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Years ago a local tackle store had a really earnest friendly employee who was absolutely full of shiit. NOTHING he said was anywhere near true. Yet he'd get talking to you about some poppycock story concerning another world record fish he caught using some plug and, even though you didn't believe a word of it, you'd always end up leaving with one of those plugs. Why? Because a small business succeeds when it improves the life of its customers and to improve someone's life you have to provide them with what they need. The truth is that most of us don't really "need" fishing tackle. What most of us need is diversion from, and reward for, the rat race we all end up stuck in. We get that by fishing, which requires tackle (and bait for hopeless simpletons like Back Beach and Sauerkraut), but we also get it by immersing ourselves in the hobby. We get it by talking, reading, listening, thinking about, shopping for, and ultimately buying gear. The small tackle shop competes with the internet, catalog, and discount box stores to fulfill these needs. The ones that succeed offer convenience, ambience, knowledge, selection (tailored to the local fisheries), and service, that exceeds what is available from the other options. Most importantly, however, they do it with a friendly non-judgmental attitude that makes the customer want to reward the business by purchasing an item from them (even if it can be had marginally cheaper elsewhere) and to keep coming back.
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