Inland Reef is closing

[moe_k]

Sad news from Nashua....

One of our sponsors - Inland Reef - is closing soon. Matt wants to focus (nyuck, nyuck) on his telescopes and such. His fish store will become an astronomy store. The stuff in the store now has to go.

See www.inlandreef.com for more info.

[clutchcargo]

You know, I've seen this many times before. Whether it's a bicycle shop or a fish store, they move, go another couple of years and ultimately close. I had a feeling that when they moved off of main street that their days were numbered.
Cjh

[KAS]

Maybe he'll still be selling:

galaxea
astrea
alcyonium sidereum
starfish

;) Sorry, couldn't resist.
If you got all those, your name's probably Matt.

- Rich (not KAS)

[loomisreefer]

does anyone have a list of stuff he is selling? lights skimmers? etc

[Scuba_Dave]

Can't put up a list here as that would be a commercial post. You need to either call the store or head up.
1st come, 1st served. I just rented a 24' U-haul :D

I think I'll be going back once the astronomy store is open.
Something else I always wanted to get into. And the new addition may just have a nice spot for a telescope of some sorts

[loomisreefer]

dang... is this a secret? or is it final.. .because i don’t wanna call and be like i heard your closing and him be like all disappointed and stuff lol

[spyro]

Sad...I remember going there for my first clean-up crew when I first started my tank......

[Ken2001]

Well, that's really too bad. They were the first store I discovered that REALLY knew reefing. Since then, I've discovered several others, but I was hoping they'd be going again at some point.

I think I'll be heading down to Seakonk a lot more now.

[ME2003]

Inland reef was a great store. I'll be going back once the astronomy store is open also. Matt will put the dedication in
to the astronomy store that he did the LFS. It will be excellent.
I just started using my digital camera with my telescope last week.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/24612J2.jpg

Astronomy is my other hobby.

[fishfarmer]

That's really sad. I always tried to stop there on my way to Mass, it was a good break from the traffic to stare at their awesome displays. I was really looking forward to their new store.

later, Al

[Jake]

Wow I am bummed! It is a big loss to the hobbiest in this area.

Best of luck in all you do Matt!! Pete as well!!

[clutchcargo]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here. The IR guys should have done whatever it took to get their construction permits & get it done ASAP instead of dragging it out & being a half-a$$ed LFS. Either that or they should have gone all out with their web business (like, get a real web site) and forget about the store-front. It didn't make sense to have the store front with no livestock.

[LHHFMF]

He stated that the closing had nothing to do with making money, they were still quite profitable but it was just taking to much of their time.

[dad300]

As matt posted in a previous thread( now gone) it had nothing to do with making money. they were and are profitable. He has other interests and other businesses and he feels that the space that inland reef is using will be better used with his other businesses.

[Scuba_Dave]

Nice astronomy site Matt, I signed up

http://www.astronomydaily.com/allsky.asp

[SPC]

They advertised in FAMA a few years back (and it ran for about a year) that the store was for sale.

Hey Moe, hope all is well with you:)
Steve

[Jake]

Clutch Cargo,

Just a suggestion here but you might want to stick to Analyzing the Airlines. Calling them half assed is unnecessary and IMO ignorant. IR has been a good shop for a long time and Matt deserves a little respect shown to him on the way out not foolish comments by arm chair quarterbacks. Sorry if I overreact but Matt has been a stand up guy for a long time and I don't like seeing disparaging remarks made about any of the reefers that have been contributing to the hobby in this area for years.

[clutchcargo]

space that inland reef is using will be better used with his other businesses
I didn't see that other thread but come on, who is he kidding, he spends nearly a year designing a fish store and wet room and decides that it's best for telescopes?

[Syris]

Man I'm off the forums for a little while and bam all hell breaks loose:( No wonder ScubaDave's on all the time;)

I can't believe Inland's closing. I was just over there Sunday getting my tank drilled!
Very sad to hear a good lfs closing:(

[clutchcargo]

Jake you're right, I got caught up talking to someone else about this and it got my emotions going. I apologize to anyone I may have offended.
I just think it's a little weird to close shop when it's clearly designed as an LFS and it's this close to being fully opened.

