It seems that a lot of my favorite local stores are closing :(

[Gurnie]

Apologies if this has been posted already. I tried looking for a discussion on the board.

 

Its sad. It seems that the Aquarium company will not be returning. A friend of mine commented when she went to Pristine Aquariums, their tanks weren't very full, and she was worried that they are in the process of closing up.

 

AquaCo was my favorite store, and it was sooo easy for me to get to (not to mention great coral prices). I personally don't really have a local fish store that i like (regrettably i have to go TMS, who's water quality i am not confident about). And my friend is worried about her local store Pristine Aquariums closing up.

 

 

So is there any word about Aquaco or Pristine Aquariums? Maybe Pristine had a really good selling day (fingers crossed)

 

And if these two are going under, can anyone recommend another store, preferably not TMS.

[Coral Hind]

I just called Phillip at PA and they are not going out of business. Your friend must have gone in on a day when they had sold a lot of livestock and had not had a chance to bring the specimens out of the QT system that is in the back room. I was in there last week and the tanks were packed!

[blaze98]

I was just in Pristine yesterday, Phillip said that they were expecting a new order this week. I purchased 2 fish from there this past week and they are doing great.

[DDiver]

I'm sorry to e the bearer of bad news but Aquaco will not be opening back up for business..Sean has a great service business an just doesn't have time to run the store..

[davelin315]

Apologies if this has been posted already. I tried looking for a discussion on the board.

 

Its sad. It seems that the Aquarium company will not be returning. A friend of mine commented when she went to Pristine Aquariums, their tanks weren't very full, and she was worried that they are in the process of closing up.

 

AquaCo was my favorite store, and it was sooo easy for me to get to (not to mention great coral prices). I personally don't really have a local fish store that i like (regrettably i have to go TMS, who's water quality i am not confident about). And my friend is worried about her local store Pristine Aquariums closing up.

 

 

So is there any word about Aquaco or Pristine Aquariums? Maybe Pristine had a really good selling day (fingers crossed)

 

And if these two are going under, can anyone recommend another store, preferably not TMS.

Gurnie, can I make a suggestion about TMS? If you have doubts about their water quality, ask them in the store about it. There are a lot of people here who will buy only from them because of their QT policy and the care level they have in the store.

[st9z]

I use to buy water from the TMS and had no problems with it.

[Sharkey18]

I have also been to Pristine recently and their tanks are almost always full. I have been buying from them often lately and their lifestock is great.

 

As a note from an independent small business owner:

 

If you want to keep your lfs open try to purchase as much of your supplies there as possible. Even though it is convenient to buy dry goods on line (and yes, often less expensive), buying dry goods at your lfs helps them make enough enough of a profit to 1) stay open and 2) keep happy healthy livestock.

 

I also buy on line since I want those stores to stay open too, but consider spreading your purchase power around and supporting business in your community (which also creates job etc etc).

 

 

Laura

[GaryL]

I have also been to Pristine recently and their tanks are almost always full. I have been buying from them often lately and their lifestock is great.

 

As a note from an independent small business owner:

 

If you want to keep your lfs open try to purchase as much of your supplies there as possible. Even though it is convenient to buy dry goods on line (and yes, often less expensive), buying dry goods at your lfs helps them make enough enough of a profit to 1) stay open and 2) keep happy healthy livestock.

 

I also buy on line since I want those stores to stay open too, but consider spreading your purchase power around and supporting business in your community (which also creates job etc etc).

 

 

Laura

 

2nd

 

i am partial to BRK but i have never been to PA. aquaco was awesome and am sad to see them go, but hopeful when the economy does better, there will be more competition. in the earlier days i was in some group buys..but really like to go a take a look myself....and i always find some drygood that i need.

[steveoutlaw]

i am partial to BRK

 

+1!

 

Take the trip down to BRK......you won't be disappointed. John and his crew are very knowlegable and he has great stuff and great prices.

[lhcorals]

I just went to F&F a couple weeks ago for the first time, well worth the 2 hour trip for me ( 2 1/2 Hour, i got lost due to old GPS). Sean and his wife are really good people.

Edited July 28, 2009 by lhcorals

[trockafella]

+1!

 

Take the trip down to BRK......you won't be disappointed. John and his crew are very knowlegable and he has great stuff and great prices.

+2, I am always happy when I leave there.. Great service and extremely clean.. Jonny and his staff are great.. They will answer all your questions and make each person feel like your business is important (which it is)... My gf thought it was the nicest store she had been too..!!

