How a 23-year-old woman successfully launched an aquarium business during the pandemic - Palm Beach Post

How a 23-year-old woman successfully launched an aquarium business during the pandemic - Palm Beach Post

How a 23-year-old woman successfully launched an aquarium business during the pandemic - Palm Beach Post

Posted: 21 Feb 2021 04:22 AM PST

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Fish Room floats back downtown | News, Sports, Jobs - Fort Dodge Messenger

Posted: 20 Feb 2021 11:39 PM PST

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious
Ben Bethke, a consultant at The Fish Room, helps run the family business that has seen great success since it opened over four years ago.

Affairs in the fish business are going swimmingly, as business with The Fish Room shows.

The fish store that started on Central Avenue nearly five years ago returned to its original location in July, purchasing 1224 Central Ave. In between, they were located at Crossroads Mall.

What started as a small koi consignment at Pet Central in April of 2016 quickly turned into a full-fledged operation for hobbyists that has steadily grown over time, expanding with each move.

"It just blows me away. This was supposed to be a hobby," said owner Tom Bethke. "When we first started out, I told (my son) 'in no time, we'll be doing $50 a week,' and I didn't believe that at the time. I was trying to pump him up."

Now, they're purchasing about $1,000 worth of fish each week — quantities that hungry enthusiasts in Fort Dodge and far-flung cities snap up quickly.

"With COVID, people have a lot of extra time," said Ben Bethke, Tom's son and a fish specialist at the store. "Business has gone up."

Through a commitment to increasing knowledge and providing generous customer service, they've drawn a loyal customer base in communities as close as Fort Dodge and as far as Lincoln, Nebraska, and Rochester, Minnesota.

"They tell us that we treat them so well here that it's worth the trip," said Tom Bethke. "We do extra things."

Need help getting that 40-gallon tank home? They'll get it inside for you, no charge. Need a tank for your classroom? They can work with you on the pricing, too.

And as they settle back into the place where it all started, the original portion of the store they took up on consignment is a mere fraction of what they occupy now. With a larger space, the store is now able to expand offerings even more, particularly with reptiles.

"We've learned a lot from our customers," said Ben Bethke, fish specialist. "We knew a lot (before), but we didn't know as much as we know now."

As other fish stores in towns like Webster City and Boone have closed, The Fish Room has absorbed their equipment. Tom Bethke credits their continued success to their customer service commitment that often goes above and beyond.

"Our policy is if you kill the fish, we'll replace it," Ben Bethke said — no questions asked, a policy not common with every fish store.

A koi pond in their new location, where visitors can feed the fish for a quarter, serves as a tribute to the man who was an inspiration for the growing business: Ben's Uncle Doug.

"He had a lake in his backyard for koi," Ben Bethke said. "That's where I got obsessed with them as a kid."

As his uncle grew ill, a book from him gave him the seal of approval for Ben to carry on with the passion.

"He gave me a few books when he was pretty ill. The first one he handed me was 'Koi for Dummies'," Ben Bethke said. "He said, 'This will come in handy for you.'"

Now, the business pays that forward by instilling the love for ichthyology in children. Teachers can receive a $125 grant for a class aquarium or pet through Petsintheclassroom.org. Owner Tom Bethke said The Fish Room works with teachers to make sure costs stay low.

With continued growth, the business is eyeing storefronts next door for further expansion.

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