My aquarium store circa 1996

[reef-luva]

Hey all, out of the thousands of people on this site, I figure there might be one or two that is saying, "ya...he owned a fish store in L.A....right." and there might be some curious peeps out there also.

So I dug out what pics I have left, over two decades ago, an ugly divorce and a move a across country (again) I am thankful I have these left...this is about half of what I had.

I thought I might just post  pics almost one by one with explanations.

[reef-luva]

This was an old fish store owned by a Thai cat who taught me a lot about Reefn....old school like.

It was painted black and dark blue with walls of half filled dirty tanks...we went through three heavy dutybwet/dry vacs just cleaning them all out. In some pics you'll see the stack of glass tanks...after we put in all those blue back tanks from Pet Co...hahaha...crazy story.

 

 

[reef-luva]

There was a 350 gal 3/4 inch thick green glass tank on the floor dry in a corner. We cleaned it, resealed it and put it on a 2 foot stand in the middle of the store and housed big ass kois in it.....also the XXL gold fish we fed the two nurse sharks in the 240 you see behind it.

[reef-luva]

I wanted this store to house live stock but also ocean type gift items so I built a metal framed, spray foam cave with acrylic shelves for corals and wooden fish...it was cool. I also had ocean calender, shirts, VHS tapes of coral reefs (VHS???? WHATS THAT?!!)

[reef-luva]

I guess there is an upload limit here, 

I'll start a part two....sorry.

 

[reef-luva]

I made an invert tower...(to the left)

...houses hard to catch F ishies...like clowns and other damsels. Also star fish, flame mussels, feather sisters etc.

 

[reef-luva]

The back door where two guys came in after hours with guns and robbed me, beat us up and I lost about $500 that night but lost my $35,000 investment because I had to piece the store out and close it. HUGE sad story...I'll expand if someone wants to hear it...

I almost got shot trying to wrestle a shot gun outta one of their hands.

Former Marine...I ain't no puss.

That's my mom visiting from Michigan in all these pics....and a sail fin I was selling for some customer.

 

[reef-luva]

I have a LOT of pics of my old tanks and clients tanks, but since there is an upload limit, I'll pick some good ones....

[reef-luva]

Well...a part three is needed...if there is interest....I am sure this is quite boring for most. Thanx for gettin this far.

It was quite an experience I'll tell ya.

[mcarroll]

More fish store pics and stories!  This is great.

 

You already said you got jacked and almost shot, but there's more to THAT story??!!  If you're up for posting it, I'm down for reading it.

 

How'd you get to L.A. in the first place (in case it's relevant)?

[fishfreak0114]

Please post more!

[Tamberav]

I would like to see more. The photos are interesting and the tanks unique. 

[Thrassian Atoll]

What’s the number 1 thing you have now that you wish you had 25 years ago in the hobby?