[dad300]

clutch cargo you missed a very relevant part of my post.
read it again.

Originally posted by dad300
He has other interests and other businesses and he feels that the space that inland reef is using will be better used with his other businesses.

Notice the words B]he feels[/B] that the space will be better used

and then pull your foot out of your mouth.

I'm done with this

Sorry for the attitude but misquoting me really gets me ugly
Kevin

[moe_k]

Easy folks.
Keep the tempers in check.

[dad300]

moe I'm sorry and clutch no hard feelings. I've been misquoted on a couple boards today and i'm getting a ton of grief from it.
This is where not seeing people when they talk gets me in trouble.
again Sorry.
Kevin

[MattM]

Originally posted by SPC
They advertised in FAMA a few years back (and it ran for about a year) that the store was for sale.

Steve -

Just to clarify, we did indeed advertise the store a few years back. At the time I was working part-time as a software engineer and the company I was working for wanted to give me a promotion, conditioned on me changing to full-time.

I couldn't run the store and work a full-time+ job, so we placed ads in FAMA and several trade publications for the store. Just our luck, the ads came out in the October issues of the magazines, which hit the shelves on Sept 10th, 2001. Needless to say, the weeks and months following September 11th were not the best time to sell a business!

In fact, it got so bad, that the company that wanted me to go full-time had a series of cut-backs and in the last one I was laid off too. They hired me back immediately as a part-time consultant, and that meant I now had time for Inalnd Reef again, so the ads came down.

Now you know the rest of the story.....

- Matt

[clutchcargo]

Kevin, don't get ugly, it's just spirited conversation. I don't think the sentiment of the quote changes much, I just took what I thought was the relevant part. I'm not purposely trying to slant your thoughts.

[jciwlsn]

Jeez, I"m off the board for two days.....BIG SURPRISE!

You guys SAVED MY LIFE when I started my tank back in Feb 03. If it wasn't for Inland, my tank would have looked like something out of the '50s following someone else's advice. Glad I found your store before it was too late; thank you so much for everything you've done to help me out. Good luck!

[joefitz]

FWIW, I was up there a few weeks ago getting a tank drilled and Matt was talking about how excited he was that his astronomy business was really taking off -- how it finally seemed to have enough support to become what he hoped it could.

You can look for other reasons all you want but a) it is irrelevant, b) it is conjecture, and c) it goes against Matt's stated reasons for closing IR which anyone who has spoken to him about it recently would back up...

He was doing the LFS to support his astronomy business/interests. Now he doesn't need to do that... I'm sure he would have loved to know he was in the position to make this decision before moving the store but he wasn't. Why is that so hard to believe?

Joe

[SPC]

Hi Matt,

I hadn't thought about it, but around September 11 would have been the date.

Good luck with your new store!:)
Steve

[Britrover]

I think it’s very unfortunate as Inland Reef was a great store and they never sold or referred livestock that wouldn’t survive in the aquarium. I also thought it was a one stop shop for all supplies.

I live in NH, can any fellow members refer some good professional stores considering Inland Reef is closing. I wouldn’t mind traveling to MA for a good store that will be a one stop shop.

[Greg Hiller]

All this because of a few packs of mysis shrimp.

Seriously though, I myself feel that as a shop IR brought more to the hobby in this area than any other shop. A very well run organization, and Matt was EXTREMELY well informed about the hobby. Oh, well...guess I'll go buy some Combisan somewhere and drink it in a dark alley.

[redpaulhus]

I didn't have my reef setup yet when Inland was at the old site, so I haven't gotten livestock from them, but I got my Remora and my SCWD from them (online) ... and was looking forward to visiting now that the tank is up and running... was waiting for the word that the tanks were full of livestock...

Long before I found this corner of RC I often saw Matt posting both on RC and at Reefs.org, and I liked\respected the amount of time he was taking to help people who in all likelyhood were not "his" customers.
Things like all of the micrographs of sand and phyto they've provided go far beyond what even Great LFS provide.

