# Another Local Bait&Tackle Shop To Close Its Doors



## catman (May 28, 2001)

Just read on the Tidal Fish forum that Warren's Bait BOX. (410) 768-6977. 7403 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. Glen Burnie, MD 21061 will be closing its doors at the end of the year. Warren's was an iconic shop for those in the area. Sorry to see yet another bait shop close its doors. Times are tough for these Ma&Pa operations so it's very important that we support our local shops whenever possible.


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## Tracker01 (Apr 4, 2011)

Thats sad I hate seeing any small bait shop close. Some of these little places sell some good stuff.


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## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

WBB's had the freshest bunker to be found in the area.
Some might say the only bunker in the area.

Another good shop to bite the dust.


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## LateSurfRat (Sep 17, 2011)

thats just sucks they were my go to bait shop since they are right down the street from my work im going to miss that place


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## UnknownFish (Sep 12, 2007)

They make the hours good for them but bad for fishermen anyhow, Warrens usually doesn't open til like 7 or 8am and closes at 4 or 5pm, I used to go there all the time but everytime I go now they are closed, I have been going to Clydes cause they open at 5am and close at 9pm even though Warrens is 5 minutes from my house, the older lady in there always has an attitude problem anyhow, them closing has been coming for years.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Warren's is way out of the way for me but I did buy live eels from them once or twice. Both times the elderly lady waited on me and I found her quite helpful. Hopefully someone else will buy the shop but that's doubtfull. I amagine that piece of real estate is qute valuable.


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

this sucks, they are my friday bait stop on m way home from work. this is a big surprise and not a good one. very sorry to see them close up


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## Tracker16 (Feb 16, 2009)

Best of luck to Warren and his mother. They ran a top notch bait shop


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## tacklemake (Feb 24, 2010)

I'm very sorry to see them go because I help Mr. Warren build the show cases when they first open and help with catching the bait.They also sold my tackle and I have been going there for over 40 years................woody


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## Jmillie3 (Sep 19, 2011)

I agree with unknown fish. The man that is there about 35ish was helpful, but the older women is just nasty. I'll take my business to clydes


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## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

I saw the older lady show some attitude when I went in there once.
She was running these two other guys right out of the store, and really giving them the business. 
After talking to her I found out why she had the attitude that day.
Seems they would go in and one guy would keep her busy getting bait and stuff behind the counter and the other would clean off the shelves and load his pockets.
She caught them red-handed, but didn't call the cops the next time they came in, just ran them out.
That was mighty nice of her, if you ask me


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## tacklemake (Feb 24, 2010)

If you would had ran a bait store before and new how nasty some people where when they came in your store.Miss Warren is the owner with her son Ricky and they have been in business for forty years helping people...............woody


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

I just got off the phone with Mrs. Warren and she said the lack of business is the reason they have to close after 40 yrs. The big stores like Bass Pro and Wall Mart are putting a real hurtin' on our local shops. She said they'll probably be open through the end of January. They'll be having a clearance on everything in stock so stock up on those needed items.


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## Hysteresis (Oct 20, 2010)

I am not surprised at all that they will close soon. I shopped there a few times. They remind me of the "The Soup Nazi" in the sitcom "Seinfeld"; but unfortunately for them they are not the only player around town in the tackle/bait business. So many things are wrong with their business model. I can name quite a few even based on my limited shopping experience there and these two are the most prominent. The first is that they have a sign saying something like “You better make your purchases into a round (dollar) number because we do not have changes for you!” Doesn’t it sound like as blackmail? As far as I know from big corporations like Bank of America, Wal-Mart, to small businesses like a flower shop or a Chinese buffet, the most important action of the the daily business is to make sure that you have enough coins and small denomination dollar bills so that you can always make changes to the customers; and this is not hard at all and it only takes a short trip to the local bank or even more conveniently just using Loomis. And the second, only by my own experience and I definitely do not want to speak for anyone else, is that I need to be ridiculed in a subtle way (at least) before I leave the store with my purchase. 

