Tackle shops

[Newt]

Budgie - I think my local tackle shop had most of what we needed. Do you think they will survive?

 

The one near the lake where you bought licenses even had bait (but no maggots). They will surely make it on location.

[Dick Dastardly]

Budgie - I think my local tackle shop had most of what we needed. Do you think they will survive?

 

The one near the lake where you bought licenses even had bait (but no maggots). They will surely make it on location.

 

 

Its not the shop I worry about surviving in your case Newt but any angler who got lost in it!

[poledark]

I think Newt meant the "little shop by the road side"...not that bloody great emporium called Bass Pro. Good job Newt knew his way around there, or I would still be "lost in the interior".

 

I don't buy a lot of tackle nowadays, got enough rods a reels to last me out. Leads etc I make my self. But even so I have spent a few bob in the last year, and added to what others spend is probably enough to keep them in business.

 

It is a few miles away20/25 mins drive and so a couple of pint of maggots at £2 a pint becomes nearly £7 if you include the fuel.

So location may be the deciding factor for them.

 

Den

[Dick Dastardly]

 

Im somewhat spoiled in Ashford as both of the main shops (Ashford Angling and Invicta Angling) are both well stocked and offer a good service.But Ive been in/had to use plenty of poor ones in the past.

 

Even though Im not a "good customer" (like Den I have enough gear to "last me out" and just dont buy much) both shops all ways treat me well and go that extra bit to help.

 

I really believe this is the most important thing for a tackle shop to do to stay in buisness.

[chesters1]

whats new about tackle shops closing? as a kid in bromley you were spoilt for choice ( ask Den) and many within walking distance in the outskirts (well walking as a stupid kid ) .not lived there for a very long time but two at least stopped selling tackle whilst i was there

farnham had a part time one (nigels the hairdressers) and aldershot had several part time and real shops over the years but just one survives because of location and now with parking

aldershots one makes money from small bits and bobs ,they sell rods and reels but i guess to kids and the elderly who may not know about the www ,if you have to order it via the shop pay full price you may as well order it from the web and save money the delivery time will be the same.

he does though make rods to order and refurbish older ones so his diversity makes a niche others dont have ,he also has a large stock of spares for older reels so good in that department as well.

theres a large well known "name" in north camp that has huge stocks of rods and reels ,i dont go there (but its very popular) they cant seem to get it in their heads (nor most of its customers either) that they are very expensive and you can easily find better deals elsewhere.

i hate the place its crammed full of gear but you are constantly bothered by customers trying to squeeze past as your looking its so crammed with gear theres little space for people.

my fav one is in tontine street in folkestone lots of stuff but mostly hidden out of sight so impulse buys are hard but he does have very good prices not to much above www ones and is open to haggling,a similar one is in weymouth but higher prices due to the far larger holiday maker market than folkestone.

you can natter for hours in folkestone if you wish not something online sellers entertain

half my day as a kid was nattering to the chap in ivans bromley ,nice old chap

Edited August 1, 2008 by chesters1

[Sportsman]

The only tackle shops I have within about 100 miles only sell game fishing gear. I do actually by my maggots on line along with everything else.

 

http://www.wormsdirectuk.co.uk/acatalog/Hook_bait.html

Edited August 1, 2008 by Sportsman

[chesters1]

that why the romans couldnt be bothered with the place ,the antonine (sp?) wall was discontinued because of the fact there was nothing worthwhile to take further up

[terry t shirt]

I moved frm luton area 3 yrs ago there i had a choice of tackle shops. Leslies had what you wanted but there prices were high and apart from the guy i knew in the match section i found their staff obnoxious "you catch little fish cough cough" attitude. There were other shops that were friendly but what they had in stock was lacking. Since i've moved i havnt found the local shops neither friendly or able to supply even the basics that i want. Opting to go for the cheap stuff that just doesnt hack it.

i think the only shops that will survive are those that supply a good quality bait (maggots arnt just maggots) a friendly atmosphere where you can chat to other anglers and reasonable prices. The reasonable prices are there hard part with the overheads they have each week they have to turn over a certain amount just to keep the shop open. This is where the online shops have the advantage they can run a shop out of there garage.

[Dick Dastardly]

Totally agree about the attitude of the staff in Leslies Terry.I also agree with what you say is needed to be sucsessfull.

 

Tackle shops often forget that they can still be competitive.Yes they have more overheads but dont have to add the price of postage whioch on rods can be especially high.

[Ken L]

For the most part, it'll be the hobby tackle shops with no real business sence that go to the wall. Partly because they're not serious about what they do and partly because they don't ship enough stock to get the best prices from their tackle reps to compete with e-tailers on price.

Some are just mucky and disorganised but could be so much more with a bit of acumen. There's a well known shop in Bewdley that ticks over with a few holliday sales but which obviously hasn't made any real money for years. That place would make an ideal shop window for an internet based sales operation and if it was me running it, I'd have a webcam pointing at the river from the upstairs window and have the resulting images displayed on a page along with all the best mail order offers available. Link more adverts to pages with local match results, available waters, water temperature and weather data and you start to develop a viable business. Get top quality bait available at a reasonable price from unspeakably early in the morning and there is a winning package.

Unfortunatly, none of that is going to happen and I doubt that the shop will still be there in 18 months.