So how is everyone doing?

[Raskal311]

How is everyone holding up? I was hoping things would turn by now but not much has changed in the last few months; I guess it could have gotten worst. A few of our sales rep mentioned three locale stores are in the planning stage of shutting down. A forth who have closed twice in the last 3 years is planning on open a 3rd store.

So how are things looking for everyone else?

 

[dizzy]

October was pretty slow for us. The first two days of November have been better. People seem nervous to spend much right now.

 

[pyrrhus]

Most of the places here in AZ seem to be hanging in there, it seems like a couple stores are having a hard time, but we will have to see how it goes.

The company I am with is actually building a new store in our market. The basic plan is to open with the largest, best equipped, fully QT'd all marine store in our region. (ambitious I know) We plan to open around the first of the year and we are hoping that the extra time it is taking to complete the store will allow the market to improve. Only time will tell.

 

[Anonymous]

Most of the places here in AZ seem to be hanging in there, it seems like a couple stores are having a hard time, but we will have to see how it goes.

The company I am with is actually building a new store in our market. The basic plan is to open with the largest, best equipped, fully QT'd all marine store in our region. (ambitious I know) We plan to open around the first of the year and we are hoping that the extra time it is taking to complete the store will allow the market to improve. Only time will tell.

Hey Skip... drop me an email

 

[treeman]

I'm a small grower but things have been picking up the last couple months. The shops around here are hit and miss, some going out and some are doing great - maybe customer service?

We've had a lot of new start up in the last month or so, not sure why with the economy like it is.

 

[coralfarmin]

things at my wife`s new pet shop are doing fair, she is the only one in a 30 mile radius though....I'm wanting her to expand more on the coral section though that takes time and money.....she'll get there though with her determination

 

[swsaltwater]

Sales are pretty steady now but little growth. My service van was stolen and wrecked so that set me back a few weeks on service so catch up the next few weeks with the service running double time will bring in some nice sales......

Some tank installs on the horizon that are huge as well as the current coral system and invert system expansion I am working on. Should have about 2000 gallons of coral and inverts with the deepest tank being 15" so I should have quite a bit sq/ft wise.....Also working on the new clownfish and coral farm next door, that has been slow going but will be nice to have a official location as opposed to rooms in a house to farm out of. Once those two projects are done I have tanks available to expand the fish system by double. That should just about do it for the store at that point.......I do not want to overload it and run into humidity issue as I love this store over the last, no humidity to ruin the equipment and shorten the lives of pumps and lighting...

 

[swsaltwater]

Also just remember for the new guys there is typically a market slow down leading up to christmas when picking gets slim at wholesalers and people start turning their greenbacks to holiday gifts and not to the aquarium. That reminds me to stock up on gift certs ASAP....

 

[Raskal311]

things at my wife`s new pet shop are doing fair, she is the only one in a 30 mile radius though....I'm wanting her to expand more on the coral section though that takes time and money.....she'll get there though with her determination

Within a 5 mile radius there must be 4-5 aquarium shop alone, there used to be about 7-8. I can’t even count the number of pet shops or those within 30 miles.

Sales are pretty steady now but little growth. My service van was stolen and wrecked so that set me back a few weeks on service so catch up the next few weeks with the service running double time will bring in some nice sales......

Some tank installs on the horizon that are huge as well as the current coral system and invert system expansion I am working on. Should have about 2000 gallons of coral and inverts with the deepest tank being 15" so I should have quite a bit sq/ft wise.....Also working on the new clownfish and coral farm next door, that has been slow going but will be nice to have a official location as opposed to rooms in a house to farm out of. Once those two projects are done I have tanks available to expand the fish system by double. That should just about do it for the store at that point.......I do not want to overload it and run into humidity issue as I love this store over the last, no humidity to ruin the equipment and shorten the lives of pumps and lighting...

I recently took down a breeding system for a customer so if your looking for breeding pairs or equipment PM me.

Also just remember for the new guys there is typically a market slow down leading up to christmas when picking gets slim at wholesalers and people start turning their greenbacks to holiday gifts and not to the aquarium. That reminds me to stock up on gift certs ASAP....

