House of Hardy Documentary

[goofnoff 0]

I have always enjoyed reading about the history of fly fishing.

 

I ran across this documentary on the House of Hardy.

 

It's great for history buffs.

 

They showed an auction where a vintage Hardy salmon reel goes for 13500 pounds.

 

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

My wife is from London so I have some family connections there... Back in the eighties, my last visit across, I made a point of visiting Hardy's. I had hoped to make a connection or two there since I was going strong back then as a commercial tyer - and always looking for shops that might want some work done to order - or maybe even an opportunity to do a seminar or teaching slot. This was about ten years before I came back to guiding. I was pretty cocky since I'd just been picked up as one of Umpqua's contract tyers (90% tarpon patterns). I spent a good 15 minutes in their store and no one there would even be bothered to say hello or acknowledge my presence at all.... and I was one of maybe three potential customers in the entire store. I guess I probably didn't meet their expectations of a typical customer. After a moment's reflection I left - and I've never been back....

 

Yes, they've got a history and are probably worth learning about - but not for me. Over the years I've worked for many shops - and watched them come and go in a business that's not very forgiving if you actually intend to make a go of it. High end shops with only an elite customer base had better hope for a wealthy sponsor or two... Kind of reminds me back during the height of the party down here in south Florida - back when money came in large size grocery bags (true story back during the cocaine era in Miami) when many small specialty shops could be found everywhere - but none of them seemed to care whether they did much business at all... I know that was never the case for Hardy's but still I wonder just how they've stayed in business if what I experienced was their normal operating mode.

[goofnoff 0]

I read somewhere that mom & pop fly shops had the highest failure rate of any small business. Archery shops had to run a close second.

 

Tough to compete with the mail order guys.................

 

Your experience at Hardy was interesting. For snooty stores in the US, Thomas and Thomas in Mass. had to be the worst I ever saw. You needed an appointment and agree to spend a certain amount to get in.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

"snooty stores" - that must have been it... I was the only potential customer in their store that wasn't wearing a coat and tie.... Oh well - maybe next lifetime.