Tackle Store in Louisville

Curious if a new tackle store in the Louisville area would do any good? I don't mean like the ordinary tackle store, but one that would carry products that Dicks,Wal-marts,Bass Pro and other bait shops don't usually have.
I am thinking more along the lines of like a Backwaters type store.

I would love to have a shop that carry's the "hard to get stuff" and the out of the norm stuff. I would also like the shop to showcase the many local talented bait makers we have in the area or even the state. There are a ton of guys out there locally making their own baits and would love a chance to put their stuff in a store.

I guess besides Bull Frog Creek--which is out of business,and Smyrna Bait and Tackle--which is a good store, and Pepper Tackle(are they still open?). That's about it.

The other question is this: What part of town should a store like this be in?
I would love to see this store get involved in the fishing community, help out with tournaments and maybe have room in the store for local bass clubs to have meetings, etc., etc.

All kinds of ideas running through my head about this one.
I would love to hear what you all think?

I think this a great idea. I know I am not the only one that has wished someone would do this. You are right about the local bait makers, this would be a great way to get their products out to the public.

Sounds good in theory, but would be tough to make a living. Too many fishermen won't spend the extra 50-75 cents for those tough-to-find baits. Maybe that 8 inch cotton candy/blue flake with the firetail is a killer bait for you, but it won't feed anyones family.

fishin creek hit the nail on the head pretty much.I tried to get Eric into this at fischers in shepherdsville before he sold out and he basically said you end up with a store full of stuff with money tied up in it and if it isn't hot on the local,or pro circuit it is hard to turn it over and the longer it set the more it cost in taxes.why do you think you see so much catfish stuff,it is always basically the same,with bass fisherman what sold this week won't sell next week if Harry N Charlie wins the stump jumper classic on something else.say for instance the sexy shad strike king craze,they were all gone at bps last weekend,when the classic is won on a funny lookin creature the sexy shad will be plentiful.If you had the money or means to get enough to stock a store like you talk of from the ground up plus rent or buy the building you wouldn't need the store for income,it would be a hobby.

Yes, Pepper's is still open. I was just in there a couple days ago.

There used to be a place on Taylor Blvd not far from Churchill Downs, that I used to patronize back when I worked at the track. I don't know why he closed down, but it seems to me the South End could probably use a good bait & tackle shop. And racetrackers do love to fish. Just my 2 cents.

I think there is a market for this type of store, It would have to be done smart with the right kind of people running it. The biggest neg. in my opinion would be BPS across the bridge. Jarrod

I've thought this for several years now, and actually considered doing it on a small scale in Oldham County. My lovely bride says it won't work and the price you would have to charge would keep people away. But I still maintain the real deal guys would come but only if you offered the right stuff and services.

Good to see the opinions. It's all of the same stuff I have thought of. It would probably be tough to do any good at it.

mhall----Used to be Shawn's Sporting Goods in LaGrange and he had some good stuff and could order stuff he didn't stock. He ended up going more towards hunting stuff and now, I don't even know if he's open. Good guy. I think there is a need out in Oldham Co. too. Still not sure how much of a living you could do.

I just figure there is great tackle stores all over the place and it just seems like Louisville is a little behind in the times without a truly great place to buy hard to find tackle.

Definitely would take someone with a lot more business smart then I do. I am just an idea man,kinding of thinking outside the box on this one. Maybe thinking of a store of my own someday. Who knows?

[QUOTE=MarkW;311949]Good to see the opinions. It's all of the same stuff I have thought of. It would probably be tough to do any good at it.

mhall----Used to be Shawn's Sporting Goods in LaGrange and he had some good stuff and could order stuff he didn't stock. He ended up going more towards hunting stuff and now, I don't even know if he's open. Good guy. I think there is a need out in Oldham Co. too. Still not sure how much of a living you could do.

I just figure there is great tackle stores all over the place and it just seems like Louisville is a little behind in the times without a truly great place to buy hard to find tackle.

Definitely would take someone with a lot more business smart then I do. I am just an idea man,kinding of thinking outside the box on this one. Maybe thinking of a store of my own someday. Who knows?[/QUOTE]


Mark, he isn't open anymore and yes he did try to do exactly what we are speaking of. Walmart being a good spit from him with there cheap China junk did him in. He was a good guy and would bend over backwards to help a guy out. Tht place got to be a hang out for some fellas and I'm not sure that was a good thing for his store either.

Yeah,
Shawn was one good dude. I met him when he first opened up--I think somewhere back around 1999 or so. He always ordered what I wanted, but like you said he was just a little guy and Wally World was down the road. It's a shame he didn't make it. I hear ya on the hang out thing---probably wasn't the best thing going for him.

would be nice to see one where you can buy plastics in bulk again like the old smyrna and anything else you needed.the problem with the local baitmakers is quantity if they sell,most can't keep up doin it at home by themselves.Most stores use the huntin stuff to bridge the gap in fishin.I talked to a few wholesale co's when i was looking into it and alot of the hardbaits cost me close to what bass pro and wal mart retail for,at best i could make 30 cents on some baits,rods and reels were even worse a 4600c3 my cost was $47 and at walmart it was 49.95.The companies are not looking for the little man.
they offer very little incentive,you have to buy a buttload to get any kind of price breaks.If you really wanted to do this set up do a lot research,talk to owners of other stores and beat the bushes with some wholesale co's. maybe talk to some plastics manufacturer like prowler,driftwood,cabin creek to see if they'd go for a bulk style sell of their stuff.I set in the mall with my wife many times thinking man i wish they had a fishin store in here,they say most millionaires bulid on this kind a thought so maybe it would fly in the mall..Heck if half the men that are settin bored looking would buy a bait it would be a good day.

He could have made a mint on me if he would have carried live bait ,but he never got the lisc.to carry live bait. When Tim workmen sold hook and hide nobody carried anything but nightcrawlers! I told Shawn you get minners and they will come. But never happened so road trip for the old riverrat in the winter. Now I wait for Mr. whiskers to hit the southern states and buy a few pounds for my tank in the back. I think carrying live bait all year is a must...