IN 1939 Britain went to war with Germany, the Manhattan Project and the second edition of Batman was published.
It was also the years Shirley Aquatics opened its doors on Stratford Road in Shirley and welcomed its first customers.
The aquatics and reptile department has seen off a world war, multiple recessions and a pandemic and has celebrated its 85th anniversary.
The company moved to Beckett’s Farm in Wythall in 2016 and sees customers travelling from across the country to visit the store’s wide range of products including imported Japanese Koi carp.
Earlier this year the company opened a Japanese Koi facility exclusively for hobbyists and enthusiasts to view their imported Japanese fish.
The facility is home to fish worth up to £20,000 each.
The current managing director, Richard Cook is the grandson of Ronald Cook, who purchased the business from original founder Colin Roe in 1982.
Richard is now the third generation of the Cook family to take the helm at Shirley Aquatics after his father, John Cook.
John still works in the business, taking the lead on the development of the new Japanese Koi facility whilst also taking the time annually to visit Japan to select the best fish to import for UK hobbyists.
Richard said: “We’re extremely proud of our heritage and realise how privileged we are to be celebrating our 85th anniversary in business. The business has survived a world war, multiple recessions and a pandemic and this is testament to our incredible customers who have placed their trust in Shirley Aquatics over the generations.”
The business was a popular destination in the late 1990’s when it was home to a 10-foot nurse shark- Nobby after Nobby Stiles, who was part of England’s 1966 World Cup team.
The shark was originally assumed to be a male but upon returning from university after completing a Marine Biology degree, Richard identified that the shark was a female and was likely to grow to at least 14 foot, exceeding the dimension of her tank.
Nobby was subsequently transported to the SeaLife Centre in Great Yarmouth, becoming a major attraction.
The current store located in Wythall is currently home to two smaller Japanese Banded Hound Sharks which are housed in the store’s flagship 15,000 litre aquarium.
Richard said: “The business looks very different to how it did 85 years ago, we’ve become renowned for our range of indoor aquariums, premium Koi and have even incorporated a large reptile department providing everything that people need to care for exotic animals such as snakes, lizards and tortoises.
“We’re always trying to make improvements to our store,customer service and product offering in line with our customer expectations.
“Our whole team are just as passionate as Dad and I about helping customers with their home tanks or garden ponds. Here’s to the next 85 years.”
