Reno Fly Shop closing

[pgw]

Right on the money Ralph......

...and it isn't a recent change...remember Fenwick's marketing plan in the '70s, one price to the independent fly shops and a lower one (because of quantity?) to the big merchandisers (Long's Drug Stores for sure & maybe K-mart)?

Paul

[huntindog]

I try to use the local shops (also chico) when i can, in fact i consider the managers of all three local shops to be very good friends. The simple fact is that I can not afford to shop for the larger items (and even most smaller items) there. The fly industry has become rediculous with the high cost and unreal markups of many of the items. Jackets, waders, fly lines, boots, most other accessories have become out of reach for me if were to buy them at the local shops. I buy flies from them when i can and when i really need them, i may buy some leader material (which is also rediculously priced), and little odds and ends are all i can afford. I blame much of this on the idustry..look at simms which most shops carry...a $400 jacket that has absolutely no bells and whistles. I bought my top of the line duck hunting jacket with a bejillion features for under $150...how on earth can i justify that $400 for a shell..same with waders...overpriced gucci waders would be impossible for me to purchase..so i buy the cheaper item from a catalog store. As far as I am concerned the industry has priced most of us out of using the local shops. It sucks but that is the way it is...I simply can not afford to shop there for most items.

[caniretireyet?]

My read of the problem is as follows: Most of the local shops have excellent customer service and are staff by people you would feel fine having over to your house. They give great help on anything asked. They are priced competitively with big retailers for the same merchandise. (The ones that have crappy customer service dried up long ago.)

For many, they are a long drive away. I live in the mountains in Calaveras County. We used to have a shop in Sonora, one in Lodi, and one in Arnold. No longer. There is (Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods,) a store in Arnold that does well for a general sporting goods shop. I buy from Kiene's when in Sacramento, and from The Fly Shop when in Redding. I try to visit shops when travelling. When I'm not, they are too far to get to.

My other observation/hunch is that the independent shops are caught in a pickle between the cost of the merchandise they carry, and the inaccessibility of that pricing to a large portion of the economy. Also, the industry has done a rather poor job at the entry level. An ugly stick is 30 bucks-- a price point which will not work for a small, dedicated fly shop. I believe if there was a better effort with the ugly stick price point in the fly fishing arena, many would end up as higher dollar customers once the "addiction" of the fly rod set in.

I had a few folks try to encourage me to open a shop in a vacant commercial building I own. All of the reasons I mention above kept me from doing it.

Thanks,
Steve

[Bob Laskodi]

Well Steve, take some advice from someone who's been there, done that, and DON"T open a fly shop (unless you want to lose lotsa money and spend way too much time in the shop!). As far as fly shops being guilty of charging too much for items, that's totally false. All of the major fly fishing vendors control the prices that fly shops can charge for their products, so the fly shop has no say in the price they charge for the majority of the stuff they stock. The only place where the fly shop has pricing flexibility is on discontinued products, which are no longer price controlled by the vendors.

[Specc]

Mao and Spec you both buy flies at box store so why the anger. The time of local know how in flie tying is gone. I tie my own. Flie shops today just sell vacatons or private acess or guides. I dont need that.

Yah I come here and others because braggers tell where how. Dont be mad about it.

Neck Fat....I never buy flies from a box store. I tie most of my flies, the rest I get from local shops. I'm not mad about the shop closing, I'm just really bummed out.

[Jay Murakoshi]

Bob,

Well spoken

Jay

[oregonsteel]

As far as fly shops being guilty of charging too much for items, that's totally false. All of the major fly fishing vendors control the prices that fly shops can charge for their products, so the fly shop has no say in the price they charge for the majority of the stuff they stock.

Bob, how about telling us the story about when you had your out of business sell you got letters saying you were no longer a dealer for violating rules? Only this time include the name of the reps and companies involved. (or just pm me).

[Jay]

I would like to see the names of those companies as well. I have only seen the ugliness of the fishing industry through a bass fishing lens, but there are definitely companies I will not support because of stuff like this.

[Ralph]

An ugly stick is 30 bucks-- a price point which will not work for a small, dedicated fly shop. I believe if there was a better effort with the ugly stick price point in the fly fishing arena, many would end up as higher dollar customers once the "addiction" of the fly rod set in.

Steve-
Annually, I'm guessing, Shakespeare sells more CAL1101 Ugly Sticks alone than Scott sells of its entire inventory. We are a niche market and have to pay to play. It IS crazy an entry level fly rod costs $150.00, but I don't know how to cut the numbers any other way. Be happy your passion isn't frizey. . . that's a REAL niche market.

[huntindog]

As far as fly shops being guilty of charging too much for items, .

Bob, just to clarify I am certainly aware of this..the markup i was referring too comes from the manufacturer/vendor. didn't mean to imply otherwise