new store!!!!
- Thread starter diablo
- Start date
Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:
mfinn
Surgeonfish
In Olympia
loohunter
Fish lover
i am thinking some where around the mall, southcenter. a space would cost a fortune but think of the foot traffic and looky-loo's the mall is a land mark everyone knows and parking is never an issue it is close to the freeway. these are all things that irritate me about some fish stores
WaterDogs
Well-known member
Snohomish!!! Would settle for Everett too!
SaltyTemple
Well-known member
The East Side!!! 
DisturbedReefer
Lionless :(
loohunter said:
I think that would be a great location (southcenter) there are some strip malls just down the road from the main mall that might warrant a look (may be cheaper rent)
Jiddy
Well-known member
I would go with Rapid City South Dakota if i was you, think of all the traffic from Mt. Rushmore!
reedman
Well-known member
Who are you planning to cater to? Reef keepers, Freshwater/Saltwater fish, 4 legged pets, all the above?
If you want to succeed, you have to choose your location based on your expected clientele and the local competition. In the South Center area there is petsmart, petco, and renton fish gallery. Of the 3 only fish gallery has saltwater stuff, and it's limited because they used to be owned by the same folks as Blue Sierra. My opinion is that the south center area doesn't have enough people willing to buy from LFS to support another store, let alone a reef type store. (No offense to any locals) You want a more affluent area like Redmond, Bothell, Kirkland, maybe Des Moines, Everett is also growing fast. Those would be my choices. Redmond could be tough with its proximity to Blue Sierra and Saltwater City.
Think about what you are planning to sell and how you are going to convince people to spend money in your store when they can order it online for less (it's always going to be this way).
Good luck and keep us posted.
If you want to succeed, you have to choose your location based on your expected clientele and the local competition. In the South Center area there is petsmart, petco, and renton fish gallery. Of the 3 only fish gallery has saltwater stuff, and it's limited because they used to be owned by the same folks as Blue Sierra. My opinion is that the south center area doesn't have enough people willing to buy from LFS to support another store, let alone a reef type store. (No offense to any locals) You want a more affluent area like Redmond, Bothell, Kirkland, maybe Des Moines, Everett is also growing fast. Those would be my choices. Redmond could be tough with its proximity to Blue Sierra and Saltwater City.
Think about what you are planning to sell and how you are going to convince people to spend money in your store when they can order it online for less (it's always going to be this way).
Good luck and keep us posted.
spongebob lover
flea whisperer
[well if you are planning on opening a saltwater fish/corals store i would say Mill Creek there's no good stores around here.
there's no good stores around here.
plack
Sea Otter
Along bothell everett highway north end say Bothell-Millcreek has lot's of new homes always an astounding amount of traffic driving along there also lots of new buildings .
Just looked up some stats (http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/cppl/gbpsei/population/graph2.html)
Interesting alot of the population is in king county 25%(no suprise)
snohomish (8.7%)
pierce (10%)
Greater vancover (29%)
so maybe up there but then again where is the work and buisness ?
Just looked up some stats (http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/cppl/gbpsei/population/graph2.html)
Interesting alot of the population is in king county 25%(no suprise)
snohomish (8.7%)
pierce (10%)
Greater vancover (29%)
so maybe up there but then again where is the work and buisness ?
Last edited:
WaterDogs
Well-known member
Mill Creek is a little far, but I would settle for that one too.
Sushi Reef
Ebi
capitol hill
jojo
Well-known member
Federal Way maybe? There really isn't any fish stores to close to this area lots of people lots of traffic but plenty of parking. The closest store would be midway about 20 minutes away but they really dont have much for corals and such.
south of seattle is sounding good. there is nothing really in federal way, auburn,(kent is a joke they always have ich),nothing all the way down to indoor reef in tacoma. nothing really in seattle either... hmmmm keep suggestions comming. thanks for all replies!!!
