does anyone remember "jersey reef concepts"? it was a salt water only store on rt 22 in scotch plains and the owners name was otto. well the store closed a few years ago. he helped me alot when i first got into the hobby and if not for him telling me good from bad (as opposed to large amounts of bullS--T from other stores) i might have failed. if anyone is still in touch with him please let me know.
heres a question, especally for jersey people
- Thread starter Frank N Beans
- Start date
Sorry, don't remember it. But...
Do YOU remember (pre-reef):
--Ocean Gallery (The original one) in Montclair on Bloomfield Ave?
--An unidentified saltwater store in Boonton. This guy's idea was lights on 24/7 (less stress for the fish!). All his tanks had a thick covering of purple cyano on the bottom. (very healthy, he said!)
--Aquarium Stock Co., Chambers St., Manhattan?
These are all gone more than 10 yrs, I think.
Do YOU remember (pre-reef):
--Ocean Gallery (The original one) in Montclair on Bloomfield Ave?
--An unidentified saltwater store in Boonton. This guy's idea was lights on 24/7 (less stress for the fish!). All his tanks had a thick covering of purple cyano on the bottom. (very healthy, he said!)
--Aquarium Stock Co., Chambers St., Manhattan?
These are all gone more than 10 yrs, I think.
Jimbo,
I remember Ocean Gallery. I used to go there when I wanted a change from Aqua Tropics. The fellows that worked there really knew their stuff. The place closed around 1995.
I was bought out by another LFS in Ft. Lee. I spoke to the Ft. Lee guy about a year ago and asked him about Ocean Gallery. He said the landlord killed him with the rent.
I remember Ocean Gallery. I used to go there when I wanted a change from Aqua Tropics. The fellows that worked there really knew their stuff. The place closed around 1995.
I was bought out by another LFS in Ft. Lee. I spoke to the Ft. Lee guy about a year ago and asked him about Ocean Gallery. He said the landlord killed him with the rent.
While we are on the topic of stores we miss ... I actually started the hobby when I was in middle school ( 10+ years ago) based upon my dealings with Rob at Open Oceans (now Hanover Pet in East Hanover). I must say without a doubt Rob was the nicest and most sincere person in the hobby. He could have ripped me off for hundreds (since I was just entering the hobby), but he was real gentleman. He lent damsels to me to cycle my tank and when I dared to try a copper band he actually gave me a refund since he felt bad that it died in less than a week. At the time my father enjoyed the hobby with me (which translates to he paid the for the fish), and he only purchased stuff from Rob, because it was a pleasure to deal with him. Although his kindness to his customers may have been his downfall in the business sense I wish there were more LFS Owners like Rob. People like him make it worth going to the LFS and buy fish, supplies, and equipment regardless of the markup (which some of us might complain about). If anyone knows if Rob has another store PLEASE LET ME KNOW
Similarly Ocean Gallery was also full of nice people. When Rob went under they were the people I turned to. Several years later another individual who was also a nice guy purchased the store. He also went out of business and now I’m desperately looking for a store that not only has good livestock but is also owned by someone who it is a pleasure to do business with. So far the only store I have found is Atlantis Aquatics, which really isn’t a store but a home based enterprise to sell frags. When I setup my new tank I hope to do business with Brian, he is a great guy, friendly, honest, and takes the time to explain things. I still need a place though, which sells fish, larger corals, and inverts. If anyone finds one in the NJ area please let me know.
[ September 25, 2001: Message edited by: fmx2md ]
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Men's Health Forum
Similarly Ocean Gallery was also full of nice people. When Rob went under they were the people I turned to. Several years later another individual who was also a nice guy purchased the store. He also went out of business and now I’m desperately looking for a store that not only has good livestock but is also owned by someone who it is a pleasure to do business with. So far the only store I have found is Atlantis Aquatics, which really isn’t a store but a home based enterprise to sell frags. When I setup my new tank I hope to do business with Brian, he is a great guy, friendly, honest, and takes the time to explain things. I still need a place though, which sells fish, larger corals, and inverts. If anyone finds one in the NJ area please let me know.
