Aquatic retailer, Fishkeeper Scotland, a subsidiary of UK-wide Maidenhead Aquatics, is set to open its flagship store in Dobbies Edinburgh as part of a £1m, 11-store roll-out plan, creating 30 new jobs across the country.
Established in 2010, the company currently has 60 employees and eight stores in Scotland; Simpsons Garden Centre in Inverness, James Pringles in Leith, Mackinnon Mills in Coatbridge and five recently opened concessions within Dobbies Garden Centres in Dundee, Aberdeen, Dunfermline, Stirling and Braehead.
Plans to open a further six Dobbies concessions over the next 12 months include its flagship store within Dobbies Edinburgh,where the company will enhance the existing aquatic offering.
The 6,500 sq ft new concession in Edinburgh, which will be the biggest store in Fishkeeper Scotland’s portfolio, has been given a complete revamp, featuring a new layout.
It will stock over 5,000 exotic invertebrates and tropical freshwater, marine, coldwater and pond fish from around the world, including discus and African cichlids and other species rarely seen in Scotland.
It will also feature a 6,500 litre koi pond where you can feed the fish as well as over 200 aquariums, including its own AquaOak range and freshwater plants, saltwater corals, ponds and accessories.
Colin Christian, Fishkeeper Scotland regional director, said: “We are in the process of putting the finishing touches to our flagship store within Dobbie’s Melville, in time for the official opening weekend on the 3-4 September.
“This is part of a major store roll-out plan which we are really exciting about and on track to complete within the next 12 months, taking our total number of stores in Scotland to 14.
“We are really looking forward to offering everything a fishkeeper needs at our new store from the novice to the more advanced aquarist who will notice more fish and products than ever before, including our very own AquaOak aquariums.
“We are confident the new stores, run by our fantastic team of fishkeeping experts, will be as successful as our existing stores, which have been trading exceptionally well in Scotland for the last six years.”