The Fish Palace
Larry
The Fish Palace
Larry
WaterDogs
Well-known member
Larry, there is nothing north of Seattle except for one shop in Mt Vernon, that is a lot real estate for one shop. However I see you live closer to the south end; just open two shops and that will double profits and make everyone happy!
Electrokate
Well-known member
I like Federal Way too, it's close enough to Seattle and the south sound people can get there fairly easily... Or anywhere south all the way to Oly if you care to. But I don't know if that is wise as there are 2 stores plus pet$# here in Oly already. I think the market here is open to a very informed professionally run store carrying top of the line gear and properly quarantined and housed fish, the best of everything, otherwise Oly is saturated. I'd like to see a store that preaches the benefits of proper water flow, Iwaki pumps, halides, refractometers instead of plastic salinity meters, Salifert tests instead of Hagen, ESV B-ionic, calcium reactors, healthy fish in clean tanks... and no Catalina or Rio powerheads!
How about Tacoma? Covington doesn't sound bad if it is close to I-5.
Seems like clustering near another store/stores can be an advantage as people like to tour a loop of stores all in one trip. If you can visit nearby stores and see where they are stock heavy and lean in another direction so you don't have to compete that might help. Some store owners are more amenable to working together than others... I think all should work together in the face of competition from box stores and online etailers but people do defend their sole source of income, lifelong dream and pride and joy to the marrow. Can't say I blame the instinct either. Just wish there was a way to get the store owners together to force the wholesalers to drop the cost of fish and drygoods to a more competitive level.
Federal Way near other shops might be good for those who can drop the family off at the mall and go do their thing, and it's close to the airport so you can make those late night livestock pickup runs. Ditto near the south sound mall or the tacoma mall.
Kate
How about Tacoma? Covington doesn't sound bad if it is close to I-5.
Seems like clustering near another store/stores can be an advantage as people like to tour a loop of stores all in one trip. If you can visit nearby stores and see where they are stock heavy and lean in another direction so you don't have to compete that might help. Some store owners are more amenable to working together than others... I think all should work together in the face of competition from box stores and online etailers but people do defend their sole source of income, lifelong dream and pride and joy to the marrow. Can't say I blame the instinct either. Just wish there was a way to get the store owners together to force the wholesalers to drop the cost of fish and drygoods to a more competitive level.
Federal Way near other shops might be good for those who can drop the family off at the mall and go do their thing, and it's close to the airport so you can make those late night livestock pickup runs. Ditto near the south sound mall or the tacoma mall.
Kate
WaterDogs said:Larry, there is nothing north of Seattle except for one shop in Mt Vernon, that is a lot real estate for one shop. However I see you live closer to the south end; just open two shops and that will double profits and make everyone happy!
I second that. I am in Everett. There is nothing geared towards reefers up North. Pet-Pourri - in Everett is the closest (has a few corals, but the tank is overgrown with macro). Bridges Gifts Water Gardens - Lake Stevens (nice store, but very limited on corals), Petco
, Jones and Co - Marysville (they have corals, but are not really set up for it) . I usually end up driving down to Below Sea Level, Salt Water City or Blue Sierra. Anything North of those places, where you could get a nice selection of corals at a reasonable price, and actually had someone that could answer a question, that is what I am looking for. I vote for - Everett (new pet stores in Everett don't seem to stay open long ), Marysville (the new strip mall by the Casino seems to be a hot area. home depot, wal-mart, a huge casino, and now a new strip mall!), Mukilteo (nice area ($), plus lots of ferry traffic to Whidbey Island), Lynnwood, Edmonds, or Mill Creek (would probably do great).
Last edited:
M&M
Active member
I'd have to vote for the Federal Way area as well. I'll drive a long way to the Issaquah and Redmond LFS's every once in while, but the majority of my purchases are online because its easier than another commute. I do enough commuting to work every day. (108 miles on I5 round trip) I would gladly drop my keyboard to support a good saltwater/reef store in the Federal Way / Southcenter vicinity.
Good luck with the new store wherever you decide to open.
Good luck with the new store wherever you decide to open.
