| | Published July 5th, 2023
| New aquarium shop opens in Orinda Village
| | | By Sora O'Doherty |  | | Customers shop for fish at The Fish Barn, a new aquarium store in Orinda Village. Photo Sora O'Doherty |
Owner A.J. Glassman cut the ribbon to open his new store in Orinda Village, The Fish Barn, on June 10, following a soft opening on June 3. The Fish Barn is located at 19 Orinda Way.
Glassman has spent six years working in the tech industry, but during the COVID-19 pandemic he found himself wondering what he would really like to be doing. Aquarium fish have been a lifelong hobby for Glassman, so he decided to try working in a fish store in Oakland. From there he went to work for the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, and interacted with small business owners in Lamorinda.
He found the perfect spot in Orinda, and opened The Fish Barn, which he hopes will be a destination spot for people along the 24-680 corridor in Contra Costa County and even from across the hill to fulfill their aquarium needs. The only other aquarium store in the county is located in Concord, and when Glassman was working, he found it impossible to get there during opening hours. The Fish Barn will be open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from noon to 6 p.m. on weekends. The store will be closed on Tuesdays.
Glassman's emphasis is on creating natural ecosystems with little plastic, although the fish he sells do require heaters to maintain the water temperature at between 72 to 78 degrees. He offers plants that are easy to grow and make the care of an aquarium easier. He likes to think of people having a little piece of nature in their homes.
The Fish Barn focuses on fresh water community fish, that is, fish that get along together. Glassman will not stock cichlids, for example, which are not generally peaceful in a community tank. Generally, the store caters to people who want aquariums from 10 to 40 gallons in size. However, the shop is still being developed, and a nano area is coming soon, where very small varieties of fish, including fresh water shrimp, will be available for tanks as small as three gallons.
For more information, visit www.thefishbarn.com |
 | | Owner A.J. Glassman outside his new store in Orinda Village. | | | | | | | | | | | |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA