Buying From Small Shops vs Big Shops

[Will Ketchum]

As old as I am, I probably have enough stuff to open my own tackle shop, so I don’t buy much anymore.

 

I remember a mom and pop called Zambor’s. They did so well that they moved to a larger location and expanded with hunting and fishing gear. The owner planned to leave the business to his son, but when he died, he just closed up instead.

 

A former employee of Zambor’s opened up his own place called Ray’s Bait but his mother Marge really ran it. I bought loads there including rods and reels, tackle and bait, but big box stores put them out of business. Marge told me that she went to Cabella’s to see if any of her customers were going there, and sure enough she found some. Ray’s Bait had to close so they had a going out of business sale and I bought a bunch. I miss that place and Marge too, now deceased.

[Jar11591]

The few mom and pop shops that are still open around here usually just have live shiners and crawfish. If they do have tackle as well, it’s usually nothing more than some Mepps in-line spinners, Yamamoto senkos, and ice fishing or trout fishing rods. No much in the way of bass tackle unfortunately. There is one shop within an hour of me that specializes in bass, I’ll have to make my way there to check it out. 

[KSanford33]

8 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

The few mom and pop shops that are still open around here usually just have live shiners and crawfish. If they do have tackle as well, it’s usually nothing more than some Mepps in-line spinners, Yamamoto senkos, and ice fishing or trout fishing rods. No much in the way of bass tackle unfortunately. There is one shop within an hour of me that specializes in bass, I’ll have to make my way there to check it out. 

Which one is that? The only one I know of is Wiggly Worm in Burnt Hills, and they're almost 100% live bait now.

One of the reasons I brought this up is because those of you who say you do the majority of your buying online, you can still support mom n' pop shops online. The experience you get is so much better. Take my experience with Mike from @Siebert Outdoors; here's a rough version of what we went through.

 

I messaged him and said I'd like to get into jig fishing, but I don't really know where to start. He said, great, what sorts of cover do you like to fish? I told him my go-to's are any solid cover; fallen timber, docks, etc. and then if that isn't working I fall back to weedbeds. He said, okay, how about water clarity? I said it's almost always somewhere between stained and clear, never muddy. He said, sure, I'll put together a bunch of jigs for you and you can check on my website on how each of them should be used.

 

I'm going to go out on a limb and say if I called BPS's customer service and told them I wanted to get into jig fishing but didn't know where to start, my experience would not be the same.

[Jar11591]

4 minutes ago, KSanford33 said:

Which one is that? The only one I know of is Wiggly Worm in Burnt Hills, and they're almost 100% live bait now.

Fish307 in Lake George. I’ve heard from a few people that it’s a good shop.
 

Good to know that the Wiggly Worm is still open. Haven’t been there in years but that was always my tackle shop a as a kid. 

Conroy’s and Nick’s were my other two, but they have both closed long ago. 

[FrnkNsteen]

Personally, I can't stand the big box stores and avoid them like the plague.. The more they eliminate the competition, the more they stop carrying name brand product and push their store brand. Last few times I was rhere I couldn't find a single rod or reel I was interested in, and I'm a junky for casting rods and reels, Their bait selection is seeming to be goung down the same path. When was the last time you saw a BPS ad that had any reel ob sale that wasn't a Johnny Morris model

 

I would much prefer supporting the smaller companies that offer service. I made an order from Siebert Outdoors after hearing all the good reviews. After seeing the quality of his jigs, and the price he sells them for?.... Why would I ever order from BPS, Cabelas, or TW again?

 

Buying from smaller family businesses isn't always more expensive. For me, I will support them while they are still around because if we keep worrying about saving a buck or two on everything. We will continue to lose our options.

[SC53]

Can’t remember the last time I bought from BPS or any other big store.

I’m fortunate that I have one of the best “ small shops” in Florida in Bitters Bait & Tackle . John carries everything you could possibly need and then some. 
He’s got more name brands than BPS.

[whitwolf]

One of my favorite small tackleshops shut down. Thankfully another opened. I go once a week and buy something each time.  It's  a great place to shoot the bull!

 

The only thing I don't  buy from there are Jigs and tungsten weights( Siebert outdoors) Reels (Shimano) and some Reaction Innovations products he doesn't carry.

[LonnieP]

No small shops around here so I do all of my shopping online

[Basser2021]

23 hours ago, Log Catcher said:

I try to support small shops as much as possible. Sometimes you have to go to a bigger shop to get what you're looking for.

This is my approach as well. I also sometimes find that bigger stores sometimes have cheaper prices.

[Log Catcher]

The small tackle shops do have one advantage. I have gone to our local tackle shop and asked them if they could get me something they didn't stock. They will check with the suppliers and if they have it I will get it in just a few days. You won't get that kind of service at the big box stores.

[MN Fisher]

22 hours ago, gimruis said:

I was specifically referring to Wayzata Bait & Tackle but sadly I think they are done at that location and don't intend to start over elsewhere.

Ya - they're continually discounting tackle in their store....'All sales final'. Comments from their FB post about one of their discounts.

[Fishingmickey]

I've got a local store (Outdoor Alphas) here that I go by and visit every couple of weeks or so. They've got a decent selection and yes the prices are on the higher side. But I can go on my lunch break and I usually drop a few bucks (50-100) each time I stop. They do stock a good selection of Megabass lures.

