When I travel I definitely look up LFS along the route or the town or city I’m going to. I love checking out new LFS!
What do you look for in a LFS? Good, bad, and ugly...
- Thread starter amygetsalife
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Gtinnel
10K Club member
Same here. Unfortunately we go to Ohio a lot of the time and I've found very few lfs in Ohio that I like.
We're going to Florida this summer and if on the way home we stop at WWC it only adds 30 minutes to the trip. I'm really excited to go.
Hermie
Valuable Member
What do I look for? Price and do they make me feel like a shoplifter?
I hate the feeling that people are watching me when all I'm there is to browse and think and maybe purchase some things.
I hate the feeling that people are watching me when all I'm there is to browse and think and maybe purchase some things.
Kmst80
Well-Known Member
You'd have a cracker of a time reading it. I introduced it to Australia for yaamygetsalife. I think I said in my book, or I wanted to say that if I started a new tank with new ASW and dry rock I would quarantine. But I would never start a tank that way.
But thanks for reading my book. Some day I will read it again to see what I wrote or what I should have wrote.
Paul B
10K Club member
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
Reef Of The Month
Article Contributor
Rock Pool Reef Keepers
Really! I wonder if anyone down under remembers me? I stayed in Kings Cross when it was a good neighborhood in 1971. Did my first dive there and had an all around great time. Your Opera house was under construction then.
I was on R&R from Nam for a week.
I was on R&R from Nam for a week.
OP
OP
amygetsalife
Active Member
Hey @revhtree I was reading through today's newsletter and wondered what shop wad pictured them linking to this discussion? Amazing! BTW you've built a fabulous community here, thank you.
I was reading through today's newsletter and wondered what shop wad pictured them linking to this discussion? Amazing! BTW you've built a fabulous community here, thank you.
GSM_OFS
New Member
I worked in the industry for 5 years in Arizona, and in that time I realized that when it comes to a LFS, they can be broken down into some unique categories. Like some of the previous mentioned comments, I tend to stay away from stores that sell all exotics, unless you can tell that they specialize in certain things. Maybe the ones that might include saltwater, freshwater, but only delicate herps. But when it comes to fish only stores you have the following,
1- The Old Timer
This is the shop that has literal salt creep, creeping out the door. So what they are still running t-8 bulbs used for tomatoes, this guys home aquarium has some of the OG colonies still growing strong. The shop might be a mess, but his wealth of knowledge is indispensable. Might check corals/fish before purchase though.
2- The Old Timers Son
This is exactly the same shop as before now run by his son. I tend to stay away from these shops as USUALLY, not always, the son doesn't carry the same passion and his pops. Can still be a great source for knowledge and the occasional gem.
3- The New Buck Chuck
These guys are the ones with the apple store aquarium shop. You can tell they love the hobby...all for the wrong reasons. They usually have two to three nice display tanks with corals that carry more beanie baby names than beanie babies themselves, but are butchered down to rubble. Their stock tanks are light with an emphasis on corals. You will find some cool 1/4" pieces and great new top of the line equipment, but it will cost you $$$.
4- The Hobbyist Turned Businessman
These are the majority of LFS's, and they tend to be where you will find some of the greatest products/livestock. Unfortunately business isn't the top of the priority, and like their own tanks at home, the shop goes through phases of being clean and dirty. It sucks to go on a dirty day as that can sour the relationship, but when seen on a clean day...chefs kiss! They have all you need, a lot of knowledge, and generally a collection of mall rats that you can call locals. Give these folks a chance and become a regular. You won't be disappointed.
And finally the last...
5- The Unicorn
This is the dream shop that I have only seen executed only once in my life in a freshwater shop. The perfect shop that encompasses the best of everything. This well oiled machine has spotless tanks(hell you could make soup from the water), perfectly healthy livestock, fish that have all gone through quarantine, and display tanks used to submit for international layout competitions. I bet there is a saltwater shop out there like what I described, but they are a drop of gold in a sea of bronze. I wish one day to lay my eyes upon it...
Good Luck!
1- The Old Timer
This is the shop that has literal salt creep, creeping out the door. So what they are still running t-8 bulbs used for tomatoes, this guys home aquarium has some of the OG colonies still growing strong. The shop might be a mess, but his wealth of knowledge is indispensable. Might check corals/fish before purchase though.
2- The Old Timers Son
This is exactly the same shop as before now run by his son. I tend to stay away from these shops as USUALLY, not always, the son doesn't carry the same passion and his pops. Can still be a great source for knowledge and the occasional gem.
3- The New Buck Chuck
These guys are the ones with the apple store aquarium shop. You can tell they love the hobby...all for the wrong reasons. They usually have two to three nice display tanks with corals that carry more beanie baby names than beanie babies themselves, but are butchered down to rubble. Their stock tanks are light with an emphasis on corals. You will find some cool 1/4" pieces and great new top of the line equipment, but it will cost you $$$.
4- The Hobbyist Turned Businessman
These are the majority of LFS's, and they tend to be where you will find some of the greatest products/livestock. Unfortunately business isn't the top of the priority, and like their own tanks at home, the shop goes through phases of being clean and dirty. It sucks to go on a dirty day as that can sour the relationship, but when seen on a clean day...chefs kiss! They have all you need, a lot of knowledge, and generally a collection of mall rats that you can call locals. Give these folks a chance and become a regular. You won't be disappointed.
And finally the last...
5- The Unicorn
This is the dream shop that I have only seen executed only once in my life in a freshwater shop. The perfect shop that encompasses the best of everything. This well oiled machine has spotless tanks(hell you could make soup from the water), perfectly healthy livestock, fish that have all gone through quarantine, and display tanks used to submit for international layout competitions. I bet there is a saltwater shop out there like what I described, but they are a drop of gold in a sea of bronze. I wish one day to lay my eyes upon it...
Good Luck!
Similar threads
