A tail of the LFS, the porcupine fish and food.

atoll

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Are we sitting comfortably? Then I will begin.
A long long long long time ago ( you get my drift) and back in the day.
I made my own fish food (still do). I worked close to a wholesale fish market and I would buy squid and mussels in large quantities after I told a number of my LFSs that I made much of my own foods. 3 of these LFSs asked me if I could supply them hence the bulk buys from the market.

I would make batches of the food up all evening in my kitchen and I can tell you the ink from the squid was all over the place, very messy indeed, anyway I digress. I would make the food package it and deliver to the LFS at weekends.

When I delivered my foods I would get cash for it from the LFSs but if course being in the LFS I often spent a lot of it and often more than I received for the food. All went well for many months and I had good relations with all 3 LFSs especially as I was a regular customer of theirs.

However, the owner of one of the LFSs here in the UK BTW, was known to be, shall we say more of a business man and thirfty or should I say as tight as a crabs butt. The manager and staff of this particular establishment were great I have to say.

One day while delivering my food the owner of this particular LFS turned to me and said your going to have to take in kind for the food we cant give you any cash payment meaning goods not money for my food.

Now I was taken back by this and replied to him. OK so you want me to supply you at wholesale price and charge me retail prices for anything I buy with the credit against the food. I work all evening after coming home from work to make this food and you want to give me stuff in return for even less even though I often use the money to buy stuff from you but that's my choice. Thank you but no thank you.

I think he was taken back by my reply as he replied then we can't take your food anymore. Fine I said, no skin off my nose I thought I was doing you a favour obviously not. I could see the manager and staff embarrassed at the owners meanness.

One Saturday afternoon at the shop there was a woman at the counter talking to the manager, a nice guy. The manager pointed over to me and in a loud voice said to the woman that guy over there.

The woman looked at him as if to question his reply then turned to me. I had walked over to see what they were talking about and wanted of me.
The woman then said to me is it true you make that squid I used to buy in here? Yes I said why? Well she said I have a porcupine puffer and when I try and feed it that gamma (brand name) food it turns it's nose up at it it will only eat your squid.

I laughted at this but told her if she would like to follow me home I would supply her with a large slab of squid cheaper than she had bought it from the LFS before. Great she replied.

Now while all this was going on the owner was listening behind the counter and when we had finish he said get us some squid you &^%%$# in a jovial manner. I looked him straight in the eye and said, Geoff you can have as much squid etc as you like. He never answered me because he knew my terms but couldn't save face buy agreeing to pay for my foods.

I stayed friendly with the manager and staff and we often had a good laugh over it. The owner eventually sold the store which is still there but with new staff and they don't sell marines anymore.
 
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Cory

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Lol thats just cool. Squid hey?

I worked at a lfs when young. He had a pile of rocks for sale sitting dusty for over 5 years. And nobody bought any. I asked if i could organize them? He said sure if you want.

I organized those rocks by size and colors and by the end of the day he had a sale already! Crazy owner never got the idea of a clean organized place. He closed his store a few years later.
 
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atoll

atoll

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Lol thats just cool. Squid hey?

I worked at a lfs when young. He had a pile of rocks for sale sitting dusty for over 5 years. And nobody bought any. I asked if i could organize them? He said sure if you want.

I organized those rocks by size and colors and by the end of the day he had a sale already! Crazy owner never got the idea of a clean organized place. He closed his store a few years later.

Yep Squid.
Some KFSs just don't get it. I have been to a couple were the owner and staff are doing nothing but chatting when the tanks and place needed a good clean.
 

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I have one lfs that I have been bartering with for 15 years selling him coral. I have always received a 10% discount. Since coral supplies have dried up I now get fish I order at wholesale which is very nice.
 

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Are we sitting comfortably? Then I will begin.
A long long long long time ago ( you get my drift) and back in the day.
I made my own fish food (still do). I worked close to a wholesale fish market and I would buy squid and mussels in large quantities after I told a number of my LFSs that I made much of my own foods. 3 of these LFSs asked me if I could supply them hence the bulk buys from the market.

I would make batches of the food up all evening in my kitchen and I can tell you the ink from the squid was all over the place, very messy indeed, anyway I digress. I would make the food package it and deliver to the LFS at weekends.

When I delivered my foods I would get cash for it from the LFSs but if course being in the LFS I often spent a lot of it and often more than I received for the food. All went well for many months and I had good relations with all 3 LFSs especially as I was a regular customer of theirs.

However, the owner of one of the LFSs here in the UK BTW, was known to be, shall we say more of a business man and thirfty or should I say as tight as a crabs butt. The manager and staff of this particular establishment were great I have to say.

One day while delivering my food the owner of this particular LFS turned to me and said your going to have to take in kind for the food we cant give you any cash payment meaning goods not money for my food.

Now I was taken back by this and replied to him. OK so you want me to supply you at wholesale price and charge me retail prices for anything I buy with the credit against the food. I work all evening after coming home from work to make this food and you want to give me stuff in return for even less even though I often use the money to buy stuff from you but that's my choice. Thank you but no thank you.

I think he was taken back by my reply as he replied then we can't take your food anymore. Fine I said, no skin off my nose I thought I was doing you a favour obviously not. I could see the manager and staff embarrassed at the owners meanness.

One Saturday afternoon at the shop there was a woman at the counter talking to the manager, a nice guy. The manager pointed over to me and in a loud voice said to the woman that guy over there.

The woman looked at him as if to question his reply then turned to me. I had walked over to see what they were talking about and wanted of me.
The woman then said to me is it true you make that squid I used to buy in here? Yes I said why? Well she said I have a porcupine puffer and when I try and feed it that gamma (brand name) food it turns it's nose up at it it will only eat your squid.

I laughted at this but told her if she would like to follow me home I would supply her with a large slab of squid cheaper than she had bought it from the LFS before. Great she replied.

Now while all this was going on the owner was listening behind the counter and when we had finish he said get us some squid you &^%%$# in a jovial manner. I looked him straight in the eye and said, Geoff you can have as much squid etc as you like. He never answered me because he knew my terms but couldn't save face buy agreeing to pay for my foods.

I stayed friendly with the manager and staff and we often had a good laugh over it. The owner eventually sold the store which is still there but with new staff and they don't sell marines anymore.
This story was so well written (u UK folks are so well read), I thought it was gonna be a Romantic Comedy fiction and was expecting you & the lady to hook up and start dating à la Notting Hill but on the ocean side. ;) Thanks, for sharing.
 
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atoll

atoll

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This story was so well written (u UK folks are so well read), I thought it was gonna be a Romantic Comedy fiction and was expecting you & the lady to hook up and start dating à la Notting Hill but on the ocean side. ;) Thanks, for sharing.
Thank you kind sir. Well maybe not to disappoint, I did get married last September but not to that lady, she was quite nice looking if I remember correctly but possibly married.
When you have been in this hobby as long as myself or @Paul B you gather many stories of days gone bye in this hobby and of life in general I guess.
 

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