Starting A Talkle Store 2025
blackmax135 reply :
Hello everyone in fishing land. I have been reasearching for 2 years now on everything on getting a store started. I have been wanting to start a fishing takle store in my town for a long time because the nearest place to buy a good assortment of takle and get what you need is bass pro a hour and a half away. I wanna start this for the people of my town to be able to stay near home and be able to get what they need with ease. Also have a place for local fisherman to come and talk with others, throw parties and other events that involve fishing to get the younger generation to learn and get the respect for fish. We have a small lake and we have a big river about 15 min away from our town. Our town is not a big place and buisness's don't last long usually but they might not last long because of other reasons i don't know. I am very good with people i worked in a grocery store for 3 years and i did everything and its alot of work owning your own business wich i have never done and im only 22. I wants some opinions and advice before i go all the way with this big decision. Thanks (yes i have misspelled alot of things in this forum but thats because im doing this on a phone and its hard to go back and correct)
BadBassWV reply :
I too live in a small town, nearest place to purchase tackle is about an hour away. I guess my first question is are you going to be able to buy your tackle/lures at a price to offer your customers good pricing? We have had a couple of small tackle shops open and close pretty quick. There prices were so high that with the internet availability you could order and even with shipping it was cheaper to purchase online. I didn't mind the pricing so much as I did the assortment of inventory they carried. IMO it would take a substantial amount of money to stock what everyone wants. Good Luck, I hope you can open and be successful in whatever you do.
blackmax135 reply :
Well thats another thing i need to know is how and were to get these cheap prices for so customers can afford to shop with me.
flyfisher reply :
On 7/5/2014 at 10:07 AM, blackmax135 said:Well thats another thing i need to know is how and were to get these cheap prices for so customers can afford to shop with me.
Sounds like you haven't done as much research as you think.......What have you researched?
Kevin22 reply :
Wow that is some serious dedication giving up your own fishing to help the locals! A good friend of my father tried that and he said it was the worst 2 years of his life. In those 2 years he could count the amount of times he got to fish on one hand. Open at 6:00am every day, close at 5pm.
Owning a tackle store is one job I would not want!
GADawgs reply :
I agree with what bad bass said. You need to worry about a stores availability and pricing. I will support my local tackle shop when possible but many times they don't have what I want and I get frustrated driving 10 minutes only to find it was a waste of my time. This inevitably leads me to go to the internet after that happens a couple of times. I think you will run into that a lot with internet availability, pricing and free shipping. Second, what is the demand in your area? Just because you want to offer it doesn't mean there is a good enough demand to successfully support a store. There is a reason that lots of small stores close, and it's not for lack of effort from an owner always. There is lots more to consider and other things I could say but this is ultimately your decision. Obviously asking advice about this on a fishing website probably isn't the best place because many may think its a great idea because they would like it for their town.
Have you done any research/polls of people in your town to see what the overall opinion/demand is. That is going to give you a better idea of the viability of this venture than our input.
Either way, good luck with whatever decision you make.
blackmax135 reply :
ive researched legal things. Promotional things. It will still be a good while but i want my p's and q's straight before i go head on into this. Thats why i started this to get as much insight as possible from others who have had some experience. I don't wanna get into something i can't handle or just won't work out in my area.
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
Good luck .if you own the store and no overhead you will have fun and profit.the first yr will be the hardest.you may want to start a franchise bass pro ,cabelas,gander, sportsmans liquidation,
blackmax135 reply :
Like you said GAdawgs the internet has an unlimited amount of resources and its very hard to compete with. I figured there would be some takle shop owners on here that could give some advice and what were some of the things they did to be succesful. Thanks
Flywatersmallie reply :
A friend of mine owns and runs a tackle shop. As far as pricing goes, he orders most (not all) from a distribution company. There are a few things he carries (for example, Sunline products and St Croix rods) that do not deal with his distribution company so he needs to get those on his own and often with hefty minimum orders and/or yearly purchase requirements to remain a dealer. Its expensive to stock a store and the markup isn't what you would think it is on many items. Another thing to remember, you don't work, you don't eat. You have to be open at the times fishermen demand or the business is doomed sooner rather than later. He has been in business since 1985 I believe in a town of 70,000 people. Main competition is Gander Mountain. In the last 5 years or so has taken a more specialized approach in that he offers things that nobody else locally does. He caters mostly to bass/musky guys even though there is a nationally known walleye lake 2 miles from his front door but lots of competition on that end. Local direct competition or not, he still competes with the internet everyday. He price matches online prices because he has to and that cuts directly into his profit margin and in turn into the new items he can carry. Not a job I would want but if you do, I hope you have a big pile of expendable cash and the patience of a saint to get started
If you are set on doing it, best of luck to you! In all sincerity, I hope you make it work and are happy doing so.
