My Flyshop

[yakfisher 0]

I agree with Steeldrifter and Bentflyrod, The main reason, I go to my local shop and spend untold amounts of money on tying and fly fishing stuff is that they know me by name and they really like to talk flyfishing. Even if you don't buy anything, these guys always take the time with me. I could always order the stuff online a little cheaper, but my computer dosn't talk flyfishing. It also makes it a lot easier to have something worked on for service or warrenty issues. It is a pain in the butt to send stuff back. Customer Service is the key. If you and your fellow staffers are always freindly, helpful and suggestive without being pushy, you will be sucessful. Its the little things like if you buy a new fly line from them, they spool it on the reel for you even if you didn't get the outfit from them.

 

Good Luck

 

PS

I have a similar dream except I want to have a kayak fishing store with kayaks and all types of fishing gear. I hope it works out for you.

[FeathersMc 0]

Shaq

All I can tell you is everything the other guys have said is right on. Most importantly if you want to make a little money doing this, start with a lot of it.

John

[CjCalls 0]

One more thing. You should sell Tampons, Beer and Bread.

 

Think of all the extra sells you can make to the guy being sent to the "grocery store".

 

One stop shopping

[Al Beatty 0]

Hi Shaq,

 

You've received some very good advice and a very good offer regarding the book TroutBum will send you. Read that book no less than three times and pay particular attention to "inventory turns" and "margins/mark ups." Follow the advice carefully if you don't want to fail. Good luck in your venture and contact me when you start to set up the store. Take care & ...

 

Tight Lines - Al Beatty

www.btsflyfishing.com

 

PS In the mean time identify a family owned successful retail business (non-fly fishing) in your area and study what they do to be successful - advertising, location, hours, etc.

[Steeldrifter 0]

There's one thing I have never seen in any of the local shops that I have been in and I've always thought it was funny that they didnt do this.

 

I have never seen where a shop had a little area where customers could come in and sit down and tie for a bit in the shop. I have seen a few shops that had a little table where the owner would be able to sit down and tie fr a bit when he wasnt busy, but I always thought if a shop ever put a table with a half dozen vises on it in the back of the shop they would do alot more business. Kind'a a place for regular customers to hang out and tie...then they would buy more materials and spend more time in the shop.

 

Anyone have a shop near them that does that? cus I havent seen one yet myself.

[day5 0]

tampons and beer ha that is to funny but right on. Shaq i share your dream and have plans to do the same. I really like the tying area SD that one is going in my notes of good ideas!!!!! And a great way to sell vises! Good luck !!!!

[CjCalls 0]

You've head the story of the new salesman on his first day on the job in the SuperStore . Had only one sale. It was for $107,674.38 . He sold the guy a boat, truck,rods, reals bait lures nets ....everything. The guy came in to buy his wife tampons and the salesman told him it looks like his weekend was shot so he should go fishing.

[Shaq 0]

SD, That is one of my core Ideas. One of the things that I have learned in retail is that each sqare foot of space should pay for itself in retail sales. I have thought that sacrificing a few feet of space for a table with chairs, a coffee pot, a small wood stove for alittle ambience and spread some basic materials out so people can tie would be awesome and worth it. Maybe a jar for donations for materials that people could put acouple of bucks in a session would be good too, take the money and open another pack of black marabou. maybe one of the TV's with the dvds player in it to play videos as well.

 

Here are some visions. A cork board with fish pictures, a fly hall of fame, small area to tie in, coffee pot for saturday mornings, a small humidor to sell some nice cigars, a servicable website with some ecommerce and reporting section, links to FTF TFF RBF, ect. tying demos, classes, rod building seminars, maybe have the local chapter of TU and FFF meet at the shop, suggestion box, casting pool out back, fish tank. 2 two-fly tournaments one trout, one warm-water with BBQ's and trophies for smallest fish ugliest fish...ect, Be as mean as possible to all customers....haha

 

Thanks guys, I will update you guys as it goes on, Probnably a l;ong process so see you in two years!!!