We generally get a substantial boost by September, its mid Nov and it hasn’t picked up as much as I expected or much at all.

 

[swsaltwater]

Let me know what kind of pairs you have an a pic of the system would be awesome....

 

[Raskal311]

Here are a few quick shots of the items my wife wants of our garage.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v295/ ... n%20Pairs/

 

[Heterodonut]

I'm interested in the clown pairs. Will you ship?

 

[ejocam]

Here are a few quick shots of the items my wife wants of our garage.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v295/ ... n%20Pairs/

Maybe we can take some of them off your hands Kevin. Can you PM me a price?

 

[Anonymous]

Hey guys, why not PM Kevin re: the clowns so the thread can stay on topic? I'm tired of looking back only to see off topic posts in it

 

[aquaticvet1]

Edited.

 

[bookfish]

Race, please continue to feel free to respond to questions as you did appropriately in the first paragraph. But please refrain from using this forum as a promotional device as you did in the second paragraph. That is called 'advertising', is usually something which has to be purchased, and has no place on this discussion forum. We're all in the industry and we could all promote our individual businesses here but that would be quite crass and in poor taste. Thanks for your compliance in advance.-Jim, your friendly mod.

 

[aquaticvet1]

Thanks Jim,

I edited it and will use my own social media outlets to spread the news. What I posted will very much be a part of "The Industry Behind The Hobby". I realize it will most likely be offensive to retailers and probably does not belong here anyway, sorry.

I do appreciate your kind nature and respect your directive.

 

[Anonymous]

Race, please continue to feel free to respond to questions as you did appropriately in the first paragraph. But please refrain from using this forum as a promotional device as you did in the second paragraph. That is called 'advertising', is usually something which has to be purchased, and has no place on this discussion forum. We're all in the industry and we could all promote our individual businesses here but that would be quite crass and in poor taste. Thanks for your compliance in advance.-Jim, your friendly mod.

So I expect you to say the same thing to 90% of the other forum users here in IBTH as plenty besides Race have posted nearly the same thing whilst you said NOTHING at all. IMO your post is uncalled for as his was totally inline with the forum rules :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

things at my wife`s new pet shop are doing fair, she is the only one in a 30 mile radius though....I'm wanting her to expand more on the coral section though that takes time and money.....she'll get there though with her determination

Within a 5 mile radius there must be 4-5 aquarium shop alone, there used to be about 7-8. I can’t even count the number of pet shops or those within 30 miles.

Sales are pretty steady now but little growth. My service van was stolen and wrecked so that set me back a few weeks on service so catch up the next few weeks with the service running double time will bring in some nice sales......

Some tank installs on the horizon that are huge as well as the current coral system and invert system expansion I am working on. Should have about 2000 gallons of coral and inverts with the deepest tank being 15" so I should have quite a bit sq/ft wise.....Also working on the new clownfish and coral farm next door, that has been slow going but will be nice to have a official location as opposed to rooms in a house to farm out of. Once those two projects are done I have tanks available to expand the fish system by double. That should just about do it for the store at that point.......I do not want to overload it and run into humidity issue as I love this store over the last, no humidity to ruin the equipment and shorten the lives of pumps and lighting...

I recently took down a breeding system for a customer so if your looking for breeding pairs or equipment PM me.

Also just remember for the new guys there is typically a market slow down leading up to christmas when picking gets slim at wholesalers and people start turning their greenbacks to holiday gifts and not to the aquarium. That reminds me to stock up on gift certs ASAP....

We generally get a substantial boost by September, its mid Nov and it hasn’t picked up as much as I expected or much at all.

better edit this one Jim... he's soliciting customers!!!!

You're now on a slippery slope, like I told you in our email conversation this morning. Guess you did not head the advice I gave you.

 

[aquaticvet1]

Actually I thought my post was better and more newsworthy than job solicitations or those seeking supplies, vendors etc. My numbers were off anyway, Kevin says at LiveAquaria.com we are 11 % over projected sales for this period, better than being down a bit as we were at the beginning of the year. My other announcement would for sure offend the retail segment, sorry I posted it.