jtharris3 reply :
Given the competition the internet presents, you're going to be the most successful in giving great customer service, hiring people who have the same level of passion and knowledge as you, and have the best selection for your area. It won't be easy, but with hard work and dedication you can make it work. I wish you much luck.
Code54 reply :
The hard part is capitol - you are going to need a lot of it. Between the bldg, insurance - fire - liability -workers comp, products, shelves, utilities, building signs, State and local business licenses, Accountant (get your deductions right as it will save you some cash), advertising, employees, (?) etc Also don't plan on taking any money from the business for at least the first year. Would say at a minimum you will need 75K. not trying to burst your bubble but there is a lot of up front costs as well as a lot of of research that needs down. Getting suppliers is a start but also will need an attorney to make sure the agreements with the suppliers are fair to you. Also keep an eye open for any agreements that would not allow you to use several suppliers.
Anyway just wanted to give you some ideas of what problems you may face.
Good luck
blackmax135 reply :
Awesome guys that is seriously alot of help. I know its gonna take alot of dedication but ive got a savings account ive had going for this for a long time and i think 2 more years and i will hopefully have the odds and ends together and be able to have the support of my town and have the supply and demand i need to make this succesfull and keep get things going thanks!!!!
Raul reply :
American Rod and Gun, but you'll have to go to the process of qualifying for wholesale prices. ARG is the BPS wholesale division.On 7/5/2014 at 10:07 AM, blackmax135 said:Well thats another thing i need to know is how and were to get these cheap prices for so customers can afford to shop with me.
Kevin22 reply :
You should research small business loans in your area as well. See what it will take to qualify in a few years, maybe speak to a couple banks and seek their advice. The good thing about the tackle industry is that as long as you buy everything at a good wholesale cost, you should be able to sell it all off online if it goes belly up.
One tip I can give you is to branch out to the other types of fishing in your area and get a good understanding there as well. One local store has a bad reputation because it is run by a bass fisherman, the walleye, catfish, and crappie guys can't get decent bait or tackle because its just walls and walls of bass stuff. Generally speaking, there's probably 3 times more people fishing other stuff than bass in most areas. Don't forget that!
Josh Smith reply :
BlackMax135,
I'm a business owner.
If I may:
1. Have an online presence as well as a brick and mortar shop. I only have the online presence; any local business comes to me or I go to them. Demonstrating products at a gun range or at a local pond is an excellent way to build rep. Writing articles is another. I picked up a lot in Think Like A Fish by Tom Mann.
2. Carry products that appeal to all price ranges and skill levels. Were I to carry lures, I might even consider ordering some of those eBay direct-from-China lures. They're trash but might catch fish, and you can sell them for pennies or give them away. Customer loyalty is a must. In a small town, return customers are priceless.
3. Know what you're talking about but always be willing to learn. Just because you own a business does not mean you know everything.
4. Consider everything your customers tell you. Even if you don't implement it right away, keep it in your mind. You might be surprised what comes in handy.
5. If you have the ability, offer hand-made lures. Maybe even offer to build from designs. I have some sound designs that I flat don't have time to build.
6. Most small businesses fail the first year. If you make it after that, you'll probably keep it.
7. Never be afraid to evolve.
8. You really need to read Tom Mann's book.
9. Consider a few business classes at your community college.
10. Get your LLC. Very important when dealing with all things explosive, pointy, or likely to be handled by a person who drinks beer.
Were I to open a tackle shop, I think I'd do it with the simple stuff first, meaning jigs and worms and such. Do you cast bullets? If not, I would be happy to cast a few jig heads next time I cast bullets if you want to send me a few molds of the ones you want cast. Shouldn't take much lead, so I'll throw that in. I just need molds and hooks. I'll let you paint them as I flat don't have time for that.
