Aquatic Center "survey" (1 Viewer)

[Guest]

Hello all, It has been more than a year since Aquatic Center been open and business is doing "akay". I would really appreciate your input about what should I do to better serve this community in this business and the issue are: need better customer service; more knowledge staffs; how is pricing? better selections, healthier live stocks... especially I want to hear all the negatives and bad experiences from you. I'm working on hiring a marine biologist and this guy know what he is talking about. He has work at several public aquariums in Hawaii and australia and did buch of research for universities and different governments. The draw back is he is finishing up his master and can only work a few days a week. Again feel free to "let me have it". Thank you

Kenny @ Aquatic Center

 

[Guest]

Move to the Northwest side of town, and I would never shop anywhere else.

Seriously though, I think you are doing a good job. In a town where there are a surprising number of good stores, I think yours is on the "A" list. The only reason I'm not there more often is because it's so far away. Well that, and the fact that my wife has put me on a budget for my hobby.

 

[Guest]

A nice MARSHian sent me a private message about flatworms in SPS tank. Totally agree it was the problem. I was doing some experiment myself by putting diferrent animals that suppose to "eat" the FW but I'm giving up. So good bye to all FW in SPS tank.

 

[Guest]

Your doing a great job.

I would suggest for improvement you have a talk with your wholesalers. What I am seeing is the collectors are getting lazy and putting common corals like, green mushrooms yellow polyps, green star polyps, and button polyps in every box. (Not your store alone) I don't plan on ever buying a colony of corals like these because they are so prolific and are readily availble from others in the hobby. I would rather see a greater selection of other corals rather than these super common ones. Now of course if they are selling and making you money keep it up but if they are languishing in your tanks for long periods of time then I would suggest a change.

Sell some LPS frags too. No one in Houston has LPS frags and I think that is a shame. Seems like at every frag swap there is more demand for LPS frags than SPS frags. I think you would be surprised if you fraged up a LPS colony how much faster it would sell in parts rather than a whole.


Keep up the good work.
Tom

 

[AggieBrandon]

I agree also that you are doing a great job. I have only been to your store a handful of times but it is now added to the list of places I stop at when I go store hopping. I think if there is a way to get in more of the sps/lps/softie frags then you will not have a problem selling them. I don't know how many people I speak for but I like to get corals when they are smaller so I can watch them grow and thrive in my system (plus I don't have a lot of room for huge colonies). All in all I think you have a great store and am glad to have you as a MARSH sponsor.

Brandon

 

[Aggie05]

Hey Kenny, I do think you are doing a great job, and have stopped visiting other stores in town since I discovered yours. I agree with the statements above though about the frags. You know that I am always looking for smaller pieces. That torch I bought from you was fragged the minute I got home from your store, and I sold what I didn't need. So a frag tank, or at least smaller pieces would be a plus.

I think you get a pretty good variety of livestock in as far as fish and inverts are concerned, and you seem to be very willing to order items for people.

You are obviously aware of the flatworms in the SPS tank, which was the only downside I could find with your store. But since I'm not buying SPS from you, it didn't bother me that much. It just wasn't very pleasing to the eye.

Overall, I feel you have a great store with very knowledgable staff, and competitive prices. Keep up the good work.

 

[Guest]

Kenny,

It's hard for me to criticize your business. You're honest, knowledgable, and friendly. You seem to know your customers by name and the quality of your livestock is first rate. In fact, all 8 fish in my tank as well as two of the corals came from your store and all are thriving. Your selection of corals seems to be as good as anyones, but I do agree that LPS frags would be nice and that a continuous selection of different, uncommon corals might compel all of us to visit more often to see what you have in stock. The fact that you're 52 miles from my house and yet you get 95% of my business should tell you something. I can give you two suggestions, one easy, one real tough. First, keep your website updated with current livestock inventory. Secondly, move to Clear Lake! You would be the only game in town down here and get ALL the business from those of us in the Bay Area, plus still be close enough to Houston to keep all your loyal customers.

Anyway, the fact that you're thought so highly of and still are looking for ways to improve says a lot. Thanks for asking.

 

[HolyBanana]

Hell if will he be moving out of sugarland.
Hes going nowhere!
His location is prime for me.

I think the frag tank is an excellent idea. For me, an sps frag tank would be awesome. And I think most would rather have smaller pieces reasonably priced vs having to pay Premium prices for the nice large colonies. I rather have a variety of smaller pieces than one big piece. I like to watch my stuff grow in my tank.

oh also try to get some specialty feeding foods, like golden pearls, DTs, Cyclopeeze, etc. I dont know if you carry these, but if you dont, please do. I'm tired of having to drive further to get these.

 

[Guest]

So far frags tank is a must. The web page inventory seem to be the hardest thing for me right now but will try. Do carry DT planton and bio planton will work on other foods source. Any one else? Thanks

Kenny @ Aquatic Center

 

[Guest]

Stop selling fresh water and use that space for more corals and SW fish.