[ September 25, 2001: Message edited by: fmx2md ]
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Men's Health Forum
Are you referring to the heavy set guy with the beard? If so he is now working at the Pet Shanty in Scotch Plains. Rt 22 Ocean Gallery, next to Treasure Island, has a new guy working there. He's got to be in his twenty's or so. The store is under going a face lift, guy really knows his stuff, pleasure to talk to, and will not pressure you to purchase. Real pleasure!
fmx. the store that was owned by the heavy, smelly guy was the one with the blue fish sign. in my first post i was refering the a different guy that owned a store that did only salt water and was located across the highway from bowcraft amusement park.
fmx.. there was a great reef store across from petshanty. when i would go there to buy something stupid, the owner (otto) would talk me out of it. he made his own protein skimmers of which i have 2. and if he didn`t give me a discount at the register he would throw something in for free. i ordered 200lbs of live rock from him and he delivered it to my house and even put it in the tank. i had trouble with some lights i ordered from him he told me to pick him up on the way home from work and he`d fix them, which he did.. the only reason why he closed up the rt 22 shop, in my opinion is that he didn`t advertise. if you didn`t have a union county phone book you would`nt of known he was there. damm shame. if he ever opened another store i`d be the first one in there to buy.
Damn Frank this Otto seams like one nice dude, kind of like Gary at Open Oceans. Where are these people now and where can we find others like them????? I don’t know but it seams like the majority of the LFS owners here now are just out to make a quick buck and are not really interested in establishing good business relationships with potential long-term clients. I need to find an owner who still considers fish/reefing a Passion rather than a simply a source of money.
I remember going to one LFS to purchase about 200lbs of nice LR and asked the guy if he would give me a discount since I was buying such a large amount. He said there are plenty of people who would pay the regular price (which by his definition was already a good deal $5.99 for uncured Fiji, yeah right). I just thanked him and walked out empty handed.
Aside from Brian at Atlantis Aquatics the only really nice store I have been to is Precious Pets in Trenton where I purchased my tank from. The owner was one of the nicest guys I have ever met. When I got to the store to pick up the tank he actually told me he quoted me $60 too high and asked if it would be fine with me to make the price lower. The fact that he admittingly told me that he charged me too much.. fully knowing I would have paid the higher price really told me a lot about his character. Although there is not much selection the owners are a pleasure to do business with.
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Baking Forum
I remember going to one LFS to purchase about 200lbs of nice LR and asked the guy if he would give me a discount since I was buying such a large amount. He said there are plenty of people who would pay the regular price (which by his definition was already a good deal $5.99 for uncured Fiji, yeah right). I just thanked him and walked out empty handed.
Aside from Brian at Atlantis Aquatics the only really nice store I have been to is Precious Pets in Trenton where I purchased my tank from. The owner was one of the nicest guys I have ever met. When I got to the store to pick up the tank he actually told me he quoted me $60 too high and asked if it would be fine with me to make the price lower. The fact that he admittingly told me that he charged me too much.. fully knowing I would have paid the higher price really told me a lot about his character. Although there is not much selection the owners are a pleasure to do business with.
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Baking Forum
Hey Brian I call em like I see em. Im going to try to make the meeting but it looks like I'll probably have to pass. School is really taking up all my time (I barely have time to come home and enjoy the reef).
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Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Forum
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Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Forum
I'll be there Brian! I got some xenia, star polyps, leather coral and some montipora frags to get rid of. That GD montipora is so fragile, it frags itself!
DanConnor:
Yes RIP Aquarium Stock Co. where I bought my first SW fish (c. 1975). There's no sign of it now, the "pass through" store has been divided and sells cheap womens' clothing or some such! They sold a lot of wild stuff, even had their own brands. Big angels, butterflies, cool inverts. No live rock, though!
Hey did you ever go to Fish Town USA over on Third ave.?
DanConnor:
Yes RIP Aquarium Stock Co. where I bought my first SW fish (c. 1975). There's no sign of it now, the "pass through" store has been divided and sells cheap womens' clothing or some such! They sold a lot of wild stuff, even had their own brands. Big angels, butterflies, cool inverts. No live rock, though!
Hey did you ever go to Fish Town USA over on Third ave.?
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