alamo aquatics on bandera...

[satx-94integraLS]

wooo boy, where to begin. i guess the beginning is the best place...


arrived at store, informed jason of what i wanted. jason happily explained what i would need for the setup i wanted to do, no pushy-shovey trying to get me to buy everything in the store.

left store and came back, spoke with gabe...

gabe tried to sell me a 300$ wet/dry system for a 30 gallon tank, using the argument that 'more filtration is better'.

while i cannot agree more, a 300$ wet/dry system for a 30gallon tank is massive overkill. a CPR (shush, i know) backpack would have been more than enough for the tank, and 200$ cheaper. not only this, but gabe seemed to want to suggest the most expensive parts for such a small tank.

while i have no issues purchasing the required items to run a saltwater tank properly, i do have issues with pushy salesmen attempting to sell me the store.

also, 9.99/lb for live uncured tonga branch rock!?!!!!?

i kid you not, 9.99 a pound.

while a 10% discount was offered to me if i purchased a complete setup, the items i would have purchased all had orange tags on them, meaning that they cannot discount those items any further. so, i tell you, what was the point?

and... how about a rundown on how the store operates daily.. on say a wednsday?

9:50am - arrive at work, only to discover for the 3rd consecutive week, the manager isnt there. take a quick peek around the store, trolling for 'deads'.

10am - store opens, w/o the manager being present and 2 clerks present, one on each side. trash is still in the trashcans from the previous night, various cans and bags of left over chips surround the back counter...

10:20am - owner calls, asking if the manager has made it in. inform him that he has not, lots of fish are dead as usual, and few customers inhabit the store.

11am - owner calls a 2nd time, asking if the manager has arrived yet. inform him that he has not, but will have him call when he arrives.

12:20pm - manager arrives finally, explaining that the meeting with his P.O (parole officer) took longer than expected (yes, alamo aquatics is ran by someone on parole). owner calls, speaks with manager, at which point manager is now in a bad mood and proceeds to make clerk clean the store and make it spotless.

3pm - manager leaves, despite store being semi-crowded.

and how about a rundown of the crew there?

Jason (tall white guy) - very informative, loves to help people and talk about fish and corals

chris (tall white manager guy) - same as jason, but more jovial

mona - cool older lady who knows her tetras

brad - short white guy that loves to stock shelves and hide in the bathroom.

gabe - hispanic manager that loves to sell you everything in his store, and is real pushy about it.

unknown guy - shorter white guy with brown hair, knows fresh and salt. saw him cleaning the big eel tank. cool guy who knows his stuff.

store owner - plays on notebook alot :P


other than gabe, alamo CAN be a decent store, but man the pushy manager needs to go.

/i do not, nor have i ever, worked for alamo aquatics. these are merely my findings.
//alamo aquatics will NOT come to your house or apartment to set up your tank... BUT if you leave them your name and number, they will find someone who can.
///ironically, this always turns out to be someone who works at alamo aquatics.
////on any given morning, if you go to the back right or back left of the store where they bag fish, you can see the 'deads' list. always lots of fish on that list...
/////never bought fish from them
//////loves slashies :D

[::pete::]

I purchased a happy and healthy copperband there last week also.

[satx-94integraLS]

i was never bashing the store as a whole, only the 'pushy' people there. the date thing is a great thing, and the checkmark to indicate if theyre eating is pure genius.

[JimD]

Hey, nuthin wrong with Bak-Pacs, lemmee know if you wanna make it perform twice as good... No, Im not talking Maxi-Jet.

[Reef69]

I guess i dont care the way im treated at a LFS..Im there for one purpose, thats just to buy whatever im looking for, and walk out..not looking for sympathy from the owner, manager or anybody else, thats just me though. Alot of people like to be treated like royalty by the employees. The only time i ever talk to them is to bag my fish/coral and to charge me..lol..Ive never seen Alamo being any different, every store tries to sell you things you dont need...at least most of the old fish stores in S.A.

[NaCl_H2O]

Wow, that is a detailed account of the daily activity :o Do you work there? If so, I guess not anymore :P If you don't work there, WOW you have a lot of time on your hands! Maybe if working more you could buy that really nice $9.99/lb rock ;) (yea, $9.99 is a little high for rock, but if they are moving it at that price ...)

IMHO - AA is great store. Lots of variety for those of us that do more than just reef tanks! Never had any problem with anyone there, and disagree completly on Gabe - nice guy, never pushy, but then he proabbly knows that I know what I need/want.

[oceancube]

Well about the store and employees, i think the store is great.. eddie is going to do some major upgrading to his reef and fish tanks by the next month, i know it's gonna be really nice, as for the sellers, i think they are all cool, gabe is not really pushy at all when i go in, he more helps me decide which route to go, chris is also a great person, he never gets tired of me buying different tanks every week i think, overall it's a great store and they do have some great coral and fish, like reef69 i more go to look for what i want and not pay attention to any bad customer service even though i dont get that..... my 2cents

[::pete::]

then he proabbly knows that I know what I need/want.

