Connie’s Pond and Koi

By Hank Jr., Owner of Connie’s Pond and Koi

I usually have to start way back in 1964. That’s when Connie’s Tropical Fish first opened. Connie was my grandfather’s brother’s wife. My grandparents came over from the Netherlands in 1965 and bought the store in Oakland, right on Foothill and 38th. They built it up through the 1970s and into the 1980s.

In 1997, we opened a second location in Castro Valley of Connie’s Tropical Fish. In the next year and a half we opened up Connie's Pond and Garden, which was our dedicated pond and koi section. —Eventually we sold the Oakland store around the year 2001… Then by 2016, we decided to phase out the aquarium side in our Castro Valley Location and completely and focus entirely on ponds.

We transformed the front section of the Castro Valley building into a full retail pond shop and used the back area for livestock—lotus, lilies, koi, fancy goldfish, and more. Today, we carry everything from Japanese koi to pumps, filters, and pond supplies, all under one roof.

When we expanded the Castro Valley shop, that koi really started becoming a core part of the business. Over the past 25 years, koi, pond plants, and pond equipment have gone from being side items to our main identity.

People often ask me what’s made us successful for so long. The truth is, there’s no single secret. It’s all of it. But the biggest impact always comes from how you treat the customer. Nothing beats helping a customer face-to-face in the shop. After more than 60 years, what matters most hasn’t changed: being present, being reliable, and being passionate about serving the customer.

At the end of the day, that’s what keeps Connie’s Pond and Koi alive—and what I hope continues for the next generation.