FM

[Bankbeater]

I do most of my business with BPS, or online.  We have one small bait and tackle store about 14 or so miles away that sells bait, tackle rods, and reels.  When I am out that way I always swing by to see what they have.  I can get a better selection online, but the information I can pick up there is priceless.

[lynxcat]

Closest I get to a mom and pop operation is an order from Omnia or SO’s. I’ve shopped Academy and Scheels but don’t really enjoy it. Tacklewarehouse gets plenty business from me. 

[MN Fisher]

12 minutes ago, lynxcat said:

Closest I get to a mom and pop operation is an order from Omnia

Hate to tell you, but Omnia isn't a 'mom and pop' place.

The CEO co-founded Contour Innovations - which developed lake mapping software and was purchased by Lowrance in 2014

The COO was a sales manager for Lowrance for many years

The Head of Merchandising was a sales rep for Daiwa for a number of years - if you watch any 'Bass Utopia' videos, you know him as Polish Pete.

 

Definitely not a 'mom and pop' operation.

https://www.omniafishing.com/who

[FrnkNsteen]

9 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Hate to tell you, but Omnia isn't a 'mom and pop' place.

The CEO co-founded Contour Innovations - which developed lake mapping software and was purchased by Lowrance in 2014

The COO was a sales manager for Lowrance for many years

The Head of Merchandising was a sales rep for Daiwa for a number of years - if you watch any 'Bass Utopia' videos, you know him as Polish Pete.

 

Definitely not a 'mom and pop' operation.

https://www.omniafishing.com/who

I think a lot of people use the term Mom and Pop as interchangeable with a single location,... As in, not a chain.

 

Agree that a single location business can still be large and have very experienced and knowledgeable people.

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, FrnkNsteen said:

I think a lot of people use the term Mom and Pop as interchangeable with a single location,... As in, not a chain.

By that definition, FishUSA and 'the unmentionable one' are also 'mom and pop' businesses as they only have a single location each.

[DitchPanda]

I've ordered from Mike @Siebert Outdoors countless times and had to the same experience everybody else has: great product at a great price and very helpful. I've also ordered some jigs from @Bluebasser86 which were also above expectations. Outside of that 90% of my bass tackle is ordered from tackle warehouse which has had its share of issues but I've experienced none up to this point. The last 10% of that business goes to random bps, cabelas, scheels or wal mart small orders.

[Spankey]

30-40 years ago the mom and pops would order you up what you wanted. You got it and didn’t take forever. Those day are over in my area. Now they’d tell you they will get that in for you, you’ll never see it. Tell you some line that they’d like to stock that also. The shop dude has a small spot with some Lucky Craft Baits. But not the ones I wanted. I gave him a list of six baits I wanted. Colors, size and Model no’s. right to the tee. Figured that amount would be sufficient. Not like asking for only one or two. After 3 weeks this is going nowhere. Told him to forget it but I truly believe he never ordered them. Heck I can order them online and get them in three day. I’m in no rush but let’s do what we talked about. I don’t want to hear how great a guy the Lucky Craft guy is. I could care less. I wanted to order up a new galvanized wade bucket. Sort of like an oblong can you put minnows in for trout fishing. Clip the strap to your wade belt. Should be a no brainer for a bait shop to order especially if you sell minnows for trout fishing. Thought I’d make a wall hanger out of the one I had used since I was a kid. Well that was like pulling teeth and went nowhere. Fraybill/Amazon got it the next day. I’m in no rush for anything but how about just doing what you have to do. These are simple tasks for a fairly simple type of business. I have myself convinced that they don’t need the business. 

[FrnkNsteen]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

By that definition, FishUSA and 'the unmentionable one' are also 'mom and pop' businesses as they only have a single location each.

Good point! But some people may not know those are single location.

 

When I still lived up in MN I liked Capra's. I'm down in Indiana now, but still go look on their website occasionally and have ordered a few things. Same with Christopherson's out of Alexandria.

 

My guess is the guy that referenced Omnia said so because he happened to live near it and saw it as a local business.

[Eric 26]

Although I’m not nuts about BPS I usually take advantage of their spring classic trade in sale, I’ve also purchased from Tackle Warehouse and other big tackle outlets. But as I mentioned in a similar post and as @MidwestBassAttack has pointed out we’re pretty lucky here in the Chicago land area and I’m blessed to live within a 1/2 hour drive of 3 of the shops he mentioned. Anglers Outlet is my favorite and one cool thing is the owner will buy your gear at a fair price which he then resells which I personally find pretty cool as you never know what you’re going to find. Also his staff are all avid anglers and definitely willing to share advice along with the fact he utilizes every inch of space in his store.

[FrnkNsteen]

I used to do the Spring Classic trade-in deal too. Then I realized it came to about a 15% savings, so rather than do that and be out a rod or reel, I just watch for 15% off sales and buy what I want, then donate my older rods/reels to someone who could use them.

[Rockytop]

I like to give my business to small businesses when I can. There are a few good tackle shops close to me and If they don't have it you more than likely don't need it. Soddy Custom Tackle and Scottsboro Tackle are my two favorites. Scottsboro Tackle has a website and you can find their swimbaits at Tackle Warehouse. The swimbaits are a little expensive but they are my favorites.