I decided to visit AA even though there were so ma...

I decided to visit AA even though there were so many negative reviews on here. I am writing this to explain how my visit went and maybe suggest people that wrote negatively should give this store another try.

AA was relatively easy to find and sits in a large shopping mall. Going in the store was pleasing to the eye, the floors were clean and products neatly organized in an easy to understand way. I was almost afraid to go into the store after reading the reviews which claimed unsanitary conditions and dirty fish tanks. This could not be further from the truth. The place was immaculately clean. I examined every tank with a fish in it and each tank had clear water, no dirt or crud on the tanks and more importantly none of the unsanitary conditions that other people have described. I saw no dead fish in any tank and none that looked even slightly sick.

Another major complaint was the customer service offered by the employees at AA. When I first entered the store I was met by an employee who greeted me and asked if I needed help. I explained what I was looking for and he pointed me in the right direction, mentioning that employees where floating to help anyone who needed it. I found what I was looking for, but had a few questions about it. As I was looking at the fish I was approached by another employee who helped me out. What I found especially appealing was the fact the employee told me point blank that this type of fish was not his specialty, but that he could get a specialist if I would wait just a minute. Within two minutes I had a "specialist" telling me everything about the fish in question and helping me wonderfully. This employee went out of the way to make sure all my needs were met and that I understand everything I needed to know about these particular fish. I decided to purchase the fish, and the employee package the fish up and took the time to add oxygen to the bags to ensure the fish would survive the drive home. The employees were exemplary at this location and I was definitely impressed with the knowledge and ability to meet my needs.

Another major complaint was the price of various items compared to other pet stores. I tested 8 items from my local pet store and compared to AA. 4 of the items were the same price at both places. 2 of the items were more expensive at AA and one item was more expensive at my local pet store. I asked about their fish discount program, which gives you 25% off any fish in the store, and costs 10$ for a year. With this discount included only 1 item was more expensive at AA compared to my local store, and 7 out of 8 were less expensive. Please note I did not check the actual costs of aquariums, but prices on fish, food, plants and some other accessories.

Overall my experience at this location was wonderful. The store was clean, organized well and the employees were helpful and knowledgeable. Perhaps all the people who left negative reviews should go back and check out the place again.