coral business

[Anonymous]

:roll:

Please reefrain (ha! I kill me...) from the personal attacks on Naesco. I know you disagree with a lot of his positions and opinions, but let's drop it a couple of notches okay?

ROTFL! :lol:

Peace,

Chip

 

[JennM]

The day Wayne starts to sound like Steve, is the day that I start to sound like Kalk 8O

So what are you saying, Wayne? That the small side-business who brings in a few boxes of Indo farmed corals and a few wild SPS colonies, is going to replace the aquatics or pet retailer?

If that's what you are thinking, then your ideas are further removed from reality than I had presumed. (Mods... I am attacking his THINKING, not his PERSON...)

Wayne, you really need to either find another industry to save (preferably one you have worked in) OR put your money where your mouth is and get a job in the trade, or open a business in the trade.

I'm sure you wouldn't like to hear all of us direct you on the finer points of real estate closings, now would you? Since that is YOUR field, and none of us have any exprience in it... it would be fine and dandy for me to give you my notions about what you could be doing better... but would you take me seriously if I'd never practiced real estate law? (Hint: You shouldn't!).

Jenn

 

[Anonymous]

Being one of those hobbiests in the land of OZ, I can understand the garage (barn, in my case) retailer. In fact, one of my lfs is in the showroom of a car window tinting business. In this neck of the woods, people open stores in any spare room in their homes, back yards, garages or what have you. So, if iclau is in that situation, then he may well be the best solution/option for the local reefers. But only in that case. Opening a basement/garage store to get yourself lower prices isn't gonna help anyone but yourself. And sure isn't gonna help the reefs.

I'm gonna say this again. I drive HOURS to get to good fish stores. Let's see, since the first of the year, 2 1/2 hours to Nashville, 2 1/2 hours to Dizzy's place (doing that again at the end of the month because he has an awesome store and is 10 times better than the one in Nashville), 3 1/2 hours to Inland Aquatics in Terre Haute, 6 1/2 hours to Jenn's place (which I must say is a killer store and the best customer service).

Lawrence are you in my kind of area? Is there not a shop that will order what you need within a reasonable driving time? Can you ask you LFS to order from the importers on this BB? There are other options, you just need to find them.

 

[lclau]

I am not trying to to do this just to get myself discounted prices. I will, however, keep the rare gems that I do happen to like for myself .

Anyways, this service is to provide those around me with some beautiful SPS corals because the only LFS's around me don't really carry SPS, have neglected to take care of their stock lately, have red bugs, or are slightly farther than people are willing to drive out to frequently.

 

[JennM]

I am not trying to to do this just to get myself discounted prices. I will, however, keep the rare gems that I do happen to like for myself .

Anyways, this service is to provide those around me with some beautiful SPS corals because the only LFS's around me don't really carry SPS, have neglected to take care of their stock lately, have red bugs, or are slightly farther than people are willing to drive out to frequently.

LOL you can't make money if you keep all the good stuff...

If your LFS doesn't carry SPS it is probably because they don't sell well except to very specialized hobbyists. A number of us here in this forum and elsewhere have made the same observation. When I first opened, I went gung-ho on SPS as soon as my system could support them. I've still got stacks of Montipora frags that nobody wants, that are becoming colonies :lol: MOST hobbyists still want LPS and softies, they are less intimidating, less expensive (generally) and are more forgiving. If you want something specific, ask them to order it... ditto with other hobbyists - if the LFS gets feedback on what is desireable, they WILL order it in. My experience is that there are probably 50 hobbyists keeping easy-care LPS and softies, per every 1 who tries something more... of course I don't sell hard to keep or light-loving corals to people with 2 x 40 watt NO bulbs... but I know other stores' staffers don't always ask questions and just bag it up... but that's another post. Given the cost of decent lighting for those higher-maintenance corals, it's cost-prohibitive for many.

If the LFS are neglectful, then they shouldn't be supported... but there's a difference between a bit of algae and otherwise healthy stock, and stuff that's dead/dying and not being tended. Of course all it takes is for a box of coral to be put in the cooler, or left on a hot tarmack, to come in looking like crap too. Some stores throw away a whole colony if it doesn't look perfect... I've got a "boneyard" where stuff can either term out, or recover, and I've got a great bunch of customers who love to scour my "scratch and dent" section for something that is blemished but otherwise healthy, and nurture it into something gorgeous. It's rather exciting to have somebody bring in a picture of something they bought 6 months ago that had a bad spot, that has re-encrusted, or a dead head but the live ones have grown up and past and the blemish no longer shows... makes for a good hobbyist to look past a flaw and nurture something along until it's awesome.

All it takes is for you to import one coral with red bugs, or red planaria, or brown jelly, or white band disease, and POOF you've got it too... nobody's immune to any of that.

I've had people drive many hours to my humble little place... like Sally from KY, Tom from SC, Richard from Nashville... had a guy come up from Macon last weekend. While those are exceptions, exceptional hobbyists WILL drive to an exceptional shop. However, one can't depend on people coming from far and wide, the bread and butter customers are in our own back yards. I am flattered that people come from all over - honestly my place is small and there are plenty of more impressive looking stores in this area ... must be for my good looks or something :lol: :roll: I value every customer - I think that is more likely why people come. Whatever the reasons, I appreciate them.

Jenn