A pet peeve of mine when it comes to jig heads is the fact that they lose paint. I don't know if this has been tried, but you might play with Durakote or Cerakote gun finishes on jig heads.
Don't be afraid to buy kits for assembling spinnerbaits. The more work you do yourself, the less it will cost you.
Feel free to write me. PM me and I'll give you my email address.
Regards,
Josh
RAMBLER reply :
Small towns don't support, very well, a store of non essentials. To Grandma, a tackle shop is not essential. To have a successful business you have to have constant foot traffic. You can't make a profit on the half a dozen customers that are stopping for one lure or bobber or pack of hooks.
There was a small tackle shop, here that didn't make it. The guy that owned it was a tournament fisherman and he ran/sponsored local tournaments. The store was 15 minutes from a body of water that Elite Series tournaments were held in, but the pros did not have to go past his store to get to the launch site. In fact, it was more convenient to stop at the local Wal-Mart, who can sell tackle cheaper than a small shop owner can buy tackle. Neither did almost anybody else that was going to any of about a dozen good fishing locations, around here.
There's another location that has had tackle/bait shops off and on for several years. They have all gone under. There just was not the customer base that's needed to support the stores.
It's good to have a dream and I hope it works out for you. But, be prepared for some very lean times.
frogflogger reply :
I went broke trying it - 18 hrs a day no holidays - guys could mailorder back then and beat my prices - to small of a market where I was located - night crawlers and other live bait were my mainstays - but I made a lot of great friends and met some worthwhile characters.
BassWhole! reply :
Don't do it, unless you are a trust fund baby in need of a hobby. You'll learn a lot, but you'll dump a ton of money effort and time into it.
bigbill reply :
It's all about location and prices. Keep it affordable. Work out specials with the suppliers. Look for over runs at all the lure manufacturers.
Remember it's a 24/7 store if you do it right you won't be fishing anymore if your busy you won't have the time.
basseditor reply :
I had a sporting goods store many years ago. I never pulled a wage in four years. Although I loved doing it, I gave up and started something different. I think it's better to do something else because your purchasing power as a small shop makes it hard to get competitive wholesale prices.
You'll find some stores selling cheaper than you can buy it for. Some products have very little gross profit margin.
If you're on a road to the fishing areas may help. Then you can add convenience store items like snacks etc.
Learn all you can about retailing. Inventory turnover is important.
(See also Fishing Tackle Retailer magazine and online.)
flyingmonkie reply :
Yeah... I second most of the sentiment here. This is a risky, risky venture. Not going to say you can't be successful, just going to say that the odds are not in your favor. If you're in the business of making money, then I'd take your savings and invest it in something else. If you're doing it because of your love for fishing... well then... I wish you all the luck in the world. 
Considering you still have a couple years before you pull the trigger, PLEASE learn about business. Business is a science, and the knowledge you need is industry agnostic. Take classes, read books, and find a mentor. Who is the most successful small business owner in town? Buy him lunch - or heck, take him fishing! - and spend the next two years building that relationship.
Passion is not enough to make a business successful.
BassWhole! reply :
On 7/6/2014 at 11:12 AM, flyingmonkie said:Yeah... I second most of the sentiment here. This is a risky, risky venture. Not going to say you can't be successful, just going to say that the odds are not in your favor. If you're in the business of making money, then I'd take your savings and invest it in something else. If you're doing it because of your love for fishing... well then... I wish you all the luck in the world.
Considering you still have a couple years before you pull the trigger, PLEASE learn about business. Business is a science, and the knowledge you need is industry agnostic. Take classes, read books, and find a mentor. Who is the most successful small business owner in town? Buy him lunch - or heck, take him fishing! - and spend the next two years building that relationship.
Passion is not enough to make a business successful.
