I try to recommend newer growers use their local stores for at least soil, media, nutrients. As already mentioned here, they are usually competitive anyways. You also can verify youâre not getting expired stuff, which seems to come from Amazon often. Plus youâre supporting local jobs and economy that will hopefully be able to support you as a customer. Another main reason to support local is not having to wait for something that may be critical. I canât even count the times Iâve knocked over a bottle of ph adjuster, calibration fluid, or dropped my tds tester.
[quote=âdbrn32, post:21, topic:97369â]
Plus youâre supporting local jobs and economy that will hopefully be able to support you as a customer.[/quote]
For me, the one-on-one customer support and interaction is certainly worth paying for, but when it comes to supporting the local community, Amazon is actually a big employer in my area, so even Amazon purchases support the local economy, especially the local Amazon drivers as about 90% of my Amazon purchases are now delivered by local Amazon delivery trucksâŚ
This is where local is really a plus, you canât beat being able to get stuff within an hour or two, the best Amazon will do me with same-day delivery is about 6 hours if the item I want is stocked in the local hub and I meet their same day deadlineâŚ
I seem to come across a lot of grow/brew shops in my travels, seems like a common trend to catch both vices in one shop as many share both hobbiesâŚ
Amazon does FPO (San Fran Military addresses), for same USA price, just may fly or float longer before arriving. Transfer from Amazon to US Govt and destination arrival often dependent on luck, yet reliable, not always timely.
Never used amazon, never plan to. We have a smoke shop, no grow supplies in a town of 100,000 near by.
Can get coco bricks at Home Depot. Ordered my nutes from Jacks.
My local grow store actually crushes online prices for lights and other big bucks items, plus the owners advice and guidance is invaluable. The only time I order anything for my grow rooms online is in an emergency or the rare occurrence when he canât get something for me.
Good luck with your shop, itâs definitely a good business to get into these days!
I was surprised that Austin had a Gas Pipe in the 90s⌠they carried the whole old school setups, hoods, hydro rockwool cubes, all. My buddies basically bought rockwool cubes, other supplies came from large nursuries. They kept ladybugs in stock.
I was very excited, that a national chain grow shop opened a store in our hometown, a couple tears ago. I enjoyed going there at first, but now I donât like to go there. And only go when I need something on that day, and canât wait for shipping.
It appears that they are under corporate pressure to make a profit. If you walk in and they recognize you as an experienced grower, they give you no attention. But if an inexperienced grower comes in behind you, they are all over them with help.
I was very loyal to this company and spent a lot of money there. But I felt more appreciated when I was ordering on line, than in the store.
My local grow shop is also set up to Brew and sell craft beer along with other local craft beer on tap. You can set at the bar an have a beer or walk around the shop drink your beer as you look at all the new products. They definitely have a good set up.
I donât buy my lights from my local store - they only carry Gavita and only at wild prices. I could buy an HLG twice over for the $$.
I buy soil, nute supplements (CalMag, sĂlica, molasses, etc), and anything âlast minuteâ from my local guys. I bought a TrimBin, trimmers (Iâm there maybe once every couple months for more trimmers, my dog loves eating them when Iâm not looking between trim sessions), connectors for hydroponics, clone gel, microbes, coco, soil, mycos products, Boveda packs - the stuff one tends to run out of in the middle of a project.
I have been trying to get them to carry GroveBags. Not sure if they do yet
Yeah the sticker shock of Gavita or HLG alone is enough to make most people turn around and Nope the fuck out. Im not saying i wont carry them but i know from a personal stand point most people have a Spider Farmer and Mars Hydro budget starting out. Also this area in particular only carries Fox Farm Trio, Athena, and NPK RAW. The later two being over an hour away and gouged in price. I personally run Fox Farm Trio complete line and have excellent results. But that being said the crap is so over priced and designed to keep your wallet spinning. I will be offering all the top names as well as some of the lesser knowns like 19-4-23 and others.
I also plan on holding workshops to help people understand the basics of mixing, pH, EC/TDS, PPFD, VPD and others. Plus the factors we look for in a healthy medium for soil and hydro.
I am a Hydroponic grower personally and find so many people scared to take the plunge into this fabulous way of growing. I desing and build hydroponic systems made for growers by growers. Desinged around small spaces for big rewards. Every unit only utilizes the best materials i could source locally and abroad that didnt break the bank and think outside the box. I didnt reinvent the wheel by any means but i did make it cooler to look at, easier to work on, and all weather lol.
I understand that for sure. The biggest issue i run in to is being the only one who knows what im talking about when i go in to a store. Like please dont have your barely teenage kids running a grow shop that can only say things like idk. Or have never heard of ph down.
That being said i make my own pH Down now along with many other products that couldnt be sourced when i needed them.
Yeah it was a totally different scene back in the day. Dont say Hitter, dont say bong, the cops are listening with hearing devices. I always felt like i just pulled some mission impossible shit off when id get a new hitter box or something
