# Downtown Toronto?



## Kerohime (Jan 10, 2011)

I've noticed over the years that alot of the LFS are actually located outside of the downtown core. I went for a fish run in Mississauga and there are like at least 8 LFS in the area, likewise for Markham... and I can only think of 2 or 3 stores for all of the downtown core I can go to.

And I'm wondering if thats part of the reason why less people from this forum seem to actually be from downtown? I have yet to see a new member introduce themselves as someone from the core of the city...

I can only count say 5 or so people including myself that are located downtown. Maybe its because I've only been on this forum since January... but nevertheless surprising for me. 

And I've been seeking a Toronto Aquaria club for a while, and the meeting places are somewhere like North York. Somehow it feels a little lonesome


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

If it's any consolation, the closest fish store near my place is the NY BA. The next closest is probably the stores in the vicinity of Pacific Mall. So quite a drive for me as well (especially since I don't actually have a car...).

The only downtown fish store I've been to is Menagerie.


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## CoryKat (Apr 8, 2011)

Kerohime said:


> I've noticed over the years that alot of the LFS are actually located outside of the downtown core. I went for a fish run in Mississauga and there are like at least 8 LFS in the area, likewise for Markham... and I can only think of 2 or 3 stores for all of the downtown core I can go to.
> 
> And I'm wondering if thats part of the reason why less people from this forum seem to actually be from downtown? I have yet to see a new member introduce themselves as someone from the core of the city...
> 
> ...


I just joined a short while ago and I live in South Riverdale. Does that count as downtown? 

I've been to Menagerie too and apparently there are two other fish stores on Gerrard St. I haven't been to either of them. I usually end up either at Menagerie or at one of the larger chain stores.

It would be nice to have a Toronto Aquaria Club but it's hard for me to get to meetings especially since we just started a business and have a toddler to run after. Casual coffee meetups at Balzac's in the Distillery would be cool that way I satisfy two addictions at the same time


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

There's morefish heads than you'd be lead to believe downtown - just a lot of them either aren't active on the forum, or aren't part of it 

Menagerie is a pretty sweet LFS to be our local store.....now if only SUM moved closer down here, I'd never leave the core


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

I surprised that we still have any business in Toronto after years of his majesty miller administration

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## bae (May 11, 2007)

The Toronto Willowdale Aquarium Society has its meetings about a 5 minute walk from the North York subway station, which is about as accessible as you're going to get for people in Toronto. It's at a high school so there's plenty of free parking for those that drive. www.torontoaquarium.org


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## Guest (May 13, 2011)

There's plenty of hobbyists in the downtown area. The majority of our business is people from within 10 kms.

http://www.menageriepetshop.com/component/poll/16-how-far-do-you-come-to-visit-the-menagerie.html

The reason for the lack of aquarium stores in the city proper is due more to lack of hobbyists through out the city and not just in the downtown. The slow extirpation of small LFS in Toronto began back in the late 70's and 80's with opening of the first Aquarium Services and big PJ's locations. There was also a big decline in the number of people keeping aquaria and a shift in the type of people keeping aquaria. People began to want cheap prices and bigger variety and the big box stores helped provide it. The smaller stores, with a couple exceptions, couldn't keep up having to buy from local wholesalers that had only mediocre. True aquarium hobbyists started to disappear and the casual fish keepers became more numerous. They didn't care about quality as much as they wanted the cheapest price. How could the smaller shops compete with these huge locations that were importing on their own. The smaller shops (many started in the '60's and '70's) were for the most part also run by people/families who were getting older and just really wanted out before the lack of business ate up their retirement.

There were more than a dozen smaller shops in the City of Toronto proper (original boundries). Aquarium Toronto (2 including Danforth and Eaton Centre), KC Aquarium, Pirahna shop, Danforth Pet Shop, Triple A Aquarium and a few others who's names escape me. When I was a young hobbyist all the shops were small filled with knowledgeable owners who knew lots about fish and brought in rare gems on occasion.

The hobbyist base is just a lot smaller than it used to be to support many small LFSs.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

h_s said:


> Aquarium Toronto (2 including Danforth and Eaton Centre),


There used to be one at Thorncliff mall too, which is the one I used to go to as a kid =)

Along with what Harold has said, the rent price inside Toronto is a lot more, which makes it tough for stores to have a go at it. That is why you see a lot of stores on the outskirts of Toronto.


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## Kerohime (Jan 10, 2011)

I totally see it now. I grew up around the aquarium trade in Chinatown and there were at lest 4 or 5 little LFS stores throughout chinatown, and now its just the one Downtown pets aquarium at dragon city, and another really small kiosk in another building. 

I remember going to these stores at 11am sharp on Saturdays to watch the big arowanas get fed, chatting to the actual owners about fish, these guys taught me almost everything I knew and got me into the hobby at a very young age (also with the influence of my father who was big into Japanese koi). 

I'm saddened by the probable fact that young kids these days are introduced to the aquarium hobby by store that are more like fish farms by which the staff are trying to just get you to get in, spend money and get out, namely the larger stores. Or kids learn about fish through those chinese festivals where people are selling turtles in little betta tanks, and goldfish are sold in little plastic bags as a prize. 

I guess there are more things for kids to do for fun... like the video games instead of pets. =x I did both as a kid though, but I was a pretty lonely kid. 

Think of the children... the children~


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

Yea, it's kind of strange to never see anyone from downtown with aquariums. Even with stuff like kijiji and craigslist, I find most of the sellers are out of downtown core.

I think there are four possible fish stores around downtown? Menagerie, dragon city fish store, the on just north on spadina, and the one near church and charles? But the only one that's really worth it both quality and pricewise is menagerie, even then... sometimes it's too pricey for me. They gotta pay rent downtown!


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Somtimes you can spot the fishheads (especially the marine folks) at night, when only their units have an eerie purplish/blue glow!


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