[marinescene]

Gurnie,

 

just exactly what concern do yuo have about our water quality?

 

We must be doing something right to survive for over 13 years.

 

This is typical of a ridiculous and meaningless post that can have bad implications for a business like mine. And while you are posting such commentary how about you describe your experience and qualifications prior to randomly making absurd opinions.

 

Tom

 

+2, I am always happy when I leave there.. Great service and extremely clean.. Jonny and his staff are great.. They will answer all your questions and make each person feel like your business is important (which it is)... My gf thought it was the nicest store she had been too..!!

[Boret]

Tom,

 

I am not sure the experience behind Gurnie's statement but another member (davelin) already asked why did he consider that water quality wasn't good and pointed out that you guys have a good QT system. I find that saying that his post is "ridiculous and meaningless" doesn't get anyone anywhere.

I really don't know why lately vendors feel like they need to "attack" (maybe discredit?) board members when they don't rave about their store. This board is open to everyone. The qualifications of someone that thinks that your place is awesome are never questioned and the same should be for someone that thinks that it is horrible. He said he is not confident about your water quality. So that could give you the opening to say something like:

 

"I am very sorry and concerned to hear that, why is it that you think our water quality is not good? Is there anything we could do to show you otherwise? I feel that such a strong blanket statement about the quality of my water needs to be ascertain when you have plenty of factual data. A statement like yours is very damaging to my business..... " etc.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[dshnarw]

This is typical of a ridiculous and meaningless post that can have bad implications for a business like mine. And while you are posting such commentary how about you describe your experience and qualifications prior to randomly making absurd opinions.

 

Tom

 

It doesn't speak well of you or your business, in my opinion, to refer to someone's post as "ridiculous", "meaningless", and "absurd" simply because she has a concern about your store. While she may be wrong in her impressions, she has the right to say it. You would have been better served by ignoring her comments and letting your customers speak for you. Because of YOUR post, I, for one, will be less likely to go out of my way to visit your store.

[flowerseller]

+1!

 

Take the trip down to BRK......you won't be disappointed. John and his crew are very knowlegable and he has great stuff and great prices.

 

+2, I am always happy when I leave there.. Great service and extremely clean.. Jonny and his staff are great.. They will answer all your questions and make each person feel like your business is important (which it is)... My gf thought it was the nicest store she had been too..!!

This was a +2 for BRK and should not be confussed.

 

 

Gurnie,

 

just exactly what concern do yuo have about our water quality?

 

We must be doing something right to survive for over 13 years.

 

This is typical of a ridiculous and meaningless post that can have bad implications for a business like mine. And while you are posting such commentary how about you describe your experience and qualifications prior to randomly making absurd opinions.

 

Tom

 

Nice.

It appears MS may have mistakenly qouted a post with good praising of another store.

 

 

Still, everyone needs to be able to have their say and allowed their favorite store.

Keep it all in perspective please.

And most importantly, don't allow someones words draw you in and make you look like them.

 

Play nice.

[steveoutlaw]

Gurnie,

 

just exactly what concern do yuo have about our water quality?

 

We must be doing something right to survive for over 13 years.

 

This is typical of a ridiculous and meaningless post that can have bad implications for a business like mine. And while you are posting such commentary how about you describe your experience and qualifications prior to randomly making absurd opinions.

 

Tom

 

 

With that attitude I certainly wouldn't consider coming to your store. Maybe you should get to the bottom of the issue instead of demeaning the person posting. If someone has a concern, simply address it........don't become confrontational.

[mling]

Make it +3 for BRK and -1 for MS from me.

[overklok]

I am going to have to agree with Tom on this one.

If Gurnie has an issue with TMS water quality he needs to back it up with facts, not a vague statement.

Did Gurnie do a test on TMS water? How does he know if TMS has "bad water"?

Making off hand remarks about a vendor's store without substantiation is the wrong approach.

I have been going to TMS since it opened and have always found his livestock, tanks and store in immaculate condition.

I have always found Tom to be very honest and very concerned about his store, livestock and employees.

 

Tom was correct to defend himself in the manner he chose.

 

 

John Weaver

[Boret]

Come on guys... it really doesn't help if you guys post statements about not going to the store. Let both parties voice their opinions maybe we can reach a "happy" resolution without much more drama. As Ringo would say: "Peace and Love, Peace and Love"

[jnguyen4007]

Come on guys... it really doesn't help if you guys post statements about not going to the store. Let both parties voice their opinions maybe we can reach a "happy" resolution without much more drama. As Ringo would say: "Peace and Love, Peace and Love"

 

 

I agree. Let's be level headed about this and let not turn this into a full blown vendor/member bashing. We had a couple of weeks of peace, let keep it that way.

