My Thoughts Go Out to the Mom-and-Pop Fly Shops

[MD_Gene]

The fly shops are allowed to be open in PA. At least the last time I checked. But I have posted here before about the state of the shops. The spring of 2018 was terrible. It rained and rained. The spring of 2019 was worse. It rained and rained and rained. I posted the graphs here. Now our current crises! I hope it's not "three strikes your out" but I do have concern for places like the Feathered Hook on Penns Creek. The TCO branches are hit too. Just because there is more than one doesn't reduce their vulnerability to weather or this crises.

I would suggest reaching out if you can.

 

[afishinado]

MD_Gene wrote:
The fly shops are allowed to be open in PA. At least the last time I checked. But I have posted here before about the state of the shops. The spring of 2018 was terrible. It rained and rained. The spring of 2019 was worse. It rained and rained and rained. I posted the graphs here. Now our current crises! I hope it's not "three strikes your out" but I do have concern for places like the Feathered Hook on Penns Creek. The TCO branches are hit too. Just because there is more than one doesn't reduce their vulnerability to weather or this crises.

I would suggest reaching out if you can.

Fly shops are considered nonessential businesses and are closed in PA

http://www.thefeatheredhook.com/hours.php

https://www.tcoflyfishing.com/

 

[Acristickid]

Buy a gift certificate on line or buy calling your favorite shop- getting them cash they need now.

You can shop for your goods when things are back up- Feathered Hook offered 110% of amount of gift certificate purchased.

 

[ColdBore]

afishinado wrote:


Fly shops are considered nonessential businesses and are closed in PA

https://www.tcoflyfishing.com/

Actually, effective today, TCO is open, offering curbside pickup.

https://www.tcoflyfishing.com/pages/about-us

 

[salvelinus]

Every TCO location is in a county with stay-at-home orders. Customers shouldn't be driving around for curbside pickup. Employees shouldn't even be in the store. But I can't blame them for trying to eke out some business to stay alive. That said I placed an online order Saturday.

 

[Bamboozle]

It's sad to say but thing are going to be a LOT different IF and when things get back to normal.

I suspect a lot of small business, (restaurants, gift & specialty shops, etc.) won't ever reopen and even some big retail establishments like departments stores which are already teetering and malls may follow suit. Unfortunately, a couple of dollars of curbside business really won't make a difference, except to help them unload inventory already bought and paid for.

Even though Internet shopping is nothing new, it is at unprecedented levels now and I would imagine a LOT of people will never go back to shopping the "old" way which will impact brick & mortar business even after the restrictions are lifted. That will be a double whammy for any store front.

Another thing to consider is IF you decide to help out and buy a gift certificate in anticipation of using it when things get better, you might be holding on to a worthless piece of paper if the business doesn't reopen...

...just a thought.

 

[troutbert]

I'm sure nearly all of these shops would welcome you calling them on the phone, putting together an order, you pay for it with a credit card, and they ship it out.

 

[jifigz]

acristickid wrote:
Buy a gift certificate on line or buy calling your favorite shop- getting them cash they need now.

You can shop for your goods when things are back up- Feathered Hook offered 110% of amount of gift certificate purchased.

I'm not sure I'd want to buy a gift card for a location that may or may not be open when this crisis resolves. After all, I need my money too in these times of need. In most places the supply chain needs to understand the crisis..if a landlord is upset that he isn't receiving rent for a couple months period so what? Will the landlords kick them out or go to court and then what? Try to fill that spot with another vendor who can't afford it or wants to open a business. I think we as a society need to all let some things slide right now. If one person can't pay the bills most others can't right now either. Times are tough for (most) all businesses. Some are really cashing in, however.

 

[PennKev]

ColdBore wrote:

afishinado wrote:


Fly shops are considered nonessential businesses and are closed in PA

https://www.tcoflyfishing.com/

Actually, effective today, TCO is open, offering curbside pickup.

https://www.tcoflyfishing.com/pages/about-us

TCO fulfills online orders and is therefore exempt per the essential business list that was published. Whether conducting curb-side pickup is kosher is debatable. Though, they aren't the only fly shop out there offering it and other businesses are doing the same. I'm not sure this is any worse than picking up take out food, but it does leave incentive for folks to make more unnecessary trips which could lead to more unnecessary contact with others.


