Who works at an LFS and how do you do it?

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Somethingfishyinc.net;4041317; said:
well I own now two stores. Just opened a second one about five months ago. Having second thoughts of doing it?
I'm a rare breed in the business that is surviving & expanded.
You have to be different & sometimes reinvent the wheel or sometimes leave well enough alone.
I'm going on 19 years owning & a total about 26 years working in the business. Started when I was 15. Its addiction like the hobby. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I do what I like & I still keep about 20 tanks plus some ponds at home. Hobbyist by blood. BUT I do & have been feeling a burned out lately. Like many businesses employees causing headaches, suppliers screwing up a lot, bills, taxes etc... get to ya. Getting good help & trusting them is at times tough. I say most that have worked for me last 3-4 years before they go down the tubes. They get sick of stupid customers & cleaning tanks every day etc.. I know the signs to look for when it happens because I know from experience.
IMO this is not a business to get rich but to make a living what you like to do. I also think LFS could make a comeback if done right at the right time & location. Internet is the worse enemy to most businesses & more. Fish clubs, libraries etc... that have affected membership & employment. You have to adapt to change to survive.
My new (2nd) store is across the street from PetsMart & one of the best things I did as far as location. They send a good amount of business to us daily. They do not carry Discus, exotic plecos, & african cichlids like us. Plus specialty foods not carried by the chains etc..

my 1 cent.
:)
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Good info and perspective. I didn't think I would hear from any LFS owners. I for sure understand the internet (look at music stores/movie stores) but how are fish clubs and libraries negativly affecting the business? Very interested in that statement.
 
For clubs & Libraries you do not need to drive across town or in the middle of a storm to a meeting or get a book or movie when you can sit on your behind behind what I'm typing on to get all the info, pictures, movies & people you could ever want at a click on your finger. It affects all of us one way or another. Its good & its bad but it is the times we live in.
For some of us maybe middle age or older I think we are missing some of the old days & how it use to be, I know I do at times. Thats why I think some mom & pop small business may come back to some degree because we want a actual human being to help us out when we may need. Not calling someone in another country that has no clue or understanding of your problem which many times its the giant company they are working for in our own country.

me
 
Somethingfishyinc.net;4042548; said:
For clubs & Libraries you do not need to drive across town or in the middle of a storm to a meeting or get a book or movie when you can sit on your behind behind what I'm typing on to get all the info, pictures, movies & people you could ever want at a click on your finger. It affects all of us one way or another. Its good & its bad but it is the times we live in.
For some of us maybe middle age or older I think we are missing some of the old days & how it use to be, I know I do at times. Thats why I think some mom & pop small business may come back to some degree because we want a actual human being to help us out when we may need. Not calling someone in another country that has no clue or understanding of your problem which many times its the giant company they are working for in our own country.

me
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That makes alot more sense. The clubs and libraries are negatively effected, not negatively effecting. I misunderstood your statement. I really do hope some of the mom and pop business do come back as well, I am with you there and even more so from a local economy standpoint.

I don't want this thread become an "attention thread" or another "JDM good or bad" but I will play devils advocate here for a moment and say that the net has also probably introduced more people to the hobby/better information, so hopefully there is a balance. I used to live in a rural area in Oregon and the one and only LFS there (to treat ich) would sell people salt, ridich, and a common pleco :screwy:. If you did not know better from experience or have advice from those online I can only imagine the number of those who would have walked from the hobby not knowing better and frustrated from losses.
 
While I worked at an lfs for 9 years in Germany I was allowed to give the advice I deemed to be best for the fish. I took time out keeping fish privately for the first 4 years though. After changing jobs I got back into the hobby with a vengeance though

j<><
 
I worked in a HUGE one in the late 70's/early 80's. It was extremely fun then. Alot of fun and very little $ as an employee. Even as a manager pay was low. Made alot of money doing aquarium maintenance on the side though. The fringe benefits and friends working there made it worth it. We were all enthusiasts and the store showed it. Working retail paid very little then and pays very little now compared to most "jobs".
 
I work at a LFS and find it very rewarding and a lot of fun. Especially when you get a new customer hopelessly addicted. But also my boss and I are very up-front and honest with people. If I was forced to sell stuff or meet a quota I would find the job very difficult.

Biggest issue I find in this career is the endless amount of people who outright blatantly don't care for their tank(s) properly. I have seen it all in negligence...
 
Okay,
I work at petland myself. Been there for 8 months now and it's been fun everytime I go to work. Yes they are a big chain and Yes they don't carry ANY fish I'm into but I work there b/c it super clean and the pay is better than the local fish stores. All of my LFS.....or the ones that I go to have monster fish but I find they are very rude and there tanks are always dirty........who wants to go there? I don't really do unless they have a fish I want. Anyways.............at petland all the tanks are cleaned every week and we spend 2 hrs everyday maintaing the looks of the tanks...for example we make sure that even all are gravel is sloped the right way and for all this work in return we are always busy. Since I have worked there though I have yet to come across someone who is really deep into the hobby like we are. The people that buy fish from us a all newbs.....but that's fine by me. I also like to work there b/c we will never bring in pacus or any fish like that. I don't know if this goes for all petland but the one I work at is in Canada and therefore owned and operated by a different sector of the company. The reason why we don't sell big fish is b/c we have a policy that states that any fish we sell we will always be able to take back no ? asked. Although as far as monster fish go we do have a 10" parron shark that we took in. So I find that since the work I work at DOESN'T sell fish I'm into I can manage between work and my home tanks. This still keeps me very into the aquarium hooby.
 
That is one of my challenges as a small business owner is I'm unable to provide benefits & high pay. The guy I had running the new second store is a degree fish biologist & landed a job in Florida with better pay & benefits. I can not compete with that. I think most work for me know that because I'm up front about it & was in those shoes before. When we are doing good I take everyone out to eat at a nice place, I buy lunch often, discounts offered & they earn store credit on top of pay per hour. So I rely of hobbyist & college workers that are not looking to make a living & support a family with me. I wish I could maybe one day but at the same time I do not want to be to big & lose the feel of a mom & pop business.

I have over 30 years experience in the hobby so I know & thing or two about fish etc.
I tell my guys we have to be on the same page because if you tell someone one thing & I tell them another we will look like asses. We tell how it is with experience but I say nothing is concrete. Each situation can be different with aquariums. 20 gal to 125 gallon is not the same for stocking, filtering etc.. We specialize in cichlids etc. so compatibility is a common question. I never guarantee it. Go on this site & see what people get away with that goes against the rule of thumb. We will advise against something if the odds are against what they want to do or offer from experience what may or may not happen? We try to avoid foot in the mouth disease. But some people always do not want to listen not matter what you tell them. I have refuse to sell stuff to people because knowing the end result will be bad & then they will come back & complain so I rather not deal with them & tell them to go to Petsmart instead. :)~

k gotta get ready for another fish day. Got some Koi coming in today for Pond season. Fun getting fish shipments. I'm still like a kid in a candy store when fish come in. :)
 
ballinouttacntrol;4165167; said:
i know this is old but damn it sure was a great thread, had to bring it back to the top
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LOL,that was one of my favorite jobs.
 
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