Good luck with the new business Matt, you'll be missed.

[Pen Man]

We need to get together with Matt and Pete and have good old Irish Wake for Inland. They have been great supporters of BRS and old of the best sources for honest testing on products that we all use.

[MattM]

Originally posted by Pen Man
We need to get together with Matt and Pete and have good old Irish Wake for Inland.

I'm sure we could be convinced to toss back one or two or twelve... :D

Matt
Inland Reef Aquaria

[NH_Reef]

I was quite taken back when Pete told me last night. Jill and I were so looking forward to seeing them complete the new digs and have been working with Matt and Pete on our new reef we'll be setting up in our new home. If it wasn't for IR, I wouldn't have had all the success I do with my current system. These guys are truly a class act and a definite jewel in the hobby. The service, knowledge and attention to detail they provide is superior. These guys really care about the customer and have contributed much to the hobby in general. We will sorely miss them as I'm sure a lot of other people in the area will. The region is loosing it's top LFS... My best to all four of you.
P.S.
Matt, I'll try to empty the rest of my pockets before you go.... :)

[deafasa]

I made the journey to Inland Reef last night. It was a sad trip, as I knew I would never see it as a fish store again. I bought a couple of things, and left some things I should have bought but couldn't justify spending any more.
I also didn't have my cooler with me, so I couldn't buy any of the frozen or refrigerated products.
Thanks Matt. You will be missed.
Now, who was there at the same time who drove to Chicago for the 300 gallon tank?

Jeff

[spyro]

I remember talking with Tom when I sarted my 300 and asking him if he had enough Carabsea Live Sand to yield a 4-6" sandbed in my tank.....that's a lot of sand folks...He did not try to sell me the CarribSea, but instead pointed me to Southdown Tropical Sand.... he didn't try to rip me off unlike other LFS.

I remember picking Matt's brain every time I went to the store

I remember going to the store for PE Mysis.....one of the best sources of Mysis that seemed only to be available at IR

I remember buying my first, second and third fish there: Mandarin, Yellow Tang, and Sunrise Dottyback who, except for the mandarin (ate my my Haddoni Carpet Anemone) are still doing well.

I remember buying my first cleanup crew there.....lots and lots of snails and crabs....

I remember feeling lucky when I got a parking space right in front of the store so that I would not have to haul my buckets of Tropic Marin across the street or around back....

This store was not one of the best stores around, it was THE BEST store around, the ONLY store that knew anything about reefs at the time and maintained the highest quality of any LFS around. Gonna miss you guys...

Matt, good luck in your future bussiness...who knows, some day I might want to buy a Celestron 14 to replace my reflector telescope that I lost in a fire. I just need to talk to my wife.........


Chow,

Chuck Spyropulos

[Scott Merrill]

Irish Wake!!! A must have... When's good? How about now?

Is the 120 gallon Eheim tank gone yet? Let me know.

[Ewan]

I can't believe it!

My wife and I moved to Maine from Canada 3 years ago, and Inland is the only LFS that I will spend a dime in. We would drive 3 hours (each way) and always spend twice as much as we planned. It was Disneyland to me :) At one point, we went to pick up a Giesemann nova II, and walked out with a new tank, stand, and Giesemann. It was the cleanest, organized store I've ever set foot in... and I loved spending money there.

The last time we moved, I decided I wanted to get 4 1.5" holes drilled in my 29 gal tank. I took it to a glass shop that wanted a small fortune to drill the tank. With no alternatives, I dropped it off. We were told it would take a minimum of 2 hours per hole. 8 hours for the holes. I had the internal overflow sitting at home for weeks, and i was getting anxious.

After 5 weeks of calling the glass shop and getting the run-around (it was "finished" 4 times... I recieved the manger's 'solemn word', etc), my brute trash-can reef was becoming pretty well established. Finally I called inland and asked if they could drill it for me. They told me to bring it down.

I picked it up from the glass shop and didn't say a peep to them. We stuck it in the car and drove 3 hours to inland. As we walked in, Matt [covered in sawdust] was on his way out for lunch. We told him that we had no problem waiting for him to come back, but he told us to bring it around back.

