What impressed you?

[marinelover]

Remember the last time you visited a pet store that really turned your head. You walked in and you said to yourself, Wow this place really has it going on!" And you knew you had to go back. Well here is a question for ya.
- What was it that stood out? Was it how they set up there tanks was it healthy live stock or just knowledgeable staff. What do you think is the most important thing about a pet shop? ( Besides healthy animals!!)

Maybe if everyone responds we can help get the message of how important the shops are! And how important one one experience is.

So what do you think.
(Just list an experience that stood out in your mind!!)

[cheeks69]

IME it was many things. In my area there isn't a lot of stores that are totally dedicated to just SW, so I guess that's what stood out immediately about what became my favorite LFS. The fact that they had a large selection of aquacultured corals and tank bred fish and a very lnowledgeable family owned LFS sealed it for me

[Gina]

I visited a pet store a couple of years ago called "That Pet Place" in Pennsylvania. My first reaction was..wow! This place is hugh!
They had a large stock of dry goods that impressed me.
I would have to say that their selection of marine fish was pretty good also.

They did not have a large amount of corals though.

I would have to say for me, the important thing in a pet store is a knowledgeable staff! I realize that as far as livestock goes, things are going to happen that are beyond their control. All you can do at that point is correct the problem.
If I am looking for something in particular, I hate it when someone tries to push a product on me that they sell if it's not exactely what I am looking for.

[Woodstock]

Knowledgeable and livestock caring staff, clean tanks, and a smiling face will win a LFS an A+ for me.

Parasite ridden fish, dirty tanks, and pushy salesperson will quickly earn an F- and send me out the door~

[Mad Mike]

Frist thing that catches my eye is how clean a place is from the floors to the tanks. The tanks need to be clean and every one within healthy.

I like a well lit roomy store, no dim lights and no clutter.

I can live with a small selection of fish and coral and don't mind paying top dollar for it if it is healthy and I have a reasonable shot of it surviving.

Selection of stock and price. I like to by certain products at a reasonable price. I realize a LFS can't compete with some of the larger chains but I don't expect to get ripped off either.

I have a real nice branch of a petland chain up here called Aquarium Adventure it's my new LFS. I always wanted to go to That Pet place.

[bourganaes]

Friendly, knowlegeable staff is the 1st thing I look for followed by a great selection (especially corals and of course competative pricing. I will not shop in a store that is dirty and or does not atke care of thier livestock.

[mps9506]

Staff is first and foremost. Knowlegable and friendly.
A close second has to be a clean store.
Speaking from experience, a good staff is very important, and suprisingly hard to get.

[Witfull]

Originally Posted by mps9506

Speaking from experience, a good staff is very important, and suprisingly hard to get.

oh how true!!i had two fish guys that i took care of very well. the last thing i wanted was for them to have to get another job because of money.

knowedge, and friendlyness. no egos or BS. tanks clean, critters healthy.

[Newt]

Well from working at a LFS, I know there are many things that gripe me, when I first started the owner could've seemed to care less about the saltwater selection, our selection was very dismal at best. Also I just wish I had more control over what we actually order, some things I wish that we would just not carry like gonipora.

But now that I've started there, we've started to stock a bigger selection of fish and corals and our regular saltwater and new saltwater people seem more enthusiastic to buy items from us, and the owner is finally making really good decisions about what is over or underpriced, and is communicating with me about what people are/not interested in.

I know we're a family owned business, but I want these salt people to suceed with their tanks, so I'm not just out to make the sale, I try to give solid and useful advice.

So the thing that brings me back to my LFS is my desire to help people suceed with something that I truly care about.

[Yarr]

the salesperson that actualyl knows what he is talking abou tand doesnt lead me up the garden pth casuing me to spend a lot of money that i didnt need to and still end up with the wrong outcome. where he coiuld have advised me better and actually got MORe money out of me.

[KimPossible]

Healthy tanks, knowledgable staff, clean store.
I have several LFS here to choose from. I choose to spend my time at the ones who have healthy display tanks. It gives me an opportunity to see another tank, how it's running, see corals in a permanent state, see mature fish and learn from it all.
Ohh, and of course, most important of all....staff that doesn't become irritated with all my questions!