The Local Fish Store - Page 4

DJCubsFan · #76 11/03/2007, 10:47 PM

I personally like Atlantis the most. I felt like, especially when I was first getting the tank up, I could tell them what i was thinking and they were able to help me make it happen. Or at least give me an idea as to wether or not I could make it happen. I went into Fish World a few years ago when i first got my 75 gal tank because i was interested in SW, I left and didn't think about SW again until about 8 months ago... when i went in there about 8 months ago i was lucky enough to have done a TON of research beforehand and still almost left completely hopeless. While this is a very expensive addiction...i mean, hobby...there are ways to make things work without spending $1000 off the bat...At Atlantis they seemed to kind of understand that as a college student I was on a budget and needed to "cut some corners." I guess the understanding of that really encouraged me to like Atlantis more. Though, perhaps FishWorld had the right idea, "It's to expensive, don't bother trying" LOL. As far as knowledge and stock I think both are great, I also like Richmond Aquarium and would probably like it more if I lived southside.

surfnvb7 · #77 11/04/2007, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DJCubsFan
Though, perhaps FishWorld had the right idea, "It's to expensive, don't bother trying" LOL.

thats quite disappointing that a store would tell you something like that. IMO thats a very bad business concept, even if it is being honest.

i started this hobby while in grad school.....my 20g tank was so ghetto for 2 years....but i don't regret it one bit.

marvin always helped me out with cheap frags, even if he wasn't selling any for the size or cost i was looking for. things like that go a long way to getting a customer for life.

Hopeful Reefer · #78 11/04/2007, 08:05 AM

I've never had that problem with Joe...if anybody here is on a budget, it is me with how many kids I got...and Joe is always giving me stuff, giving me stuff half off, helping me to do stuff "ghetto", etc...Marvin has done the same on occassion when I go up there as well...

J. Montgomery · #79 11/04/2007, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hopeful Reefer
xxx is always giving me stuff, giving me stuff half off, helping me to do stuff "ghetto", etc...xxx has done the same on occassion when I go up there as well...

Some would argue that getting biased and unfair treatment is a poor business model. I've heard people complain about stores quoting different prices to customers depending upon their perceived wealth/knowledge.

Homie don't play that.

virginiadiver69 · #80 11/04/2007, 12:28 PM

That's why I am a little uncomfortable about prices not being clearly posted. Besides...aside from any possible funny business, I don't like to have to ask "how much is that one", for some reason it feels rude to me. It also leads to that "if you have to ask" feeling and that just not put me in a buying mood. I'm a cheap ska...er I mean frugal but xxx doesn't need to be reminded of that every time I have to ask a price.

cnelson · #81 11/04/2007, 01:09 PM

I'm really uncomfortable with asking for a price too.

WILDTHING · #82 11/04/2007, 01:27 PM

as am I. Esp in a large store where there are many things I might be interested in. Asking "how much is that" 10x makes me feel somehow obligated to buy something just because I have taken up so much time.

cnelson · #83 11/04/2007, 01:44 PM

I agree. And then you feel pressured to buy when they tell you the price. Is it just me or does it seem like the prices have skyrocketed over the past few years? Does it have anything to do with the reef bleaching problems?

surfnvb7 · #84 11/04/2007, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cnelson
I agree. And then you feel pressured to buy when they tell you the price. Is it just me or does it seem like the prices have skyrocketed over the past few years? Does it have anything to do with the reef bleaching problems?

prices are pretty much dictated by demand in certain areas. out in south-west virginia corals are still pretty cheap IMO. they are much more expensive in richmond and northern virginia due to popularity. in the last couple of years the reefing hobby has become much larger (esspecially in Richmond) than it previously was......thus the reason for higher prices.

prices on the internet stores are all about hype and "rarity".

Hopeful Reefer · #85 11/04/2007, 01:56 PM

Eric (radar) is doing his helicopter flight training for the state police down in Suffolk outside Virginia Beach...on his way back last week or the week before he stopped at a store down there...he got a bunch of stuff dirt cheap...the clams that most of the stores around are charging $75+ for were about $30 or so down there...definitely cheaper prices down there...

SunDragon · #86 11/05/2007, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mr294
This topic gets hashed out every 6 months or so when someone new joins the forum. It usually results in people with 0 posts coming out of the woodwork, making impolite and generally not nice statements trying to cause drama in the club before they are banned, and has resulted in this forum almost being closed on a couple of occasions. Thats why some people are a bit touchy when they see these threads pop up.

Brandon is completley wrong, this has NEVER HAPPENED before, and I was NEVER the cause.

*cough*saltcreep.com *cough*

SunDragon · #87 11/05/2007, 10:39 AM

Double post.

Charlie Davidson · #88 11/06/2007, 06:11 PM

Hopeful Reefer · #89 11/06/2007, 06:29 PM

As Josh would say...

aqua11878 · #90 11/06/2007, 07:22 PM

man...were do yall get those funny things from?

Hopeful Reefer · #91 11/07/2007, 08:55 AM

www.smiliesftw.com

aqua11878 · #92 11/07/2007, 07:45 PM

thanx Jason!!

DJCubsFan · #93 11/07/2007, 11:20 PM

another place that rarely gets love is fin and feather. the selection isn't big (at least not for sw fish) but they have the basics and they are super close to my apartment. the staff is always really nice and don't try to know more than they really know.they are good for getting my water and frozen foods. every once in a while they get in some interesting fish and coral too

WayneY · #94 11/08/2007, 12:01 PM

I agree. Tim at FandF always treats me good. I purchased a 6.5 inch gold maxima(not squamosa) from there 4 months ago for $60. Good price IMO.Looks great for a gold.

