Hello! It's about time I let you know what we are up to. Last time I added an article we were still wearing jackets!

It has been a tough year; I don’t need to tell you that. The economy may be on the mend but it is still a long way from being back to normal. It is my opinion that it will be a couple of years yet before we can all feel like this most difficult time is behind us. In the meantime let’s be nice to each other, we are all in the same boat.   

The word has been going around that we are going out of business. I think anyone who has been in the store in the last couple of months has listened to my story; and most folks have been supportive and understanding. I am very thankful for everyone who has stuck with us through all the moves and those new people who found us this year and looked past our small space and limited inventory.  Service has always been our strong suit and it has, without a doubt, kept us afloat this year.

Chad and I have tried hard to keep the storefront going. At best we have been able to break even, but there has not been anything left over for us let alone the kind of inventory we would like to provide for our customers. On the other hand, we have been picking up aquarium maintenance jobs and delivery service customers. I feel that it is best for us to concentrate our efforts in that direction for the time being.

Our lease is up at the end of September and I have decided not to renew. This does not mean that we are out of business. It only means that we will not provide walk-in service going forward. We have had a delivery service in place for a while and feel that this is the most efficient and cost effective way to meet your needs. You get one-on-one service we come to you. If you like, we can test your water and inspect your system while we are there, and it doesn’t cost you anything, in fact you save money because if we don’t have to pay for a storefront and all the extra costs that go with it we can sell our products at a significant discount. All you need to do is give us a call or visit the website and place your order we do the rest!

I have been working on an update to website and I hope to publish the first phase by the end of September. Phase 2 includes a shopping cart and a redesigned Community Area. There are other ideas I have in store for later. I am especially excited about the concept of integrating websites and social networking. I think it is becoming a big part of retail and it is a perfect way for a small businessperson to reach customers. “Storefront is old hat; Web2.0 is where it’s at!” I had to get that out… I do think it is true and I’m not saying it just because it means I will be getting weekends off!

In the meantime, we still have some nice things we would like to sell! All livestock is on clearance, I don’t want to have to move them. Most everything is at cost so there are some real bargains. Dry goods will remain in stock but we are lowering prices up to 25% or more!

So come see us! We are still here, at least for the next few weeks. As we move we will try to keep the store open as much as possible. There will be times when we will be moving things away so it is a good idea to give us a call on the store phone to make sure we are home.

Thanks again for all your support. We hope you like the changes we are making.

Jim,

Seven Seas Aquarium

407-682-2500