5 minutes and 4 holes later, we were done. Matt drilled the tank with a hand drill on the loading dock of the new store. I couldn't belive my eyes. I was so excited, I bought new prefilters for my RODI (also from inland ;) )

I'm really going to miss that place. It was the best LFS I've ever been to.

Good luck in your new business, Matt. I'm into astronomy too... I'll stop by when the new store is done.

At least I can stop waiting for the livestock room to be complete.

E.

[Groove]

Originally posted by Scott Merrill
Is the 120 gallon Eheim tank gone yet? Let me know.

It's going to a good new home. :D

[Armando]

anything left? the carpet? trash can? paper clips? :D I'm going tonight.

[deafasa]

Groove, So that was you that took it? I knew it was someone from this group buying it while I was there. Since I don't know anyone by sight I has no idea who it was. That's the tank that you wanted to redrill the overflow holes bigger correct?

Jeff

[deafasa]

Armando,
When I left last night there were still bulbs, tanks, old litermeters, suppliments (which were not discounted.) frozen and refrigerated foods, powerheads, used powerheads, used pumps, books (also not discounted), bulkheads, ballasts, salt (not discounted), etc.
Of course what is left today is another story. There was a nice corner tank, 35 gallons I think, there. If I had somewhere to put it I would have scooped it up.
I just checked his website. Suppliments are now 10% off.

Jeff

[MattM]

To walk in the store, you'd would never know we're going out of business - we still have lots and lots of everything!

Most of the stuff sold yesterday was used stuff from our old tank room.

Matt
Inland Reef Aquaria

[Scuba_Dave]

I just wish you'd give me a Big reason to Skim back up there...wink wink..nudge nudge :lol:

[MattM]

Originally posted by spyro
...who knows, some day I might want to buy a Celestron 14 to replace my reflector telescope that I lost in a fire. I just need to talk to my wife

Chuck -

And, in fact. we're already set up as a Celestron dealer!

- Matt

[moe_k]

Man, I want lots of those books.

[Cichlidius]

will the store still be open on saturday? I could not make it to Nashua untill then. I am new to SW and have never been to the store, it seems that it will be missed by many.

Good luck on your new venture! :)

[Armando]

Lots of products available. I've heard Scuba_Dave looked like a drag moving around the store picking everything he could, left with a loaded truck and said "I'll be back!" :D

[MattM]

Originally posted by moe_k
Man, I want lots of those books.

I expect we'll start discounting the books soon. Perhaps this weekend.

Originally posted by Cichlidius
will the store still be open on saturday? I could not make it to Nashua untill then. I am new to SW and have never been to the store, it seems that it will be missed by many.

Absolutely! I expect we will be clearing stuff out for many weeks to come. Just today we brought down a bunch of MH ballasts we used in the old store - 175W for $20 and 250W for $30 - but they're not pretty!

We still have much more stufff left than a lot of other stores ever stocked!

Matt
Inalnd Reef Aquaria

[Cichlidius]

I will try to be there on sat. can that MH ballast be reserved? 175W

[Groove]

Originally posted by deafasa
Groove, So that was you that took it? That's the tank that you wanted to redrill the overflow holes bigger correct?

Yep, it was nice to meet you. I am bad with names and have only made it to 3 meeting so far. I'm slowly getting to know people. Did you pick anything up?

[jcastonguay6]

All I can say is that I am heart broken.

:(

-Jer

[deafasa]

Hi Groove,
Yeah, I am horrible with names as well. I picked up a reflector, a pair of PC bulbs, some PC clips,a powerhead, a pump for my litermeter, some kent buffer, and the rowaPhos phosphate remover. I should have grabbed some of the used powerheads, but I didn't.

Jeff

[tstone]

Matt
I am sorry to hear of the closing. Yours was one of the best around for sure. It is a loss to the hobby when stores like yours close.
Competition makes for a healthier market place and the closing of a store like yours hurts the local reef industry.

I want to say good luck in the new venture of astronomy. I guess its not really new but good luck with it.

I wish you the best.

Marvin