AzaZeL · #95 11/08/2007, 03:31 PM

Atlantis is my store of choice. And there is a very in-depth and scientific reason for this......

It is the only one I have been to

WayneY · #96 11/08/2007, 03:39 PM

At least you started at the top of the list.

virginiadiver69 · #97 11/08/2007, 06:39 PM

It seems if Fin and Feather may be turning a corner. Their tanks are looking better taken care of recently.

cybrsufr · #98 11/09/2007, 01:55 AM

WreckDiver
aka: CyBrSuFr

Click the little red house for the latest tank picts

logoadvantage · #99 11/26/2007, 12:26 AM

I almost never post to the forum but I read it often.

This topic seems to raise its head every year or so if not more often.

This times I thought I would put in my viewpoint on the matter.

I have been in this hobby longer than most of the stores that people are talking about have been in the business.

I worked at Azalea well over 20 years ago and still consider Keith a trusted friend and I still stop in every few weeks to talk shop with him and pick up a few supplies Some of which he is the only one in town to sell .

Even though Keith may be Old School he still has tons of experience in the industry and in particular I give him alot of credit for having a keen eye for hand picking healthy fish.

Keith may not have as big of a selection compared to the big boys but often he has a few really spectacular picees come thru his shop. Its always fun to stop in to see him and talk fish with him especially since I keep fresh and salt taks as well, I get all my fresh water supplies from Azalea as well and sometimes pick up a cool salt fish as well. He had a few things in recently that were pretty darn cool and since he does not get the traffic that the big shops get they sat there for weeks.

With that said there are few people that I would trust as much as I trust Keith who actually has a key to my house and if I am away from the area Keith stops by to keep an eye out on my 7 tanks (Salt and Fresh)

Always looking for things that are rare or odd means that thru the years shopped all the stores in Richmond, but there are some that I will never walk back into again. I will not bash the shops I dont trust and I would prefer to praise the ones that have EARNED my business.

Hands Down I consider Atlantis the #1 Salt Store in Richmond and there are many many reasons why I feel that way.

I have had some not so pleasant experiences with some of the other leading stores mentioned throughout this thread. I have also had the pleasure to have to rework a few crappy sets ups that were put together by some stores that really made me wonder how they were still in business. (No Names Mentioned)

I am in the process now of setting up a new 210 Tank and there is no way that I would let anyone touch the tank besides the Atlantis Staff. I want it done right, and I just dont feel that anyone else in town is putting together tanks at the quality level of Atlantis.

Note here I said the Atlantis Staff not just Marvin. You guys also gotta stop giving Marvin all the credit at Atlantis. He is a very very smart guy about the hobby and hands down he is the backbone to the operation, however his cute wife also knows more than most people realize ! The problem is that Marvin has had the tendency to keep her knocked up for the past few years so she has not been around the store as much. She needs to cut him off so she can spend some more time back at the store.

Outside of Marvins and his Wife the real value of dealing with Atlantis is the staff which I consider to be First Class all the way. I dont get the comment about seeing someone different since I know all of them by name and have seen very little staff turnover except that a few have graduated from College and moved onto other careers. (Making Real Money for a change)

I trust the staff at Altantis big time on their knowledge and have had nothing but good service from them from day one.

My experience has been that once they get an idea of what you like and dont like they are very quick to show you anything cool that comes in that they think will be your type of fish or coral.

I have ODD taste when it comes to fish so they keep an eye out for anything cool that they think I will like.

Knowledge wise about the hobby I think overall the staff at Atlantis cannot be beat. Each one of them may have a strong area that they know alot about and as a group I think they know more than any of the other shops that I have done business with in town.

I just found out the other day that Marvin recently sent some of the staff to classes to update thei knowledge base in regards to certain areas of the the hobby which is a big investment to make to ensure that his staff knows very updated and current information.

When his staff got back they were very excited to share some of the detailed information that they had learned with thir customers.

Anyway, Hands down my vote is Atlantis and the bottom line is they have EARNED my business, I have not just handed them my money.

I dont care where I lived in the Richmond. area, Southside, Downtown, or right behind one of the other stores, to me its a short drive to go to Atlantis and know that I get not only good quality but also good "Honest" service as well.

Rick

virginiadiver69 · #**100** 11/26/2007, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by logoadvantage

Hands Down I consider Atlantis the #1 Salt Store in Richmond and there are many many reasons why I feel that way.

Note here I said the Atlantis Staff not just Marvin. You guys also gotta stop giving Marvin all the credit at Atlantis. He is a very very smart guy about the hobby and hands down he is the backbone to the operation, however his cute wife also knows more than most people realize ! The problem is that Marvin has had the tendency to keep her knocked up for the past few years so she has not been around the store as much. She needs to cut him off so she can spend some more time back at the store.

Outside of Marvins and his Wife the real value of dealing with Atlantis is the staff which I consider to be First Class all the way. I dont get the comment about seeing someone different since I know all of them by name and have seen very little staff turnover except that a few have graduated from College and moved onto other careers. (Making Real Money for a change)

I trust the staff at Altantis big time on their knowledge and have had nothing but good service from them from day one.

Knowledge wise about the hobby I think overall the staff at Atlantis cannot be beat. Each one of them may have a strong area that they know alot about and as a group I think they know more than any of the other shops that I have done business with in town.

I just found out the other day that Marvin recently sent some of the staff to classes to update thei knowledge base in regards to certain areas of the the hobby which is a big investment to make to ensure that his staff knows very updated and current information.

When his staff got back they were very excited to share some of the detailed information that they had learned with thir customers.

I couldn't agree with you more on these points.