 

[Guest]

Tom, That is a serious option to consisder in the future. If I can last through a five years lease what if I open a store like in downtown would I have the same support? That only a though

 

[incysor]

I'll second or third all the postive things folks have said about your store. I'm glad that business is picking up for you.

What about carrying more clams? Or at least a few nice ones. I've only seen a handful of really nice clams over the last year. I'm not sure what the problem for a store is with keeping a clam tank. Maybe the high-end ones just don't move very quickly. I know that at least 3 stores have set up clam tanks, then ended up using them for other things pretty quickly. I would understand if they just weren't big movers, then having a tank set up just for them doesn't make any sense. Maybe a combo clam/frag tank?

Brian

 

[Guest]

Move to NW should be great.

 

[Guest]

Kenny-
I can definitely say people will drive long distances for a good store and fair prices. That being said will those people make up a majority of you sales. I also think you get a fair amount of traffic because you are close to a number of other stores and thus people can do the "LFS Rounds" and visit AC along with the other stores. You'll have to see who your customer base is five years from now. If those customers are in a rather small radius around your store then you should stay; if they are a loyal following coming from all areas of Houston then your location would be in your own hands. Ideally I would think that you would want a "one stop shop." A store where people will come and spend their entire alotted budget for the day in your store because you could minimize your staff and you could still maximize your personal labor in a single location. However that is difficult to do unless you have a VERY, VERY, large selection.

I am not looking at your numbers but if a "One Stop Shop" is not a possibility, I would think that multiple locations where you can switch stock around would be better than one large location because local traffic does play a part in success. We have seen local stores that went from a retail location to a more industrial location and lose customers.

Just my thoughts...I have no desire to ever be a retail owner but it is very intriguing for me because daily and even hourly decisions can have an immediate impact on sales. If you want proof of that just look how much your 25% - 30% off post impacted your sales for the day. I wonder if there are any business case studies in local fish sales or even a inter-state chain of fish stores.

Another idea for profitability:
Why do so many local fish stores have websites but not sell online? The cost is just incrementally higher to do business online as well as provide store location and general information. I would make sure you make a jump into the online business as well. I can't shop your store while I am at work but I could look at pictures of your livestock and corals make a purchase via credit card and come in after work to pick up my order.

These are some my thoughts and ideas. I'd like to own a LFS so I think about the business model a lot but I hate retail and like having my weekends off. After writing this I think this may be more in depth than you were looking for this morning but I hope it helps.

Tom

 

[Guest]

Tom, I'm no stranger to online sale. I have sold millions of dollars worth of vehicles through Ebay and still have that account in my back pocket. I have started to auction off a tank on ebay this week see what it like. Check it out "newly change ebay user name AQUATICCENTER". This fish business is the toughest yet I have to face and I will make it work by applying the basic rules which are honesty, customer service, quality products, right pricing(not cheap). As I go along I will explore my options. I do thank you your input.

 

[Guest]

Kenny I saw your auction earlier this week. Hope it goes well for you. I am sure the fish business is tough. Almost everyone has a car or needs one but less than 10% of the people in the country have a fish tank.
Anyway I'll see you soon when I come to pick up my Percula and Ocellaris. Hopefully in six months you'll be selling my tank raised Percularis clowns.
Tom

 

[Guest]

i have been in your store once and i can almost guarantee that i will buy from you again kenny. you have healthy looking livestocks and best yet your store is really clean compare to most LFS. i drive all over town to buy healthy livestocks so if you do move some where you still will get my business. Your prices are very reasonable and i feel like i have been ripped off by LFS in the past now that i see your prices. you do need a frags tank though because i, like many others here, would like to see my corals from small frag, to me that is so much more sastifying then just to buy a big colony and be done with it; and more rics and zoos hehe cant go wrong with them.

 

[Guest]

All positives.......maybe just these additions:

Frag tank
Group buys
maybe host a frag swap

Kenny is a great guy

 

[Guest]

Kenny, no complaints here. We got a great deal on our tank & equipment from you, and all livestock we've bought from you has been healthy. In fact, the bangaiis we got from you are getting along great -- as of this morning, the male is carrying eggs!

I'll chime in with everyone else on the frag tank. Once we get our lighting upgraded we'll definitely be looking for some nice frags.

Thanks!
-Suzy & Philip

 

[Guest]

At anytime MARSH want to use the facility for meeting or frags swap It will be available. We just have to work on the time and it will be crowded here. I don't have problem with group orders all you need is ask. Will stock different clams soon. Frags tank, frags tank, frags tank . I'm really appreciate evey one been doing business here especially those of you live way far from here. I try very hard to remember every body by name but sometime my brain won't allow me too. Any more bad input or bad experience? Thanks