I agree
To each his own...personally, nothing pisses me off more than when an employee at a LFS sits on their ass behind the desk and doesn't come out and engage. We all know that prices aren't always marked and having to walk back and forth asking for prices is worse, to me, than having someone hovering around, IMO. The "used car salesman" reference is a matter of one's own preference. I always enjoy shopping at Reefwise and I like the ultra attention I get. However, I do agree that the word "ultra" gets thrown around a bit too much in this industry. Obviously, some people have different experiences and opinions, and they're entitled to them...
I also like shopping at Aqua Pro's...but they are different stores with different business models... which begs the question, why compare things that are not the same? This is not the first time I've seen people compare the two and I wonder why is it that people feel the need to compare them like they are the only two stores in all of Chicagoland? There are many other stores with different specialities and different price points.
I think people tend to compare them because 1, they are close to each other, and 2, the business models are completely different so it is easy to compare the two.
I've been shopping at Reefwise since I first started the hobby 5 years ago, and Brian has always taken care of me. When I go in, he never tries to upsell me, and even if I come in 10 times and look around, asking tons of questions, he never gets upset. He knows that when I'm ready to buy, I'll buy stuff.
I've been shopping at Aquapros for around 3+ years, and Dave is also an amazing guy. I usually go to Aquapros for my dry goods and fish, because I love his quarantine procedure. I bought my current tank from him, and he is always upfront and honest about pricing.
Aquapros gears more towards the affordable, local fish store. While Reefwise is more high-end, drive an hour to get there to see the cool stuff fish store. They both have their places in the hobby, and both are great to go to. They both will take the time to learn your name and will give you the time needed to make decisions.