I'm curious of what a good fly shop makes, everything I've read about being a guide is that it's tough by itself, with a family to support, you may need a second job, or be in retirement already. Curious of what an "average good" fly shop makes annually in the mid-atlantic?
Guides, shop owners share your advice...
- Thread starter JeremyW
- Start date
Nocktavius
Well-known member
Lot of considerations:
Will you be located on or near a quality trout river? That will help a lot with bringing people through your door. But are you planning to locate yourself on or near a river that is already saturated with other fly shops? Or try to offer something in a locality that is perhaps currently lacking.
Do you have an ability to buy quality merchandise that sells in such a way that you’re not holding onto inventory for years that eventually becomes obsolete? A diverse array of quality and complementary brands, an ear to the ground for novel concepts, locally tied flies that work on local waterways, perhaps some niche items as well?
Do you have internet/social media marketing skills? These days the most successful fly shops probably do more online sales than in store ones. But you also need to bring people in through the door (otherwise your retail presence is a waste of money). Whenever I visit a good river I usually have everything I need, but you better as hell make sure you stock the stuff that I might’ve forgotten.
Are you planning to host a guiding operation? Can you identify prospective talent both for the teaching of skills (technical dry fly presentations, streamer fishing, euro nymphing, etc etc) but also have the patience to put an absolute beginner on enough fish for some grip and grins?
I wouldn’t bother personally but I’m also not much of an entrepreneur. It’s also tough to compete with the TCO’s and Precisions these days but if you’ve got like 500 grand burning a hole in your pocket I’ll bet you could have some success with the above skill sets
Will you be located on or near a quality trout river? That will help a lot with bringing people through your door. But are you planning to locate yourself on or near a river that is already saturated with other fly shops? Or try to offer something in a locality that is perhaps currently lacking.
Do you have an ability to buy quality merchandise that sells in such a way that you’re not holding onto inventory for years that eventually becomes obsolete? A diverse array of quality and complementary brands, an ear to the ground for novel concepts, locally tied flies that work on local waterways, perhaps some niche items as well?
Do you have internet/social media marketing skills? These days the most successful fly shops probably do more online sales than in store ones. But you also need to bring people in through the door (otherwise your retail presence is a waste of money). Whenever I visit a good river I usually have everything I need, but you better as hell make sure you stock the stuff that I might’ve forgotten.
Are you planning to host a guiding operation? Can you identify prospective talent both for the teaching of skills (technical dry fly presentations, streamer fishing, euro nymphing, etc etc) but also have the patience to put an absolute beginner on enough fish for some grip and grins?
I wouldn’t bother personally but I’m also not much of an entrepreneur. It’s also tough to compete with the TCO’s and Precisions these days but if you’ve got like 500 grand burning a hole in your pocket I’ll bet you could have some success with the above skill sets
What you have read is true. Fly fishing is a seasonal sport for most and single digit share for those that hunt and fish. One survey from the PFBC had 11% of anglers recognizing themselves as fly fisherman from several years ago. The details don't matter, the net net, it's a niche sport.
I'm not sure any fly shop owner would disclose those numbers. For +95% of folks in the fly fishing industry it is a side hustle. Yes the significant majority are retired, have a full time job, or has a spouse who has a great job with healthcare. The exception to all this is fly fishing forums as they arepour pure gold.
I'm not sure any fly shop owner would disclose those numbers. For +95% of folks in the fly fishing industry it is a side hustle. Yes the significant majority are retired, have a full time job, or has a spouse who has a great job with healthcare. The exception to all this is fly fishing forums as they are
Last edited:
Not sure if you did this on purpose, but I think "poor gold" would be better, Dave. 😉
Ha
TimMurphy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2006
- Messages
- 4,449
Gee, I thought he meant the forum was pure gold?
See, we can't agree on anything. 😉
To the OP,
As far as shops go location is everything and location doesn't necessarily mean being close to outstanding fishing. That obviously helps, but proximity to folks with disposable cash is the real key.
From my time spent in fly shops that were A) located in a popular fishing area, and B) easily accessible to people with above average cash flow big weekend sales could occur at any time provided the shops stocked the necessary products.
People would come in and say, I'm going to the Keys to bonefish and walk out with $ 2000.00 worth of gear to take on their airplane ride. A rod a reel, a line, and maybe a spare spool or two with lines along with tropic fishing wear and a gear bag or two adds up. That number is from 30 years ago, it could easily double today.
That's where the real money is, the outfitting part. Plenty of fly shops sell lots of fly-tying material but it takes lots of $ 200.00 sales to = a $ 2000.00 sale. Sometimes those material sales add up to larger sales but not always. As an owner or as an employee if monetary success is your goal you need to possess shrewd people skills and be willing to actively engage customers in search of sales.
That is especially true in the modern world where you can go into a fly shop and try out everything you want to buy and then go home and order them on-line at the cheapest possible price, If you can't engage your customers and convince them they should be buying from you then you will probably struggle.
Regards,
Tim Murphy 🙂
PennKev
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2006
- Messages
- 3,776
The online space is so crowded that I would be shocked if that is true for "most" shops. An online sales presence is a de factor requirement for serious retail businesses these days, but there's just to much competition to expect it to be your lifeblood. It's a good source of extra revenue and gets your name out, but a successful shop rely relies on location and product selection. There was a period of time when online sales were a potential gold mine but it is now just many retailers trying to cut thinner and thinner slices off the same old pie.
I would just like to chime in , not that I really have any experience besides wasting to much money in flyshops . The flyshops that can differentiate themselves from the cookie cutter online big guys are the ones at this stage of the game I actually look forward to . I used to love places that packed or dying there own material . They are now few and far between . If I had to give an example of someone I think is doing it well , Charlie Craven , carries everything , some unique stuff , name recognition and has a wealth of knowledge .
dryflyguy
Well-known member
I’ve always thought running a fly shop would mostly be a labor of love, with no one getting rich from it
Especially if you’re paying to rent or own a building used just for that purpose.
How much money do you need to take in just to cover shop expenses, before you actually start turning a profit?
Seems to me that a better way to do it, is to have your shop in - or a part of - your residence.
Or a building that you already own
Several shops that do this:
Spruce Creek Outfitters
Holzingers Fly shop
Kettle Creek Tackle shop
Especially if you’re paying to rent or own a building used just for that purpose.
How much money do you need to take in just to cover shop expenses, before you actually start turning a profit?
Seems to me that a better way to do it, is to have your shop in - or a part of - your residence.
Or a building that you already own
Several shops that do this:
Spruce Creek Outfitters
Holzingers Fly shop
Kettle Creek Tackle shop
