO) that is my favorite store for salt water. Hey how about you carry saltwater and nothing else No dogs cats birds or fresh. Be a one stop shop.
 
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