Fish store opens in downtown Belmont - Gaston Gazette

Fish store opens in downtown Belmont - Gaston Gazette

Fish store opens in downtown Belmont - Gaston Gazette

Posted: 07 Dec 2020 12:00 AM PST

Gavin Stewart   | The Gaston Gazette

A retail space in downtown Belmont recently exchanged its kennels and dog toys for fish and aquariums.

Fish Geeks opened its doors at 26 N. Main St. – the former Happy Dog Café Boutique and Spa – for the first time on Small Business Saturday. Happy Dog Café closed in April.

Matt Wiegert, a graduate of South Point High School who worked for Wet Pets in Gastonia on and off for 26 years, inquired to lease the space the same day it hit the market to open a fish store of his own. He looked at retail spaces near Harris Teeter on South Point Road, as well as Cramerton, before landing the storefront in the heart of Belmont.

"The foot traffic here is amazing," he said.

Fish Geeks – owned by Wiegert, his wife, Angela, and fellow South Point grad, Josh Smith – sells a variety of freshwater and saltwater fish, including koi, eels and betta fish, as well as tanks, supplies, food and anything else needed to keep fish alive and well. Wiegert's two children, Ethan Wiegert and Evelyn Genao, also work at the store.

Passers-by will notice a clownfish and royal blue tang swimming in the tank by Fish Geeks' front window – a nod to the classic animated film, "Finding Nemo." Freshwater and saltwater tanks line the left interior wall and display fish of all shapes and sizes. Two 27-year-old koi swim in a small indoor pond in the back of the store.

Luckily, many shoppers hunting for holiday deals in Belmont noticed Nemo and Dory swimming at the window and were curious enough to check out the store. If they didn't buy a new pet, they at least walked in to see what the store had to offer, according to Wiegert.

"Over the weekend, kids and their parents were walking by and they came in and [many] ended up getting a Betta fish," he said. "And people, who are maybe in their 60s or 70s and remembered having a tank when they were really young, walked in and they were super excited about [the store].

Wiegert, 37, got his first fish at age 8. His passion for underwater pets grew immensely while working at Wet Pets, where he maintained aquariums, took care of fish and learned the trade, he said.

"I've always been in the hobby and always had tanks," Wiegert said. "I actually owe the owner (David Jones) a lot. He taught me everything I know."

There's something for everyone at Fish Geeks, no matter the price range. A typical starter kit, which includes a fish, tank, food and other supplies, can cost as low as $50.

For those looking for a more extravagant aquarium, Wiegert sells saltwater systems of all sizes, as well as colorful, entrancing fish from the sea. Those tanks can cost several hundred dollars, and the price of a single fish can exceed $80.

Fish Geeks also offers custom aquarium installations and maintenance for the home and businesses.

"Red sea stuff is kind of our pride and joy. It's more of a high-dollar, upscale system," he said. "I wanted to have high end things like this but also keep stuff that's extremely affordable. You can get into the hobby no matter how much money you have."

You can reach Gavin Stewart at 704-869-1819 or on Twitter @GavinGazette.

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