Helen Givens grew up not far from the Oregon coast, became a competitive swimmer at an early age, dreamed as a child about being a mermaid, and developed a lasting appreciation for aquatic life.


Given such a background, its not surprising that she eventually would pursue a marine-oriented business ventureeven if its hundreds of miles from turquoise waters and multihued coral reefs bustling with sea life.


About two months ago, she opened Oceanview Aquatics Inc., at 701 E. Third. The business sells saltwater and freshwater fish, aquariums, and related supplies, catering mostly to advanced hobbyists. It also carries a wide range of dcor items, from seashell wind chimes and miniature ships and lighthouses to coral reef rugs and elegant table pieces. In addition to walk-in trade, it offers aquarium setup and maintenance services, which it plans to market to businesses here in coming months.


Its just fascinating, and its beautiful, Givens says, explaining what attracted her to the occupation of setting up miniature ocean environments.


Givens became a saltwater-aquarium hobbyist about 10 years ago and was considering setting up a fourth tank in her home last year, when her husband, Roy, who is president of Pantrol Inc., a Spokane electrical-devices manufacturer, objected. He said, Youre not setting up another tank in this house, Givens says, and he suggested she instead open her own aquarium business. He even agreed to help finance the venture.


Although Givens still is applying the finishing touches to her store, she bubbles with pride at the inland oceanic oasis she has created.


First of all, Oceanview Aquatics is hard for passing motorists not to notice. The entire outside of the building has been painted to look like an underwater seascape, displaying colorful fish and plant life of many types. The interior walls feature more of the same, complementing the myriad colors visible in 22 saltwater and 17 freshwater fish tanks and creating sort of an encircling sea world environment. Catherine Boles, who owns a Post Falls company called Painted Impressions, did the decorative painting with assistance from Spokane friends Melanie Lenhart and Dawn Kiki.


Secondly, Givens has given the shop an upscale, yet cozy feel. Customers can relax in comfy, leather webbed chairs in front of a 180-gallon saltwater display tank teeming with Pacific tangs, yellow-coris and red-flasher wrasses, flame angels, turbo snails, and other brightly colored fish and coral life that can be custom-ordered.


There, at a glass-topped, boat-shaped coffee table sitting on a coral reef rug in front of the big tank, they can sip lattes while they browse through thick books showing hundreds of other types of fish they can order. Or, they can peruse other aquatics-related books available for purchase from the stores small, but diverse reading library. Across a hallway from the book display racks that comprise the library is a wall area that has been set up to serve as a photo gallery, where customers can post pictures of their aquariums.


Also adding to the stores warmth and aesthetic appeal is white-washed oak cabinetry that surrounds most of the saltwater display tanks, concealing electrical cords, pumps, light fixtures, and employee work areas.


Oceanview Aquatics is leasing the building on Third, which has 1,700 square feet of space on the main floor, plus a full basement. The business is using the basement for office and storage space for now, but Givens says she plans to expand the stores currently modest inventory of pond fish, plants, and accessories into that area over the next year and create a koi villa there.


Though the store has been operating for only a couple of months, it already has attracted customers from as far away as Montana and Canada, she says. To promote the business, she started a monthly promotional mailer that she says more than 200 customers so far have signed up to receive.


Most of the exotic fish that Oceanview Aquatics sells range in price from around $8 to $40 apiece, but the stores inventory includes fish priced between about $2 and $150. Some fish that can be ordered, though, cost as much as $500. Givens says she even can contract the services of an ocean diver, if necessary, to retrieve a particular fish if its not readily available through normal suppliers. Although all fish are custom-ordered, customers dont have to wait long because the store receives deliveries twice a week, she says.


Oceanview Aquatics offers free setup to customers who buy entire aquarium systems from it, and will work closely with customers who are having troubles with their tankseven visiting their homes or businesses at no charge if circumstances justify itto get their underwater environments operating properly, Givens says.


The rationale behind such personalized service is that, If your tank is healthy, youre going to come back and buy from us, rather than possibly getting discouraged and quitting the hobby, she says.


Years ago, the hobby wasnt as stable as it is today, Givens says. Now, she asserts, If you do it as we ask you to (using the recommended lights, chemicals, aquatic mix, and maintenance regimen), youre going to be successful.


Regardless, she says, The fun of the hobby is you learn it as you go.


This hobby, like so many others, isnt cheap. Givens estimates it can cost from $900 to $1,200 to buy, set up, and fully stock a typical 55-gallon saltwater aquarium, and around $25 a month to maintain the tank, not including purchases of any new fish, plants, or rocks.


She says there are believed to be about 2,500 avid saltwater-aquarium hobbyists in the Inland Northwest, and interest in the hobby appears to be growing. I really do want the business to grow, just because its beautiful and I have a passion for it, she says.


Oceanview Aquatics employs four people, three full time and one part time, not including Givens.


A number of locally and nationally based chain stores here carry aquarium fish and related supplies. However, the Qwest Dex Yellow Pages lists only two other outlets in the Spokane-Coeur dAlene areaCoral Reef of Spokane, at 2713 E. Sprague, and Inland Ocean, at 9699 N. Government Way in Hayden Lake, Idahothat are locally owned and that specialize in saltwater fish. Givens says she was a longtime Coral Reef customer and remains friends with that stores owner, Steve Ballinger.


Givens says her husband doesnt like fish, but he nevertheless is developingthrough Pantrola couple of products that Oceanview Aquatics plans to market to aquarium enthusiasts. One is a wave maker, that will sell for about $100, and the other is a four-bulb light fixture, that probably will sell for around $150, she says.