Hello 3reef,
Classic story here, guy working in the auto industry, loves animals, started my first aquarium in 1972, killed my first marine specimen in 1979, opened an LFS in 2004. Chasing my dreams, and I am sure there are several of you who have thought of doing the same?
Started with the store, then took-on custom installs, which lead to a service/maintenance business.....and now the Internet.
The typical boutique LFS faces so many challenges in todays world, like the big box stores PetCo and PetsMart, and the Internet with the big players like Fosters&Smith, MarineDepot, and a few others, not to mention the myriad of boutique E-retailers that offer a 100 or so specialty specimens....some from store fronts and even more from basements.
So here I stand working to be different....how is that going you might ask?
My store, Choice Aquariums is a blend of the big box store, where it is very clean, well organized, a professional retail presentation, while at the same time, like a boutique shop, where the staff is very knowledgeable, and the specimens are excellent. So I'd say on many levels, our niche is comfortably in the middle of the big box and boutique.
The service business is top-notch.....and our custom installs speak for themselves...all hard plumbed. I'll post photos sometime on another thread.
Now the Internet, well that is a fish of a different color! We're just getting started, and there is much to figure out. For the moment, my focus is on taking photographs to finish round-out the specimens we present, I have alot of fish to go and I haven't really even started the coral!!!
If you check-out the site, please note we don't list anything we don't have in stock and available.
We offer as many specimens as any of the largest E-retailers of livestock, and I think my pricing is OK??? and I have the
CHOICE 14-DAY WARRANTY
....so the thing that makes Choice different on-line is the volume of product, shipping from the Midwest, where the big players largely ship from Los Angeles....so if you live East of the Mississippi, check out the
shipping! The other key difference between Choice and the big players in the E-retail market, is like the smaller boutique E-retailers, we are an LFS, and you can select pick-up at the store when you check-out on the shopping cart.
So with all that, I am sorta getting my humble LFS out there, we have alot to offer, and welcome to my effort to make a name. I figure the best way to tackle that is honesty, healthy specimens, excellent service, and great selection at good market price.
I would be very happy to get your feedback on Choice Aquariums, and if you're interested, I could post some photos of the store on Wednesday, because it is late and I do in fact have a day job!
Goodnight,
Wayne
Choice Aquariums Introduction 
