BillD
Aquarium Advice Addict
What we would like to see in a store isn't really relevant. Your market will determine what you should and shouldn't carry in terms of livestock, as will the suppliers you have to deal with. Clearly the bread and butter fishes could be the focus if their isn't much competition in the area. If the area is flooded with big box stores, than perhaps cornering a specialty/niche market (more profitable) would be the way to go, but whether that would succeed would depend on what the interest is in your market. It will be an interesting challenge. One thing to consider is that when a customer walks in because they need something, the last thing they wan't to hear is we can order it for you. Having sufficient stock on hand is an issue of capital, which obviously will be a limiting factor, as will space. Weekly specials on fish, and tanks sold at cost are important to draw customers. People are more likely to pay the premium on equipment if they are getting the tank cheap.