There is nothing risky about it. It is a guaranteed failure. The only way to possibly make it work would be to be convenient to a popular fishing location, but guess what, there is probably someone there already. I'm into sporting retailing (not fishing, I'm not that silly). For us we need about 600,000 local residents per location to make it work. There is only one reason to go into business for yourself, and that is money. The worst thing you could do is go into it because you "love the sport". We buy out shops that started that way pennies on the dollar quite a bit.
blackmax135 reply :
Wow thanks for all the inputs. Don't sound to good and thank yall so much for the advice maybe i will just save up until i retire and start a business then. Ive already taken some buisness classes and they helped alot with my idea of opening a business. I will never give up wanting to do this but the way it sounds i need to wait. I kinda had the idea that it wasnt a good idea, that is in the aspect of making a liveing it would be just really fun and a good adventure. Thanks everyone awesome advice
SirSnookalot reply :
On 7/7/2014 at 2:12 AM, reason said:There is nothing risky about it. It is a guaranteed failure. The only way to possibly make it work would be to be convenient to a popular fishing location, but guess what, there is probably someone there already. I'm into sporting retailing (not fishing, I'm not that silly). For us we need about 600,000 local residents per location to make it work. There is only one reason to go into business for yourself, and that is money. The worst thing you could do is go into it because you "love the sport". We buy out shops that started that way pennies on the dollar quite a bit.
I don't know much about retail, in fact I know nothing about it except I don't care for any venture that I'm waiting for some one to walk thru the door.
I do know about owning a business, I had as many as 4 businesses running at the same time. One bit of advice I would give, learn a business before you invest any money.
Lund Explorer reply :
On 7/5/2014 at 9:01 AM, blackmax135 said:Hello everyone in fishing land. I have been reasearching for 2 years now on everything on getting a store started. I have been wanting to start a fishing takle store in my town for a long time because the nearest place to buy a good assortment of takle and get what you need is bass pro a hour and a half away. I wanna start this for the people of my town to be able to stay near home and be able to get what they need with ease. Also have a place for local fisherman to come and talk with others, throw parties and other events that involve fishing to get the younger generation to learn and get the respect for fish. We have a small lake and we have a big river about 15 min away from our town. Our town is not a big place and buisness's don't last long usually but they might not last long because of other reasons i don't know. I am very good with people i worked in a grocery store for 3 years and i did everything and its alot of work owning your own business wich i have never done and im only 22. I wants some opinions and advice before i go all the way with this big decision. Thanks (yes i have misspelled alot of things in this forum but thats because im doing this on a phone and its hard to go back and correct)
As soon as you can sit down at a desk-top or lap-top computer, pull up the attached link.
http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/starting-managing-business/starting-business/how-write-business-plan
With the help of a good lawyer and an accountant you should have an answer within six months or so.
Sam reply :
Great you want to start your own business.
There is a lot of research needed before you invest your funds or get a bank loan. Here are some of the expenses you need to consider and estimate:
1. Insurance, including Workers' Compensation and Special Causes of Loss personal property insurance.
2. Taxes. Payroll taxes are a pain and you need a CPA to handle both your personal taxes and the business taxes to make sure you follow all IRS regulations.
3. People. Finding good, honest workers is a problem, especially if you want them to open the store at 5AM or cover for you when you go to ICAST, other conferences, get married, have kids, go on vacation, etc.
4. Inventory. You will need a good inventory system to take an automatic inventory and so you can see how much product walks out of the door. You need to find the vendors and company reps to contact to purchase your inventory.
5. People in the business now. If you will PM me I will ask the guy who owns Tackle Express in Richmond if he would speak with you about his experience with his tackle store. Craig is a great guy and so far he is still in business for over 20-years.
6. It is who you know; not what you know. Experience. I would like see you work at a tackle shop and learn the ins and outs and who the vendors are, etc. However, with no local tackle shop for you to work you are going to have to go it alone.
PM me if you want me to ask Craig if he will speak with you so we can set up the phone call.
Good luck.
BassWhole! reply :
On 7/7/2014 at 7:44 AM, blackmax135 said:Wow thanks for all the inputs. Don't sound to good and thank yall so much for the advice maybe i will just save up until i retire and start a business then. Ive already taken some buisness classes and they helped alot with my idea of opening a business. I will never give up wanting to do this but the way it sounds i need to wait. I kinda had the idea that it wasnt a good idea, that is in the aspect of making a liveing it would be just really fun and a good adventure. Thanks everyone awesome advice
I think you should go into business for yourself, or seriously consider it now or in the near future if its something that interests you, just not in retail fishing in a small town. Good luck with whatever you decide.
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