From the moment you walk through the eye-catching door of Coral Reef Connection in West Reading, a sense of peace envelops you.
Soothing light, meant to mimic the natural rays of the sun, calms the senses almost immediately, while the gentle sound of trickling water from the gigantic aquarium in the center of the room could give a pricey white noise machine a run for its money.
Beautiful clownfish, pufferfish, and other exotic varieties of fish swim peacefully through the tanks that line the walls in both the front and back rooms, and a small seating area near the front window provides a lovely space to sit and enjoy your peaceful surroundings.
Owner Will Becker, who did a large amount of the renovations to the building (which used to house Sweet Surprises) himself, took pains to make sure that the environment of the store was as welcoming as it could possibly be.
More important than the peaceful atmosphere, however, is the fact that everything sold at Coral Reef Connection is sustainably and ethically sourced.
Becker believes firmly in preserving and protecting the environment, and he hopes that passion is communicated clearly in the selection of both freshwater and saltwater fish and living aquatic plants and organisms that the store sells.
“Coral Reef Connection has an aquaculture/grow out facility” says Mr. Becker, “[which means that] we cultivate our own corals to grow and sell fragments that grow off of larger colonies, which in turn adds sustainability to our reefs.”
He is looking forward to connecting with the community in West Reading and the surrounding areas.
Coral Reef Connection is located at 544 Penn Ave in West Reading, open W-F 12-8pm, Sat-Sun 12-5pm.
