Wholesale Tropicals meant more to Michael Robson than just a local aquarium store. He tells the story of how this fish shop became ingrained in his life over the years.
In recent years we have, as a nation, become used to the closure of UK High Street stores. The likes of Debenhams, Woolworths, BHS and Wilko have all fallen by the wayside as a number of economic factors took its toll.
The loss of one particular store has affected me the most. This was that of the wonderful Wholesale Tropicals, located in Bethnal Green. The oldest tropical fish store in London and probably the most well known.
I was a regular visitor to the store for over 40 years. When I visited in mid-January 2025 Terry jnr dropped the bombshell that they were closing at the end of the month. That was a huge shock.
Later that day, I met my wife and on seeing me immediately asked what was wrong. Clearly, I was visibly upset. I explained what I had just heard. Despite not having as strong of a connection to the store, she was visibly shocked.
In our early days of marriage, we had occasionally visited the store together. And a few years later we would also take our young children. They grew up with regular visits to the Jones family of Wholesale.
That’s what Wholesale Tropicals was, an extended family. All the Jones family at one point or another have worked there. Each of them took their turn to be elbows deep in tank water. Whether that was to clean or catch the exotic inhabitants of the tanks so that they could make their way to their new homes.
The start of the next 40 years
I was newly-wed when I discovered the delights of Wholesale Tropicals. I first encountered it after seeing an ad in the Aquarist and Pondkeeper magazine. The 20% discount voucher attached was enough to entice me to visit the store.
After a brief ride on the Central Line (part of London Underground) I walked down Bethnal Green Road. When I arrived at my destination I saw this rather unassuming door painted green with a few glass window. The amazing selection of tropical fish within was like a well kept secret from those passing by.
As you entered the store, the humidity hit you as did the smell. While not an unpleasant smell, it was more an earthy damp aroma. Those of a certain age will remember it well from when you entered the old-style local fish store.
The upstairs was rather cramped with loads of tanks full of the rare and unusual. The store became more spacious as you went downstairs. I came away from that first visit dizzy with excitement, and a considerable lighter pocket. This visit set the trend for the next 40 years.
A new look but the same quality
Twenty odd years after my first visit, Wholesale had a refurb. With new colours, the aquarium store was bigger and brighter, and all on one level. The aquatic residents of the tanks remained the stars of the show though.
Unusual and rare corys, L number plecs, tetras and wild discus were some of the regular highlights. I saw a shoal of blue faced heckel discus here that remain fixed in my memory. In all these years since I have never seen any better quality wild discus.
Photos from previous PFK visits to Wholesale tropicals
More than just great staff, they are great people
Every time I visited the store the staff would greet me as a friend. The banter was on the go all the time, as was the kettle and a tin of biscuits. The one constant of that store was the friendliness, the welcome, and the open and honest discussions. Both the Terry’s are truly cockney lads and what you see was what you got.
Shortly after the birth of my second daughter, they asked how my wife and our new family member was doing. I immediately broke down and told them about how she was born with hydrocephalus and spinna bifida. They offered a shoulder to cry on and to help in any way they could, as they always did.
The Jones's helped their local disabled community a lot. They would just shrug their shoulders if anyone ever mentioned it. "It needs to be done" they would respond.
The staff, which changed over the years, were all in the same mould as the Jones’s. Down to earth and honest. Chris deserves a special mention for his knowledge and help – thank you Chris.
Eventually Terry snr retired and Terry jnr took over the reins. No matter who was in charge, the shop remained the same high quality. This place was always the go to for ‘fish hunters’. You would see more rare and varied species here than if you visited the aquarium at London Zoo.
The store won many awards and was almost always in PFK’s top 40 stores list. This store was almost a tourist attraction in its own right.
I could continue for ages about what a wonderful place it was. Instead I will leave it on a personal note. I often do not feel comfortable in a lot of places but I felt comfortable at Wholesale Tropicals. This is what sums this fish shop up the most.
This store was my second home, my sanctuary, my Eden. They were my friends and I shall miss the place, its owners and the staff terribly.
Support your local fish store, if collectively we fail to do this, we risk losing our safe space. Let us know if you have a favourite shop that we should visit by emailing us at [email protected].