If you had your own LFS...

[JPloman]

I am working on a business plan for a lfs that I plan to open in Virginia in the next few years when my husband and I change duty stations. I have been entertaining some ideas, but I am not really sure what I should name it. I have a list of choices, but dont want to release them until I have all the kinks worked out.

Can you guys give me some ideas as well? I would like to know what you would name your dream fish store.

Also if you have any original ideas on what you would want to see in a lfs, please let me know.

I plan to have a virtual store as well as a physical store. It is my intention to offer advice and supplies of the highest quality. Breed livestock and harvet liverock for myself (my husband is a Navy Diver and there are other hard hat divers that plan to be involved in harvesting the liverock).

 

[MYTY1705]

Good luck on you venture. I hope all goes well. As for ideas, have more than one price level of all your equipment. The LFS arouns here all have the same brand and price, no flexibility. You either get their brand at their price or nothing. It sucks!!!

 

[pearsont74]

just so you know...its illegal to harvest LR in fla without a specail license. You may want to research on this. I know they are very strict with this.
I have been thinking about this too to open a LFS and I was goin to get with liverock.com and set up an account with them
Its still very competive with all the online stuff....

 

[cJw]

The Fish Store? LoL. . . um,

Fin-atics?

Egads- that's horrid. . . um,

Fish Tails?

Ok, I'll quite while I'm ahead.

 

[EJS4]

I would suggest try to go as environmentally friendly as you can, grow your own live rock rather than just harvest.
Bulk discounts on items like snails and hermits.

And one to avoid, my pet peeve, display tanks of items not for sale. I don't know how many times I've gone into my OLD LFS and asked about simple items like snails or hermits. Been told their out of stock while their display tank has dozens.

 

[JPloman]

Here is the mission statement we have thus far.

"To provide a local and virtual store for reef hobbyist to gain knowledge, supplies, livestock, and maintance of the highest quality. To dive for and collect live rock and livestock in order to reduce overhead costs and provide quality products for customers at a lower cost to them and to collect specimens in a humane and ecologically friendly way."

On the live rock harvesting thing. If you place your own rock in the water and have a license to do that, it is totally legal to harvest it. I have done tons and tons of research on it. Thanks for the advice though!

EJS4, I totally agree about that pet peeve! I hate display tanks that they wont sell anything out of. Like snails are that hard to replace!

 

[JPloman]

Oh and here is a list of the products we are planning to carry, if all goes as planned.

Live Rock
Live Rock Rubble
Live Sand
Livestock
Aquariums, custom made & standard
Kent Products
Frozen Food
RO/DI Water
Live Feeder Fish
Salt Mix
Base/Dead Rock
Base Sand
Wet/Dry Filters
Refugiums
Lighting systems
Full library of text regarding aquariums, fish, algae and other related topic
Advice Guru, marine biology student preferably
Overnight delivery to most US locations
Internet advice, sells and services
Power heads

 

[pearsont74]

are u just goin to be saltwater?

 

[JPloman]

So far, yes. That may change in time. As we are working up the business plan there seems to be a larger and larger need for freshwater, however we have not made the decision yet.

Would you rather see freshwater in your lfs as well?

 

[Clown Monarch]

Good luck on you venture. I hope all goes well. As for ideas, have more than one price level of all your equipment. The LFS arouns here all have the same brand and price, no flexibility. You either get their brand at their price or nothing. It sucks!!!

Agreed.

Don't intentionally price some customers out of your shop. Recommend what you like, but stock everything. If my LFS carried nothing but $500 skimmers then I wouldn't be buying from them as it's my opinion that a $50 plastic tube with a PH attached is as good as a $500 plastic tube with a PH attached.

 

[morgan24]

i know alot of people that have both fw and sw in there houses. I do and when i go to the lfs i usually need something for both tanks. but its just a thought on whole fw thing. personally i like the lfs that have both. But it might depend on what demand u have in your area to.

 

[cJw]

I think it'd be kind of odd to sell tropical fish and only have salt, or only fw. . . I can't say I've ever seen just one and not the other.

Even if it's marginal fw, go with the basics at the very least. . . ?

 

[JPloman]

The lfs here in PC has only saltwater in it. That is why I was thinking of only going with sw. They are a great specialty shop! I think you guys have a very valid point about tropical fw fish in the store as well. I will speak with my business partner.

 

[MYTY1705]

Just to ley you guys know I also have started to get ready to open a web site for sw lovers. I am in the process of contacting vendors and merchants of produts to be able to sell. Hopefully will be up and running in 3-4 months. Will be becoming an AA sponsor as soon as all is settled and running. So be ready to see a new banner and start ordering!!!!

Jp I hope you would have both salt and fresh. Opens the door to more customers. With the type of support that it sounds like you have it would be easy to do both.

Also members make a list of products and makers of products you would like to see on websites that all those people run. The more we know from you the more we can support your needs!!!!!

 

[JPloman]

Also members make a list of products and makers of products you would like to see on websites that all those people run. The more we know from you the more we can support your needs!!!!!

I totally agree! I am asking as many questions as I can to hobbyist in order to know exactly what to carry.

 

[mastershake]

carry everything , nto just what you like necessarily, the store i work in carrys tons of stuff and a lot of it is novel things, but we get a lot of kids with their parents and stuff, i guess it depends on the crowd, but by incorporating the younger people, and being able to accomadate the more advanced by special order and such, might be a very good take on it, mroe advanced hobbyists noramally know what they want and carrying expensive lighting and such may not turn profit as fast as 50 spongebob pineapple houses, depending on your customers i guess, but remmeber the internet has those cheapy things, so stocking expensive stuff wont be able to compete with the internet