I would say this is true for most stores as I have never been pushed by a sales person. I know what Im looking for and then just browse as you never know what might have come in. On a side note the store is there to make money not give items away so that would be the sales persons job.

[Bill S]

Granted, it's been many years, but I worked in a FS for 8 years...

Fish are abpit break even for the store. Even though the wholesale price is typically doubled (still done today - I've seen the invoices from 2 SA stores). With mortality, markdowns, discounts and guarantees, it's tough to make money on them. Remember, the wholesalers don't offer guarantees - and quite a few fish arrive dead or die within the first 24 hours.

A dirty store turns me off immediately. If there's time for people to sit and BS, there's time to clean. And in retail, there's TONS of idle time. Now, if the store is dirty on Monday am, I can understand that - weekends are crazy.

Dry goods and maintenance businesses are where money is really made. I talked with one owner in SA, and he said he wouldn't be in business without his maintenance business.

As for where I buy - it's all in the people. I know I'm different, but, I can afford to buy where I want and from whom I want. I know this sounds nuts, but I really don't care about prices - everyones within a few bucks of each other anyway. I care about the quality of the livestock, and the people selling it.

As for Alamo, that's one of 2 places I shop. Gabe led me astray on a Flower Pot - told me it was easy, and it wasn't. After lots of research done too late, I now know better. But I wouldn't buy anything he recommends again. But I like the guys at the store, and I too love the date/check mark system. As for all of the mortalities - hey, I understand that that is NORMAL. These fish make an ugly journey to get here, and some just don't make it. We all know that if we can get a fish over the first few days and get him to eat, he'll probably make it for a while.

Just my $0.02.

Bill Streep

[::pete::]

Well put.

[captexas]

As with any LFS/pet store, they have their ups and downs. I've been in there many times, dissappointed a few times with the condition of the store/livestock and many times happy to see the store in great shape. It's a lot of work to keep a store looking perfect, especially one with that many tanks and I think they do a good job overall.

Oh, I went by there today and picked up a bucket of IO for $34.99. No discount on bucket salts, but it's a great price compared to other stores.

[NaCl_H2O]

... picked up a bucket of IO for $34.99.

Yup :D somebody at AA is pretty smart. About the time the salt debate starting shifting a little away from Oceanic, a HUGE pile of $34.99 IO showed up in the store ;)

Salt is definately one of their "Get 'em in the door" items, and it works on me :D

[carlinsa]

my experience with them is good. i always get a discount. and never really had a bad experience with any of the guys other than jason giving my gf crapp(in a playing manor) and yes the salt is cheap. yeah they get alot of dead fish but all stored go through dead spells. as for someone going to there parole officer WHO CARES everyone has a past just some werent fast enough to get away. :D all i can say is if someone with a record offends you ask people you work with an bet it will suprise you. also do a little research before you go and they cant sell you everything under the sun.

thats my .02 worth

carl

[Bill S]

By the way, in comparison to prices from 30 years ago... This hobby is CHEAP! Typically, prices today are very similar to prices back then.

Prices from 30 years ago:
Clownfish were $15-20
Typical Condi Anemone: $25 Green Carpets, $75-100
Majestic Angels: $125-150
Queen Triggers, $125-150
Flame Angel, $75
Blue Tang, $40
Achilles Tang, $75
Dwarf Lion, $40
Marine Betta, $50
Corals - what's a live coral???

More common items:
A beer in a bar: $.25
A 6 pack of Bud: $.99
A Coke: $.10
A new Toyota Celica: $2400
A McDonalds Cheeseburger: $.10
A REAL deli sandwich: $.40

When I had a $50 fish die, it was a BIG deal...

[NaCl_H2O]

When I had a $50 fish die, it was a BIG deal...

LMAO - It wasn't 30 years ago for me, but about 25! I remember loosing a $85 Copper Band Butterfly, and a $55 Tang ... that was a BUNCH of money for me back then ... and because of the fish cost I couldn't afford a $0.25 beer to drown my sorrow :(

Oh yea, I had a bunch of really expensive "Dead Coral" in my tank, covered in cyano (but I didn't know it was cyano back then) :unsure

[Alamo]

AA has always very kind to me, and my wife, always a nice hello how ya been from gabe chris and jason, and as for the store being not spotless when you walk in, they are usually in there till the wee hours unpacking stock that comes in late. They are delivering a tank to my house next week, but i dont expect them to set it up, fill it full of water and acilimate my fish for me... thats my job... my fish.
If you dont like AA then shop somewhere else, go see Alex, or drive over and see Filipe and Sarah, they have excellent stores, and excellent service... LIKE AA DOES !

My .55

[6LINE]

Ohhh how i wish Aquarium Sales and Service was still open!!!
But for now, i will stick with FA, I am ALWAYS treated good there.

