I can't speak on those census figures and I'm not aware of what's going on in Atlanta but we have lost five shops in the city and two shops just outside of the boundary lines in the past ten years.
Why are fish stores in the US closing?
- Thread starter FluffySackson
- Start date
Did you lose anything of value? Most have the same wildly overpriced hard good inventory, bread and butter fish stock, and service provided by clueless teenagers.
It seems just the opposite for me here in NJ. Where as my LFS's do not really sell equipment etc because they cannot compete with online prices, it has made them to be dedicated live stock markets each of which has there own specialty cichlids, oddballs, rare fish. I'm able to get fish locally that most people can't even special order.
This is also makes for great healthy fish I have 4 stores that are basically fish only In a 20 mile radius not even counting the big box chains that have a store every mile.
I think it's great the good stores were able to adapt to be able to survive having offerings that can't be competed against.
One local LFS owner takes himself and a few employees a few times a month for collection trips to SA, Africa, Asia, etc. A lot of stores breed there own F1s but how many do you know that actually do the collecting as well when they can't find a good importer?
This is also makes for great healthy fish I have 4 stores that are basically fish only In a 20 mile radius not even counting the big box chains that have a store every mile.
I think it's great the good stores were able to adapt to be able to survive having offerings that can't be competed against.
One local LFS owner takes himself and a few employees a few times a month for collection trips to SA, Africa, Asia, etc. A lot of stores breed there own F1s but how many do you know that actually do the collecting as well when they can't find a good importer?
One of my favorite LFS is right across from a petsmart, no joke, right across it! But they still do great. I believe they're 52nd anniversary is coming and they're doing great. They sell lots of bred and butter fish and the prices could be better but the reason I keep going is because, the staff are really knowledgable and kind, they have extremely generous return policys so if I get a fish thats sick or I'm just not happy with it, I can always return it, and the best part, is that they encourage trade ins. One time they got a 2' red tail cat that now lives in their koi pond. This store also got me into cichlids. I used to be a big fan of wimpy fish (well, i still am 
) But now I mainly keep agressive CA and a few SA cichlids. And yah, I also have some "wimpy" dwarf cichlids .
Basically, what I'm saying is that if you encourage trade ins or have another way of getting, new, different, or full grown fish that you wouldnt normally be able to get from a wholesaler, have knowledgable and kind staff, and stand by your products and have a good guarantee, you'll probably do fine.
thats just my 2¢
) But now I mainly keep agressive CA and a few SA cichlids. And yah, I also have some "wimpy" dwarf cichlids .Basically, what I'm saying is that if you encourage trade ins or have another way of getting, new, different, or full grown fish that you wouldnt normally be able to get from a wholesaler, have knowledgable and kind staff, and stand by your products and have a good guarantee, you'll probably do fine.
thats just my 2¢
Not counting big chain stores, and yes. Most if not all stores in Atlanta are for people with saltwater reef tanks, 99.9% of the ones that served freshwater are closed forever.
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Marine/Salt LFS popping up everywhere local #Toronto, Canada
Corals and Frags seem huge as of late!
Reptiles not to far behind......but freshwater stuff looks to be dying off.
That being said....community fish/plants and shrimp holding their own......big pred fish not so much.
Corals and Frags seem huge as of late!
Reptiles not to far behind......but freshwater stuff looks to be dying off.
That being said....community fish/plants and shrimp holding their own......big pred fish not so much.
