No more Fish Barn discounts!

[Franks Reef]

Well guys, I just made my daily trip into The Fish Barn and caught an earful from Ed about the "Reef Club". He is now online and surfing anonymously(sp?) through our forum. Apparently he didn't like some comments made by some of the members and has threatened to withdraw our club discounts.

He made a reference to a few threads mentioning that "one of our members will beat anyones prices around", being his breaking point!

So, weather you find this bad news or you don't care, it looks like we all may loose the support of the LFS with the healthiest fish and corals around!

Just thought some members would like the heads up before they plan their next trip to the Fish Barn.

[seaham358]

That's too bad he feels that way..... MAYBE he missed all the posts where we mentioned he WAS the best LFS around. And how many people we sent to him through word of mouth and the Internet.
He is only hurting himself by acting this way....

Now I guess he will be reading how he is the WORST LFS around because if you buy something for a lower price somewhere else he gets ****#d at you.

You may have the best corals and fish around, It won't matter if you treat your Customers like crap we will go else where. That's too bad for you.

Ed or Scott why don't you make a post so we know what the problem is.......

Bob.H

[AquaManiac]

I have not yet been to a meeting but have been reading the posts on the board, I thought most of the post regarding the Fish Barn have been fairly flattering.

It concerns me that he feels so confident about his operation that he would threaten to **** off so many customers in the area. I have spent alot of $ at the fish barn, so much I am embarrassed to say. I also am very intolerent of poor customer service and I too suggest that Ed or Scott respond.

Surly, if you value your customers who are members of HVRK and future members, you would want to explain in your words why you no longer wish to support HVRK. I drive 45 minutes to your shop to spend my hard earned money, if you are unwilling to support a local club because of few comments from some of its members, why should I continue to support your business?

[sfist]

We fully support the Hudson Valley Reef Club.

Feel free to visit the Fish Barn and enjoy the same level of service and quality as always.

A couple "off the cuff statements" were made due to a feeling that we were betrayed by a couple of the club members. It's been somewhat blown out of proportion.

We hope that people understand that we are only defending ourselves from what we feel are underhanded practices directed at our store and reputation.

Get your tank rated by other members of the reef community at our new website.

Best Regards to all,
The Fish Barn, Inc.

[seaham358]

I have not read any where anything about underhanded practices or any direct comments about the reputation of the fish barn. I have read that there are members who are selling items at low prices even lower then ALL the LFS. How this is under handed I do not know? Is it any different if the Fish Barn sells Naso's at $30 and the Tattoo Guy has them at $40. No, its just a member and his friends trying to help out the club members with some low price dry goods and maybe a coral or fish.
Ed you know, and I have told you several times that you have the best Corals and Fish around and I tell everyone that. But for you to get mad at the Reef Club and a few members for trying to save a few bucks baffles me. As you know now things tavel fast on the internet and a lot of people read. I hope we can all get along when things calm down.

PS. You need to post a link to your new web site so we can check it out.

Bob. H

[wasp9166]

mmmmm does the fish barn sell aquarium products or rate tanks? did i miss a link?:confused:

[Tomzpc]

:rolleyes:

[nine9d]

Classic, LOL. Come on now guys, how old are we?

"underhanded practices directed at our store and reputation??"

This has got to be one of the funniest threads.

P.S. - Why does The Fish Barn site re-direct to http://www.ratemyfishtank.com?? That has nothing to do with nothing? I thought there was a page up and stuff.

[masterswimmer]

Haven't been to Fish Barn, yet. Only because I live across the river. I always intended to make it a point to get over there. We even discussed having a future meeting there. However, prior to this thread, I've understood that FB was the best place around the lower HV. The feedback I'm getting from here makes me rethink how good they really are. The LAST thing I need to hear about any LFS is that they are going to give me or my club an attitude when I'm about to spend my hard earned buck at their establishment. It will be some time before I make it over there. I will wait to hear from my fellow club members how they are handling this situation. I hope they do the right thing.........for themselves. There are too many LFS's around that clamour for our business. Fish Barn, do the right thing.

[foxstop]

I'm in the same boat as Russ and he summed up my opinions well.
I've heard nothing but good things about the Fish Barn and planned on visiting once my tank is set up, which at this point seem like it's going to be in the middle of march :)

Considering the daily pasting and praising some vendors take in the Vendor Experiences forum, basing an opinion on one or two comments here is just not a thoughtful thing to do.

I for one will support an LFS like the Fish Barn if it treats me and our members fairly. Just read my siggy below. That's my philosophy.

Brian

[AquaManiac]

"We fully support the Hudson Valley Reef Club"

So does that mean the you will continue to provide a discount to members? You did not really address this in your response.

[Tomzpc]

Originally posted by nine9d
Classic, LOL. Come on now guys, how old are we?

"underhanded practices directed at our store and reputation??"

This has got to be one of the funniest threads.

P.S. - Why does The Fish Barn site re-direct to http://www.ratemyfishtank.com?? That has nothing to do with nothing? I thought there was a page up and stuff.

They're used to be a Fish Barn home page with some basic reef info, directions to the Fish Barn, etc. I copied the below text from the announcement forum on ratemyfishtank.com which pretty much answers your question Ross. Interesting I might add. Frank even has his own forum there apparently! :p

New Owners

Hi everyone!

I would like to welcome the new owners of RateMyFishTank.com - they are Ed Lewis and Rick Wagner along with their backbone of operations, \\\"Scooter\\\".

Ed and Rick are from Dutchess County and Westchester County, NY, about 50 miles north of New York City. They have their own store (The Fish Barn) which sells saltwater reef systems, fish, coral, and consider themselves pretty knowledgeable in the reef arena.