As far as one comment i read, i don't want to be treated like 'royalty'. I just want to be treated like a customer.

And that, is my $.02

[Darth-Tater]

As for Alamo, that's one of 2 places I shop. Gabe led me astray on a Flower Pot - told me it was easy, and it wasn't. After lots of research done too late, I now know better. But I wouldn't buy anything he recommends again.
Bill Streep

They did the same thing to my oldest son when he went looking for a father's day present for me. I now own a flower pot that my two clowns are hosting. :wacko Jason has been great. I have learned that he comes in at 2:00pm. So now I wait til 2:00

Life is a circle you shop one place until they P$ss you off then you move to another. When they p$ss you off you go to another. You most always return to the beginning.

thats my $2.00 worth with inflation everything goes up.


D

[Reef69]

As far as one comment i read, i don't want to be treated like 'royalty'. I just want to be treated like a customer. And that, is my $.02

IMO, To me "Hi/Hello", "How can I help you?", "Is that all for you today?", "Thanks for shopping at____" thats good customer service..Anything else they say THAT IS POSITIVE its a PLUS. I dont expect them to suck up to me and carry me in a golden plate around their store..Alot of people go to LFS expecting that, and if they are not treated like the Dalai Lama, then they say the store sucks and that its a piece of s**t, lable it and never go back...

[Reef69]

..LOL..Maybe... :D ..

[Darth-Tater]

You mean if I stopped wearing my bright Pink boa and tiara to match they would sit me down bring cold water and hand pick my items for me? :P Alex are you hearing this....... :lol You are correct all I ask is hi how are you doing and is there anything I can help you with. Having spent 20 yrs in a business that is customer orientated butcher/manager H.E.B. it is all a matter of perception. Great the customer and do your best.


Now lets beat another horse to death :angry
D

[6LINE]

Darth-Tater, you are in the butcher dept. at HEB? Do you know a butcher manager named Sherry B. She works the HEB at Kitty Hawk/1604.

[Darth-Tater]

Sorry, I don't I quit about 13 yrs ago to become a science teacher. Having spent 18 yrs in the company it was time to move on. I guess that makes me an old Fart at 51.

david

[AlienAnchovies]

oh yea and talk to john the cichlid guy who's stuck in in the things with legs side of the store, that dude knows his cichlids, he also used to own malawi gove a few years back... now that i think about it i bought my fist fish from john

[Bill S]

I stopped by this morning at Alamo Aquatics, and ALL of their corals and inverts are gone - they are redoing the tanks/filtration systems. Said it will take about another month...

[mkengr45]

John Bailey (sp?) used to own Malawi Cove, and he knows all there is to know about cichlids. I bought tons of fish from him. Heck of a nice guy.

Randy

[Darth-Tater]

We used to buy all of our cichlids from John. 8) He used to keep cards on you and the fish you had so that they would all live together in peace and harmony :D We were sorry to see him close up shop :( A real fine man.

DT

[cailan]

just so you all know, none of them are too crazy about brad. they kind of just hired him because of a connection with his parents. jason, chris and gabe are all cool. i don't know mona too well, she hasn't been there too long. oh and i don't know eddie(owner) too well either. and about pushy salesmen, that's the way alot of stores stay in business. it's up to the customer to know the basics of what they need/don't need/can afford. i'll talk to gabe about his pushiness though. ;)

[carlinsa]

all i want to know is who the heck has that kind of time to stand around and time every event in the store. i mean really if you dont like the store there are many others to go to and clock they every hour and whats going on in these times too. <_<

[Reef69]

LOL...Finally!!! :lol

[Sherri]

John Bailey (sp?) used to own Malawi Cove, and he knows all there is to know about cichlids. I bought tons of fish from him. Heck of a nice guy.

Randy

Ditto :)

[ansonluna]

So what is going on at the store? Are they going all fish? All the back tanks are empy of corals and other stuff they kept in them. Anybody know anything?

[Richard]

John Bailey (sp?) used to own Malawi Cove, and he knows all there is to know about cichlids. I bought tons of fish from him. Heck of a nice guy.

Randy

Ditto :)

I'll ditto that too. For alot of years Malawi Cove was the only place I would by cichlids from. John is a walking cichlid encyclopedia and a good guy too. He even gave me good advice when I told him I was thinking of opening a shop.

[Sherri]

Yeah, Randy...I bought from him & even sold him my babies for about 15 yrs. He'd do anything for ya. great guy.

[cailan]

jason told me several months ago they had plans on redoing the entire coral system. as far as i know they are planning on getting corals back, but it took them at least 4 months or so to just get around to clearing out the tanks so no telling how long it will take them to start restocking.

[carlinsa]

simple explanation there system crashed and wiped out EVERYTHING in the coral tanks. they are redoing the system to make them more individual systems incase it happens again. told this by more than one person working there.