Sad news..Edwards Fishing Tackle in Newport ,closing.

[Pt.JudeJoe]

It is a shame and perhaps a sign of the times ,but it appears that Edwards Fishing Tackle in Newport,RI has become a casualty of the bad economy.This is the shop that I worked at for 7 years before I took over Point Jude Lures ,and it is very sad to see this.Kevin will be having a big sale on stock next weekend ,with prices at or close to wholesale.

[Crafty Angler]

Yup, Joe I remember a young lad at the old Edwards muttering at me while I had him fishing in the eel tank......hey, who knew he was gonna grow up to be a leading tackle manufacturer

Yeah, it's sad - I got a call from Kevin yesterday, too - I was pretty shocked

Like they say, it's the economy - I know 1st hand what it feels like to euthanize a business but Kevin's doing the right thing for the long term and I wish Kevin and Kathy the best of luck

He said the clearance is gonna be next Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 3 PM or so, I thought - he's gonna clear everything out right down to fixtures and coolers, it'll be a chance for guys to pick up some stuff off-season at a pretty good discount and help a brother out at the same time

[JohnR]

This sucks. I hate seeing this. Bought a few items in there the past few years (though he wouldn't let me at his better eels )

Good luck in your next chapter Kevin

[Crafty Angler]

Just so's everyone knows, this announcement was cleared with the Cap first

I do have my eyes on the refrigerated eel tank...

I don't think the bride would allow it on the patio, though...

[Joe]

I think we're going to see a lot of tackle shops closing. Too bad - I did not know him very well except to sell him some decals. It was a nice little old-school shop...

[animal]

I don't get out to Newport much,so sadly,I've never been there.He sounds like a great guy,and I hope it works out for him.

[stcroixman]

Bads sign of the times. Ocean State Tackle just closed its WG and Bristol shops.

[Mr. Sandman]

That is a shame. The Tackle/bait shop business is tough. Income is really not year round yet your fixed costs are. Online selling is taking a bite out of the brick and mortar establishments. It is sort of ironic that most guys go into the business because of their love of fishing, yet running the shop takes time away from that very thing. I hope the owner of the shop gets to go fishing a lot more this season.

all the best to you!

sm


PS I am still bummed from "Cove Edge" closing and that was a while a go. I think I still have a shop T-shirt.

[afterhours]

sad to see yet another small business go away.....seen far too much of this in my lifetime.

[Karl F]

The Bait Shack in Orleans going under too...
3-4 years of extended plover closures and bad economy, (plus booming seals and poor beach fishing in general)..plus last summers late opening of the State Park due to renovations...kinda drove the last few nails in the coffin there...

[mikecc]

Sorry to see them go. It's not going to get any easier out there.

2 shops around me are closed First Stop and Buzzards Bait
Possible the owners of the property (not the tackle shop) at BB might reopen it.
They know nothing about fishing so going will not be easy. In this economy they don't think they could rent the building so they might give it a go.
I heard about a few more down cape but have not confirmed them yet.

[mikecc]

The Bait Shack in Orleans going under too...

that was one of them.
Also 2 wholesalers based in CT are having a tough time. seems the new CT fishing Lic is shutting shops down there like a plague.
There are only a few Wholesalers in the country & to loose even 1 of them means higher prices and less product availability.

[Zeno]

sorry to hear that
Kevin was always good to me and a true gentleman
Good luck in the future

[cow tamer]

No sign out by the shop about a going out of business sale??

Also anybody know the staus on Wickford Rodworks? Their sign is no longer on the building and it appears closed.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Wickford just moved north 1/2 a mile. across from the SeaViewer

[Crafty Angler]

Just talked to Kevin at Edward's - the sale is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM to 3 PM

Edward's is located at 277 Connell Hwy, just down the road from Wally World and across from Gate 4 at the Navy base

A sad sign of the times but the sale will help him out a bit til he gets it sorted out

Kevin said he has quite a bit of stuff left - I'll be heading over in the AM myself

[bloocrab]

VERY SAD news.

The economy as well as Online business are killing these small shops. It's a shame too........guys who use bait are gonna be hurting. What does that leave//// 2 shops on Aquidneck that still sell bait or is it just 1 now???

I know with the closing of Buckos in FR, put a hurting on things. That was a big disappointment. I don't think MikeB has a grasp on the whole bait thing yet. Although he's trying to get started, I don't think he's putting enough focus on it.

Good Luck Kevin ~

[Joe]

There was a thing on the news today about the retail failures in Rhode Island - It's freaking epic.....I don't think you'll see too many shops without a viable online side to their business surviving the recession. That's far from a guarantee as now there are so many online shops that opportunity has shrunk considerably from what it was 5 years ago.

[Saltheart]

Someone told me 25 about 40 years ago that Bait and Tackle shops were like Gas Service stations.

For the gas stations who did service , the rule of thumb was you could be successful as long as the profit on gas was enough to pay the overhead . The profit and mechanics salaries came from the mark up aon parts and the labor on service.

For the B+T they said that the Bait sales had to pay the rent and the profit was made on the tackle sales.

i assume its changed now since there are B+T's that don't sell bait but its got to be hard if you don't sell bait. I think the internet sales of tackle makes up for the bait cause you can't sell much bait over the internet.

Anyway , always sad to see a store go down. The stores are opportunities for the consumers. Each lost store is a lost opportunity. When it gets down to just 1 opportunity , the prices sky rocket. Its the same in all businesses. Competition helps keep prices down and service up. When only Walmart is left...look out!

[Mr. Sandman]

I will miss the social aspect that B&Tshops offer. IMO this is as important as the equipment they sell (and advice they offer). Personally I like the ambiance that some shops have and enjoy mingling with the local guys. Each shop has it's own set of characters. Online sites don't offer any kind of personal local attn. Not to mention the local fishing tips you pick up just going to a shop. But in today's "want it cheap and want it fast" (with no tax and free shipping) society, I suppose this is what is to come.

I listen for years about guys telling me ( "I check it out in the stores first, they i buy it online and save a ton") Well, this is now coming back to bite you in the ass. The stores will be gone, and yeah you will be able to get it cheap online but you wiped out a friend and took away an important social aspect in the process. Not to mention it has a cascading effect in society..the bait shop that is gone..well the landlord has to rent that space, and since there is a glut of space, it may be empty for years, making the neighborhood less attractive and desirable to live in, lowering real estate values and making life miserable and driving them into moral decay... But you got it cheap online, that is the most important thing, right?
Life is not all about buying things at the cheapest price.

[cow tamer]

I wasn't aware.
Now where will I bring my reels for service??
Suggestions please.

Originally Posted by bloocrab

VERY SAD news.

I know with the closing of Buckos in FR, put a hurting on things. That was a big disappointment.

~

[good2hook]

Originally Posted by cow tamer

I wasn't aware.
Now where will I bring my reels for service??
Suggestions please.

There were 2 Buckos, one on Second St. and the other on Stafford Rd, both in Fall River. I believe Gilly is talking about the one on Second St. I drove by the Buckos on Stafford Rd. on Wednesday and it was opened.

[quick decision]

Sad to hear. We owe it to the sport we love to support our local tackle shop.

[Pt.JudeJoe]

Originally Posted by cow tamer

I wasn't aware.
Now where will I bring my reels for service??
Suggestions please.

The Bucko's on Stafford Rd in Fall River is probably the best equiped reel repair shop in the area.