Future Meetings

[obtusewit]

The local LFS have a lot of issues with the general public, especially the salty ones. I had a long term relationship with an owner in Houston. He had a BS in Marine Biology from A & M and was fortunate enough to have the funding to open a store right out of school. I helped him set up his store, from plumbing the display systems to laying the carpet to writing his poin of sale software. First calss all the way. He kept his tanks stocked with the best specimens and maintained his systems at 100%. He listened to the 10% of his customers that KNEW what they were doing and then he sold out after 3 years and said "to hell with it".

WHY???

Because he couldn't find employees that knew anything, or that didn't steal him blind. While it was ture that 10% of his customers were 'happy", the other 90% of his customers complained that everything cost too much, died the next day, crashed their tank, blah blah blah. His profit margin was zip, goodwill evaporated faster than make up water, and he got tired of working 7 days a week. And the 'happy" 10% of his customers that knew what they were doing also knew how to frag, trade, and keep it all from dying. These happy few also bought their calcium at Home Depot, their Metal halides from GE supply, their timers from W.W. Grainger, and they built better sumps, better skimmers, and knew where to buy a pump for half of what Itchynookie wanted. Why honor their requests when they weren't buying squat? The Pet-slams and Critters R' Us of the corporate world could care less about a quality marine section, just move the stock! Keeping the tanks pristine costs $$$ and profit. Keeping the tanks at 1.024 costs salt and 'might' promote disease in their tanks. Plumbing them seperately costs a lot more in parts, pieces and labor.... SOOOOOOOOOO

the bottom line is " Sure you can meet here, whats in it for me?"

Sad but true...

[obtusewit]

I think its great the Aquatic Warehouse is hosting the show this month. It is precisely this kind of operation that supports the serious reefers of the world. Folks that know what they are doing and are serious about the marine aquarist. They certainly have my support....

[StephenA]

I value my LFS more than anything. I feel that we are lucky in Austin to several that try. I am also greatful that Aquatic Warehouse is hosting our meeting. You can bet I'll buy something from them. It just kills me to see people spend weeks searching for deals when the LFS has it for a couple of bucks more. There could be a day when you need something on a Sat or Sun, The online guys can't help. Who was at my house at 11pm with a loaner tank when mine busted? It was the LFS. Who loaned me all kinds of equipment, the LFS. If I do find a big price difference online I'll tell them and most the time they will try to meet the price. I also know that they have higher overhead than the online guys, so I'll pay a higher price. My business when thru the online craze years ago. It drove most of the local dealers out of business, guess what happened. People found out the without local service and help life was hard. Now the online guys are going out of business and the local dealer is making a come back.

Something to think about!

[DeletedAccount]

We have had a meeting at Austin Aquariums, and this fall they will be hosting another one - and teaching us about dipping of animals. Aquatic Warehouse has been very supportive of our organization and is hosting this months meeting, and CB Pets has been a great friend and asset to our organization. Please remember, as Josh noted, this was started 1 1/2 years ago. We were just starting and trying to find out our place. The fish stores and the organization have changed a lot since the beginning.