new store!!!!

[spongebob lover]

Well for me Federal Way is quite far, but i'm sure it would be a good location for others.
i'd probably go more to Everett, Marysville, lynwood, Edmonds and well if you open it in Mill Creek, then you would have me there pretty often .

 

[diablo]

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!

mabe in time i will open a second shop getting the first one together right now

 

[diablo]

right now i am looking at getting
18 25gal for smaller saltwater fish
6 75 gal for larger saltwater fish
4 150 gal for extra large saltwater fish
6 75 gal for corals
and probly going to do freshwater too
18 25 gal for freshwater fish
6 75 gal for larger freshwater fish

i have system tanks of 16 20 gal for QT
all fish will be QT!!!!!!!

what you all think????
federal way is sounding good so far
myself i drive everywhere like twice a month blue seirra, saltwater city, and indoor reef. are the only real shops that take care of their tanks and have nice looking livestock...but look at the distance between them, and if a reefer will drive that far it doesnt really matter where it is. as long as its quality,knowledgable,and cheap lol.
any exp reefer's lookin for a job
opening date still not set. need to find location. contact city for permits.ect.ect.ect
so hows the store size sound so far??
Thanks for you interest I am looking forward to seeing you all.

The Fish Palace
Larry

 

[Sushi Reef]

look forward to paying for your mortgage

 

[BCT182]

Heres what you need to do, sell some hampsters and kittens too, then you can call your store.....

FINNED & FURRY FRIENDS

 

[diablo]

Heres what you need to do, sell some hampsters and kittens too, then you can call your store.....

FINNED & FURRY FRIENDS

i thought of something similiar to that
main store wet pets
next door furry pets
then thought about the perverts walking in
i am still thinking about furry critters but if i go with federal way they have petco and petsmart already

 

[spongebob lover]

LOL !!! you guys are funny

 

[Alice]

Location, location, location!

The suggestion above that putting your store where it would be convenient to other LFS is a good one. Most people I know visit at least three stores on a weekend, other than just a quick trip to pick up a part, ect.

Drygoods will be your solid money maker. One thing that would be great is to carry a full selection of plumbing supplies. Often those 1.5 slip x threads, etc are hard to find and if folks know you've got parts, they'll be in.

4 150 gal for extra large saltwater fish

I wouldn't worry too much about the B I G fish; when I worked at an LFS and the wholesalers would send us a big fish as a "surprise", we ended up with a shop mascot for several months before we could find a buyer.

Good luck to you!

 

[diablo]

but large fish is ok it can show size of adult fish. so i can talk people out of putting a blue tang into a nano
and if they send me large fish as a suprize i will welcome it and enjoy "the mascot's" the 150's i was thinking of making them displays. something to enjoy on the hobbist side of things.
i just want a different kind of shop. something that is enjoyable to the reefer's out there.
now as it stands right now. i am still in planning. opening date hopefully this fall.

Thanks
The Fish Palace
Larry

 

[spongebob lover]

ya Larry that's a good idea because i'm one of those people .
one time my husband bought a baby yellow tang for me, but we didn't know how big the get until i went to blue sierra and saw their huge yellow tang.

 

[Electrokate]

If you go drygoods don't go the same old stuff all the other stores have either, do the things that you go to the manufacturer for rather than the local wholesaler. Instead of CPR skimmers do Remora, do stock all the plumbing parts as they are HELL to find in a pinch and keep your eyes peeled for new products that are not in the other stores. You might want a lockable glass case for TDS units, PH monitors, real refractometers, LaMotte tests, all that good stuff. Put it where people can see it and see the price without bothering anyone, that way you won't have to keep opening it for people who compare with online stores.
Books would be nice too, if you can swing it.
If you donate books to the library can you put a sticker in it saying "Donated by such and such pets at blah blah blah mall"? That would be lots of free advertising... especially if you can do the good beginner books and then get the beginners in the store, or do the clownfish books and have a full array of ORA clowns....
I have lots of ideas but am not going to open a store myself as the costs are so high, but I would like to open a cafe with ambient DJ's, modernist IKEA furniture and large fishtanks... That's my dream. Some day it will happen, and there will be a jellyfish room Good luck with your dream!
Kate

 

[wooddood]

:lol: right next to my house






dave.

 

[Electrokate]

I actually thought we should sell espresso at the LFS I worked at, cause people would hang out in there for hours like they were at an art gallery opening when the new stuff came in. It's kind of funny actually. Plus the service is VERY slow when you have 1 staff member tanking up the new stuff and trying to teach a newbie how to set up a reef tank and handling the phone all at one time. One thing that might go over well is a gated off play area for kids so they don't wreak havoc in the store, if you have room for it.
Kate

 

[spongebob lover]

hey that's a pretty good idea Kate !!
that way i can drool as long as i want and leave my son playing with other future reef addicts hehehe .
About the coffee, i think coffee lattes would be better, then you would have me there everyday

 

[Katchupoy]

Then put also a WIFI connections while youre at it... so people can research about something before they buy.... whether certain fish is reef safe or not....

Also, if you can afford a big rrom that can be converted easily for multi-purpose, meeting room or something like that for future PSAS meetings, fragswaps and many other things.... think of it as a another way of advertising...

 

[diablo]

pc is a must. coffee well mabe not. im thinking of dropping the freshwater dept due to... If I open in federal way they already have petco and petsmart.
Mabe just keep rare freshwater fish.
But the pc is a must due to the fact I dont know everything and if you want to compare a online site that is fine with me. Better if you buy from me but the option will be there for research. and as far as a meeting room that will depend on how much the space lease would be I would love too, but need to keep a eye on my overhead too.

Thank You All!!!!!
The Fish Palace
Larry

 

[ushered_in]

So I live in lynnwood, and the nearest real saltwater store is saltwatercity... I think the north lynnwood, mill creek everett area would be a good idea!!

 

[jojo]

One of the worst parts about working for an lfs is the costumers that always come in saying they can get this and that online for cheaper and having to explain over and over why. Competing with online vendors for drygoods is virtually impossible when you have the overhead of running a store front and your not drop shipping things. So I would definintly choose your drygoods suppliers wisely. Alot of the local wholesalers sell you drygoods not much cheaper than what they go for online. So like Kate said I would stick to stuff you can buy direct from the maker or only buy from local wholesalers when they have stuff on sale.

 

[spongebob lover]

One of the worst parts about working for an lfs is the costumers that always come in saying they can get this and that online for cheaper and having to explain over and over why

i can't believe that a costumer would come up to you and say that, next time someone tells you that, you should tell them to you know what because i hate when people do that

 

[Sushi Reef]

i can't believe that a costumer would come up to you and say that, next time someone tells you that, you should tell them to you know what because i hate when people do that

guilty .... i've done it once... but didn't go exactly like that