But to the point, TCO continuing operations has nothing to do with them being a fly shop and everything to do with them being an on-line retailer.

 

[MD_Gene]

jifigz wrote:

acristickid wrote:
Buy a gift certificate on line or buy calling your favorite shop- getting them cash they need now.

You can shop for your goods when things are back up- Feathered Hook offered 110% of amount of gift certificate purchased.

I'm not sure I'd want to buy a gift card for a location that may or may not be open when this crisis resolves.

=====================
I agree but if the worst case scenario comes to fruition, I would suspect that they would sell all of their inventory as a part of closing.

 

[troutbert]

Fly shops have their doors closed.

But any fly shop should be able to take your order and ship it to you.

Even if they have no website.

Just call them on the phone and tell them what you want.

Whether the order is placed via the internet or via phone makes no difference regarding the coronavirus stuff.

 

[Canoetripper]

I have three local fly shops that i frequent. Two in the Poconos and one that just opened in Lancaster. Obviously, this coronavirus has really changed everything for all of us.

I like to support the local fly when i can, but we are all kind of stuck at home right now.

 

[Acristickid]

Remain calm.

When and or if we get back to normal?? You need more faith my fly fishing friend.

If you don’t have the cash then don’t buy anything.


I’ll say a prayer for you and all of us.

 

[salvelinus]

Canoetripper, thanks for mentioning the new shop in Lancaster. I looked it up and was pleased to see Nick DelleDonne as co-manager. I knew Nick from the old Evening Rise. Heckuva nice guy as was his wife Bev. Good to know there's a local shop again when we get through all of this.

 

[Canoetripper]

I am glad to learn about the former connection to the Evening Rise. I was a frequent customer.

I am sure that you know about the Orvis shop on Rte. 30.

That is a clothing store. I am sure that if i asked someone in there to explain the difference between a full flex fiberglass fly rod and a tip flex graphite fly rod of the same weight and length, nobody employed there could answer that.

 

[Dave_W]

While many fly shops are closed, you can still support them through online or curbside pick up.

Precision Fly Fishing, for example, is able to do curbside at their Mt Holly Store and their Lancaster store. Just give 'em a call to make sure they have someone who can deliver the merchandise to your car. They are also setting up a lock box system as well as having a bait and tackle machine out front.

(Note: the Lancaster store is the one near the old Evening Rise that has been mentioned earlier in this thread.)

If you're fishing, don't assume that local fly shops and bait and tackle shops are closed - many of them are still able to meet your needs.

 

[Bruno]

https://www.mountainangler.com

These guys have been good to me over the years. They are having a pretty good sale right now on waders and lines. Check it out if you can.

Hope you are are all well and I hope to see Yinz on a River soon.

 

[JeffP]

I had no idea the old Evening Rise shop is open again. That's nice to know. I liked that shop. One employee was a huge turn off. He would go on a right-wing diatribe every time I was there. Why the heck would anyone do that in a place of business.

On another note, I emailed a local tackle shop and they said come on in and we will set you up with what you need.

 

[Dave_W]

JeffP wrote:
I had no idea the old Evening Rise shop is open again.

Just to clarify:
The new shop is not the Evening Rise. It's a branch of Precision Fly Fishing and is located next to what used to be the Evening Rise.

 

[wgmiller]

Bamboozle wrote:
It's sad to say but thing are going to be a LOT different IF and when things get back to normal.

I suspect a lot of small business, (restaurants, gift & specialty shops, etc.) won't ever reopen and even some big retail establishments like departments stores which are already teetering and malls may follow suit. Unfortunately, a couple of dollars of curbside business really won't make a difference, except to help them unload inventory already bought and paid for.

Even though Internet shopping is nothing new, it is at unprecedented levels now and I would imagine a LOT of people will never go back to shopping the "old" way which will impact brick & mortar business even after the restrictions are lifted. That will be a double whammy for any store front.

Another thing to consider is IF you decide to help out and buy a gift certificate in anticipation of using it when things get better, you might be holding on to a worthless piece of paper if the business doesn't reopen...

...just a thought.

Yup. Couldn't agree more. There will be survivors and casualties after all the dust settles and the retail landscape will be indelibly changed.