[trockafella]

I used to go to marine scene, and was always happy with my purchases and the help was always great.. But wow, didnt find tom's comment very appropriate, and it certainly doesnt make me wanna go there, if I head in that direction I will be going to F&F, which I havent been to, but heard really good things about.. I work in customer service and that was a big NO NO.. Hope your remarks were worth it.. Lots of LFS that would be happy to have that business...

[Boret]

I am going to have to agree with Tom on this one.

If Gurnie has an issue with TMS water quality he needs to back it up with facts, not a vague statement.

Did Gurnie do a test on TMS water? How does he know if TMS has "bad water"?

Making off hand remarks about a vendor's store without substantiation is the wrong approach.

I have been going to TMS since it opened and have always found his livestock, tanks and store in immaculate condition.

I have always found Tom to be very honest and very concerned about his store, livestock and employees.

 

Tom was correct to defend himself in the manner he chose.

 

 

John Weaver

 

I am 100% in agreement until the last sentence (I guess I am 95% in agreement then ).

 

I don't think he was correct defending himself in the manner he chose. As a matter of fact I don't think that he needs to defend himself. He needs to make it obvious to the original poster that such statements are very unfortunate without facts, that he is open to a resolution to figure out how is it that the poster arrived to such conclusion and try to make certain that the facts are presented. You can take it even further... Tom is not presenting facts either, just using what in my opinion is inappropriate language to discredit the poster. That doesn't make the water quality any better.

 

Steveoutlaw put it very simply: " If someone has a concern, simply address it........don't become confrontational."

I also agree with dshnarw's sentence: "You would have been better served by ignoring her comments and letting your customers speak for you"

 

I do however feel that when people use threats like I will not go to the store for saying such and such, then Tom is being attacked and needs to defend himself.

 

Look, for better or for worse, Gurnie is your customer. Even with the impression of "bad water" he/she keeps going to your store. Wouldn't it be better for both of you if you can show that your water is great. You retain a customer and Gurnie has a close by LFS.

[moga]

Freedom of speech.right? So i want to put my opinion.

 

I don't know about you guys..but Marine scene is right up there on the list with BRK..

 

I have had some problems in the past with MS but I think their staff and system are one of the best.

When there were no saltwater store in this are almost 10 years back...Marine scene was there for me...

Tom's store is 1st generation reef store for the hobbyist since..

 

and it's not nice to comment on somebody's profession without any proof..

I am a programmer..if some one said "your code is not that great, I would go crazy..

like Who are you to judge??

 

Their Corals are great looking and healthy tho...Pricey but I learned that most of the time, you get what you paid for.

 

BRK is great too..John really cares about his customer..

[extreme_tooth_decay]

I am going to have to agree with Tom on this one.

If Gurnie has an issue with TMS water quality he needs to back it up with facts, not a vague statement.

Did Gurnie do a test on TMS water? How does he know if TMS has "bad water"?

Making off hand remarks about a vendor's store without substantiation is the wrong approach.

I have been going to TMS since it opened and have always found his livestock, tanks and store in immaculate condition.

I have always found Tom to be very honest and very concerned about his store, livestock and employees.

 

Tom was correct to defend himself in the manner he chose.

 

 

John Weaver

 

 

+1

 

Nothing wrong with telling it how it is. The post was meaningless, and it was absurd. And it was an attack on a great business which I, for one, have patronized for many years and know for a fact has "quality water".

 

I've heard the folks at MS say in the past they have been attacked in an uncalled for fashion on WAMAS and I never really believed it until

I saw this post, which validates the claim. Sorry Tom (and I, and others) has to read junk like this.

 

Crazy stuff.

 

Too much drama.

Edited July 29, 2009 by extreme_tooth_decay

[blaze98]

The guy never said the marine scene has bad water, the exact quote was: "regrettably i have to go TMS, who's water quality i am not confident about"

 

Not being confident in the water is a far sight from saying 'TMS has bad water and you should never go to TMS because of it.'. My opinion means a lot to ME and for a store owner to call my opinion absurd is quite frankly a slap in the face. I have never given any store in the area a bad review, but quite frankly Tom is showing how he feels about member opinions if they do not agree with him.