In keeping with my advice to always check with your LFS before going, I have just heard that King of Aquariums has closed permanently due to staffing issues, crime, and landlord issues. Luke is selling off the large tanks and moving everything else to the new store, Exotic Aquatics.
This is testament to just how difficult it can be to own any store, not to mention one that is full of acrylic and glass filled water boxes. I know he has had at least two tanks burst (glass tanks, not ones he built). The store has been broken into a few times and the last time his beloved pet lizards were killed. We all know how heart breaking it can be to lose friends like that.
While I do not know Luke all that well, I do know that he has a big heart and kind soul. He built many of the tanks in his store along with all the stands, plumbing, and electrical. In many ways he is a DIY King. Along with business acumen and aquarist skills, it takes passion to maintain a LFS, of which Luke has in spades. He has been learning as he goes, and I suspect there is much more to come.
Life has a tendency to make us mean or at least hard and defensive. Kudos to anyone who does not fall into this trap. The world is a get what you give kinda place. To take offense to any action, word, or thought is purely a choice. We cannot change our fate; however, we CAN change how we respond to it. I wish Luke all the best in his next adventure with Exotic Aquatics.
Sequoia Elisabeth
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