Shell Port — Local services in Panama City Beach

they keep removing my review! went in to this store with two of my friends and i was minding my business just looking at the shells while my friends split off and looked at the hermit crabs. we all work at a pet store and focus on proper pet care so one of my friends made a comment to my other friend that the $79.99 hermit crab enclosures are rip offs because they don’t even have proper care and proper requirements to keep hermit crabs happy and healthy and thriving. the man working up front then interrupted my friends’ conversation and asked if they needed any help and asked them why they felt it was a rip off. they then explained that it just wasn’t proper care standards and the man working then started going off about how “they’ve been doing it for 30 years” and “have you seen the other stores?” then stated that we could leave if it was such a big issue. nobody was talking to him, HE CHOSE to interrupt their conversation and upset himself. i was completely out of the loop the whole time, just looking at shells by myself, so after the man told my friends to “get the …. out” one of them came and got me and told me that we were leaving. i asked what the issue was because she was clearly very irritated and the man started to threaten us and walked behind me with a large stick and told ME to “get the …. out of here” and then told me “get out before i shove this up your ….” i was completely dumbfounded because i was not even a part of the conversation and i was suddenly being threatened. then he assumed that we were children but we are 21, 22, and 25. i felt very uncomfortable and i am sorry for anyone who chooses to shop from such awful people especially those with children who may be threatened. i did not even speak to that man and he threatened to harm me even though he assumed we were children. not a good way to keep business. plus, $79.99 for some hermit crabs that will die soon due to improper care? laughable.

edit to add: notice how they didn’t respond to the fact that they threatened to harm me, a completely innocent person who didn’t even speak to them. all they want to do is call my friends rude for having a private...

If you are visiting or planning to visit PCB then do yourself a favor and make sure to visit the ONLY locally owned and operated beach merchandise store. From the moment we walked in the door, the owner Mr. John greeted us with a warm smile and asked where we were visiting from, during the conversation it was discussed that we were from North Carolina and it was our first visit to the area and we were celebrating my girlfriend’s birthday. There were so many things to see, from the biggest variety of seashells I’ve ever seen in my entire life, to souvenirs unlike any at the major chain stores and a huge display of hermit crabs for purchase along with all the enclosures and accessories to provide a crab with a remarkable oasis to live like a king. As we prepared to depart the store, Mr. John was so kind hearted that he provided my girlfriend with a postcard with a Happy Birthday note and the date that he’d prepared as we were shopping. The experience and gesture meant so much that we made sure to go back again just to say goodbye to Mr. John. If you want a beach shopping experience that you won’t get at the major chain stores then go say hey to Mr. John at Shell Port! This place is guaranteed to put a smile...

Wonderful service, very knowledgeable staff. Very family friendly, and there's definitely something unique, educational, and beautiful there for all ages. They offer a massive variety of shells ranging from just a few cents to several dollars. Of course, they also carry apparel, custom trinkets, and the like.

My main reason for shopping here though, was their hermit crabs, in which they did not disappoint. I was able to purchase food, water dishes, sand, a suitable carrier, and of course a few crabs, all of which were fine until I was able to get them home and into the ideal crabitat. As a side note, please be sure to do your research online before purchasing hermit crabs, as they require very specific things in terms of care. But most of their crabs looked very healthy and happy and active, and they were kept on sand, which is much more ideal than the cardboard they're often kept on in souvenir shops.

Overall, a lovely place and I look forward to visiting here again on my next trip to...