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Did you ever have a fav local pet store that went under / gone ? I've seen a bunch of them to include a couple salt /reef stores.
Do you think it's the trifecta of storms :
1. Bad Economy.
2. Competition from local big box stores - Petco, Petsmart, the Wal.
3. Online ordering or even regional reptile shows or the like.
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I can say in my years of experience in the buisness the 2 things that destroyed it were Reptiles magazine and then the internet.In my opinion of course.
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A Magazine hurt the stores ? If you mean in an "Internet" kinda way, then I agree.
I think the Reptile and other animal hobby shows drove the first stake in. I remember the very first big/major Reptile show in the nation in the late 80's in a little town called Orlando. Now, with all the frag swap meets and secondary animal shows all over the country...It's not a matter of how many days will the gecko in the pet store take to get sold...it's more like months, or will it EVER get sold.
and then the second nail in the coffin was the big box stores and Internet ordering. Cheap gravel, tanks, bedding, foods ect - way cheaper and easier to ship from huge warehouse, when the mom and pop store had to order it, pay for it, devote retail floor space to display it.
Very sad...all very sad.
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I can see where the internet has hurt the mom and pop stores, but on the other hand look at how many sponsors over the last couple years that have gone by the way side, most of which relied heavily on internet sales, along with those who werent sponsors but opened up online stores. I haven't been in it that long, but could probably name 6 or so for various reasons. Theres something to be said for talking face to face to a knowledgable person and buying something you can touch, as opposed to "yeah that kinda looks sorta like the piece of wood I was looking for" (simple example). Josh's (for example) does very good at canvassing all 3, shows, internet, and storefront, and I think thats pretty much whats needed to survive now a days. You have to compete at all levels and I think alot of people miss that boat when starting a business. "If you build it they will come" doesn't cut it.
Derek
1.5 kids and a bunch of frogs
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I didn't realize joshes had a actual store location. Iv bought lots of supplies from them at shows and online but didn't know he had a location open to public.
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That's another issue Eric....paying rent. If you are an "old time" pet store without an online shopping cart / Internet presence.....you're in big trouble.
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I spoke w a guy who owns a local shop by my house and he said the Pet Chain stores send him biz for speciality items or reef stuff - otherwise he gets Internet biz and also breeds certain fish. But to your point, 15 yrs ago there were a dozen pet shops local to me now there are only a few.
Scott - North Dallas
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I've seen the number of specialty stores decline sharply in the past 15 years in the greater Atlanta area. When I was younger there was Reptiles Anonymous in Decatur, Reptile Warehouse in Chamblee, Pet Place in Cumming, and Noah's Ark in Cumming. The first two were strictly reptiles and amphibians, the third also had fish, birds, and small mammals. It was the first time I ever saw a Mantella aurantiaca in person, along with many other herps. The last store didn't have many herps, but they did have plenty of supplies. All four are closed now. The only one in the area now is Wildside out in Oakwood. The owners are great guys and they do get some frogs in, but they do mostly reptiles. There is one on the south side, but I never go out that way.
-Field Smith
Some frogs...
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I dunno the last few "Exotic Hobby" shops Ive seen are horribly priced, horribly stocked and horribly cleaned. I was happy to not have to shop in them.
Even in NYC, the "fancy exotic" shop dosent even sell fruit flies!