They will be making the forums and chatroom a larger part of this website and also hope to bring in quite a bit of new blood to the site through their existing network of reef enthusiasts.

Please be patient as they try to figure out how to work this site :). They will be adding new features all the time so check back in often!

[sfist]

thanks tom, ask frank was thair when we got it.
im new at this so give me some time

ps. nothing has changed here. as for the people who are getting all bent out of shape. im not top sure why.
all
i s well in hopewell

[Franks Reef]

Hey guys,

I just want to address this mess for one last time.

Yesterday, before this thread was started, Ed contacted me on my cell about his purchase of his new website. I then checked it out and signed up on it. Afterward, I called him back and gave him my honest opinion on his site. I also suggested to him to check out RC as well as other sites like it to get some ideas about how to improve his site. Therefore, I inadvertantly started this whole mess by directing him to RC.

As far as what he said to me when I was in the store, he has apparently realized that most of what he said was harsh and uncalled for. And after talking with him today, he has assured me that HVRK will get the same discounts and service as before this whole mess came to a head yesterday. I guess he will address his problems with certain people privately and outside of this forum.(especially since it looks like he has been removed from RC!:p ).

As far as having my own forum on his site, his brother Jim, who does all of the web work, put that on there to break my stones! I had nothing to do with it!!

:cool:

Actually, I wish I never started this thread, but I thought at the time, everyone would like to know. Now I see that it may have caused some hard feelings and should have been left up to Ed to address. Sorry guys! I am now done with this pi$$ing contest!

Frank

[seaham358]

Frank you have done nothing wrong. I think everyone has a right to know what others are saying about them behind their backs. The most troubling things is that its the LFS owner who is talking bad about people/his customers.
I will let you all know what happens when I go there this coming week, I guess I'm one of the BAD GUYs.

[slapnuts98]

I have read this thread and done some research and I think what I will post is all that needs to be said. This is not supporting your LFS in any why it is a B.S. way of abusing the system to get things wholesale!!! Thats all that needs to be said!!!

particularly seaham, i saw you mention him in a thread and i got an email from him the other day saying to check with him on prices, i just thought it was some internet scammer,



No he has not store front so he dose not have to mark it up as much as the LFS.......


I was offered to get in on a special buy of fish, corals and inverts. I was asked to make this offer available to the Reef Club members. I do not want to post any info on the net about this buy at this time. If you are interested on getting in on some possible great prices e- mail me at seaham358@aol.com and I will send out the info and then you can let me know if you are still interested.

CLUB MEMBERS ONLY PLEASE.

Thanks Bob

All quotes copied from other threads.

[wasp9166]

thats why its called america........sorry if i stepped on anyones toes by shopping for the best price i could get, see im not made of money like some of you folk ,if i was i would "support" somone thats in business and buy from him no matter the price, but alas im just a poor carpenter shmuck that wants to get into this hobby and has too watch every penny he spends regardless of where he spends it.........if some of you dont understand this concept, pity you:D but for what its worth i will buy my tank from fish barn because ed gave me the best price, i will not buy an etss skimmer from ed because i dont think its the best decision for me regardless what he says about them, after all its my money........see some of you need to understand that people dont make decisions based on other peoples feelings all the time, sometimes money comes into play, after all isnt that why eds in business......im sure he can relate then:rolleyes:

[nine9d]

Originally posted by slapnuts98
I have read this thread and done some research and I think what I will post is all that needs to be said. This is not supporting your LFS in any why it is a B.S. way of abusing the system to get things wholesale!!! Thats all that needs to be said!!!

particularly seaham, i saw you mention him in a thread and i got an email from him the other day saying to check with him on prices, i just thought it was some internet scammer,
Is this a joke? This is your first post and it looks as if you just registered also. May I ask who you are?

If someone can get a deal that is a member here, who says it has to be someone with a storefront? Maybe it is someone who is trying to open a storefront. But what does it matter? Fish Barn is not the only LFS in Dutchess County for god's sake. It may be one of the best, but not the only one. Some people might choose PETCO, Exotic, Animalbilia, whoever. The world does not revolve around one LFS. If someone has a great deal, and can give great service, advice, and in the end, keep the customer happy, that is what it is about.

I suggest that this thread stops before anyone's feelings gets hurt anymore than they have to. Not only can this hurt business, but it can hurt friendships as well.

[Tomzpc]

Originally posted by slapnuts98
I have read this thread and done some research and I think what I will post is all that needs to be said. This is not supporting your LFS in any why it is a B.S. way of abusing the system to get things wholesale!!! Thats all that needs to be said!!!


Let's see, newly registered on Reef Central, first ever post on Reef Central, not a member of HVRK and you don't even give your name or location? I'm not even going to comment further because this thread just needs to go away as others have said. It's over, history, and it seems that any remaining disagreements will be discussed in person.

This will be my last post in this thread. Hopefully it will fade away soon.

Tom

[wasp9166]

lock it up mods

[slapnuts98]

To answer your question, my name is Mark C. from Danbury CT. I have been going to ED at the Fish Barn since he opened. I heard about this club from him actually and as of yesterday I was thinking of joining but if this is how the club works you can keep it! I always surfed this forum so I have seen the threads on the MYSTERIOUS CASINOKID AKA Keith, who sounds like you get your stuff from the trunk of his car! I think it is horrible that THESE certain people don't support the LFS and will support a person who weasels their way to get a business liscense to sale things wholesale. But you know what I'm rambling the other point is if you don't have the cash don't start this hobby bottom line!!!

[gregt]

[flamealert]