[Fishyman 0]

Great idea, but......

 

When it's Saturday- you're at the shop

 

When a great hatch is coming off-you're at the shop

 

When the Kings,Steelies, whatever are thick as flies-you're at the shop

 

When all your buddies are taking a trip and catching fish and drinking beer and generally enjoying their well deserved time off from the 9 to 5 rat race - yep. you're at the shop.

 

As an ex die-hard Mountain Biker who thought the dream job would be spinning wrenches at the local shop I always hung out at with guys I thought had the greatest jobs...It wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

 

You still get to (I'll use ride here for example) ride, but it's with the same 3 or 4 guys all the time cause they've got the same day off when the shop is closed. You ride in less than perfect conditions cause it's the only time you get. Your bike is still covered in mud and needs a new cable but you haven't touched it in 8 days cause you're busy fixing customers bikes. You go to a race or show and everyone comes up and tells you how lucky you are cause you're there all weekend and get to see everything and meet everyone and get to do what they enjoy doing a couple hours a month for 55+ hours a week every week and you haven't left the booth once except to pee.

 

Don't let me come off as bitter. I only worked part time and for a less than a year and I got to see and do some cool stuff, but it's definitely a two sided coin.

 

Best of luck

 

Fishy :dunno:

[Shaq 0]

When it's Saturday- you're at the shop

 

When a great hatch is coming off-you're at the shop

 

When the Kings,Steelies, whatever are thick as flies-you're at the shop

 

When all your buddies are taking a trip and catching fish and drinking beer and generally enjoying their well deserved time off from the 9 to 5 rat race - yep. you're at the shop.

 

As an ex die-hard Mountain Biker who thought the dream job would be spinning wrenches at the local shop I always hung out at with guys I thought had the greatest jobs...It wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

 

You still get to (I'll use ride here for example) ride, but it's with the same 3 or 4 guys all the time cause they've got the same day off when the shop is closed. You ride in less than perfect conditions cause it's the only time you get. Your bike is still covered in mud and needs a new cable but you haven't touched it in 8 days cause you're busy fixing customers bikes. You go to a race or show and everyone comes up and tells you how lucky you are cause you're there all weekend and get to see everything and meet everyone and get to do what they enjoy doing a couple hours a month for 55+ hours a week every week and you haven't left the booth once except to pee.

 

Don't let me come off as bitter. I only worked part time and for a less than a year and I got to see and do some cool stuff, but it's definitely a two sided coin

 

This, I know, but right now:

 

When it's Saturday- I'm fishing shoulder to shoulder

 

When a great hatch is coming off-I'm wearing a tie in the office

 

When the Kings,Steelies, whatever are thick as flies-I'm wearing a tie in the office

 

When all your buddies are taking a trip and catching fish and drinking beer and generally enjoying their well deserved time off from the 9 to 5 rat race - yep. I'm wearing a tie in the office.

 

I worked retail for a long time after college and I miss the monday days off, all alone, kings bouncing off my legs...green drakes coming off, nobody in sight...

 

[Joe Hard 0]

Here are a few more things you might want to consider, make a catalog, put up a sign custom fly orders on request, make all your fly bins out of cedar. Give all us members here huge, and I mean huge discounts!!

Im only kidding, best of luck with this once again.

[JarrodRuggles 0]

dont constantly offer for help. It may be because im young but every time i go in a fly shop they ask if i need help at least 4 times and that gets old. I appreiciate them asking once, but if you dont need help, chances are you dont want it.

[Joe Hard 0]

dont constantly offer for help. It may be because im young but every time i go in a fly shop they ask if i need help at least 4 times and that gets old. I appreiciate them asking once, but if you dont need help, chances are you dont want it.

 

You should be used to that by now. People that run stores are afraid of younge people

[JarrodRuggles 0]

Ha!! seriously!

[Guest]

Never Lie about fiahing reports just to sell gear or flies

Theres nothing I hate more than getting the bum steer from shop owners who won't admit that the fishing in there area has been slow