I believe the Warrens are good persons. Any person who tries to make an honest living by hard work is a good person in my book. However, in this fast changing world, you must adept and forgo your old ways. This could be hard for individuals; but for a business to survive, it is a must. 

I wish them the best.


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## the pyromaniac (Oct 9, 2011)

Tracker01 said:


> Thats sad I hate seeing any small bait shop close. Some of these little places sell some good stuff.


Colgard in Norton, VA and Hillberry's Fishin' Hole in Roanoke, VA are favorites of mine for that reason... I've found some great stuff there...


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## zam (Jun 16, 2004)

The biggest problem is a lot of people buy lures off the internet now, the only B&T shops that survive are the ones that also sell off the net, plus people don't buy bait the way they used to, a lot more people use strictly lures, 15/20 years ago you could go into a B&T and there would be a long line of people buying LYS, Chum, Crab baits, ect.. Chumming was so big you were lucky to get it before they ran out.


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## supercast (May 17, 2006)

The major problems with these old shops they will not change with the times , I had a friend 5 years ago he was displaying 33 1/3 plastic records all over his record store , I suggested to him he should have a discount sale then used the proceeds to buy cds ,he was upset now he is out of business with 100s of plastics at home 
Walmart, Kmart , Bass Pro , and many more medium tackle Shops are just around the corner the days of MOM/PAP shops are history , 7-11 , and most gas stations near the bay are selling basic bait and tackles 
The next may be going soon is Cheverly , Wayson Corner is gone , I had a talk with Tyler's North Beach and he is not doing so well either may call it a day soon ,these folks can't compete with those big boys 
I have no tears for these small shop most of them don't treat customers right anyway , these large stores changed around their places every year and make them more attractive MOM/POP STORES remain the same for years no change whatsoever 
Yes if they want to stay in business they have to fall in line with the competition and make their place more attractive along with better customer service


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## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

Is Marty's Tackle shop still open in Edgewater? I remember going in there alot as a kid in the late 80's/early 90's.


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

That really sucks. They were the best place to buy bloodworms on the way to Sandy Point during the spring run. Hate seeing local shops close.


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## BlueHwy (Sep 1, 2009)

I'd always stop at Warren's in the spring to buy grass shrimp for white perch and bloodworms for rock fish.

I know several other options for BWs but where is the next best place for grass shrimp?


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## Stinky_Pete (Mar 28, 2011)

One of the most important rules in any business is to never forget that the customer is the boss, period! If I go to bass pro shop, I can count on the paid employees to bend over backwards to accommodate me. This gets lost on "owners" who want to let everyone know that "they" are in charge! 

It's almost like a conflict of interest......you, on one hand, have worked hard all your life to get to the point of owning a business and feel entitled to some respect, but would you want your cashier telling people "that's the way it is!?!" Hell, no! That's money! You wouldn't want people to not come back and spend it! 

There is a place near Conowingo dam that is run by a very mean old man. I go there [to the dam] several times a year and have _not _gone back to his store for OVER 20 years. That's a LOT of money to miss out on just because I asked a simple question and got yelled at for my trouble. It's right by the dam too. I drive miles out of my way NOT to go there. This ain't 1955. I can go anywhere I want. 


The gas station near my house charges 20 cents more than other stations per gallon. I go there because of loyalty. Not price. 


Better learn how to swim, or you'll sink like a stone - for the times, they are a changing.


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## supercast (May 17, 2006)

U are so right , the Cheverly bait shop owner is like that dispite he has the best blood worms around most Anglers stays away this owner has the old heavy 15' ugly sticks still tagged for $300 these can be bought at Walmart for $80 on sale $69 
U walked in and say hello he just looked in your eyes and waits on u to say what u need , my friend went there few months ago and said that was his last he is one crude person 
Years ago when these folks opened business they had few competitions therefore they could say and treat customers poorly nowadays everybody sold everything , going fishing u went by Walmart , line, hooks , sinkers , food , lamps , ice, reels , rods and a choice to select your bait and if something goes wrong u always have a recourse without any problem 
One last thing @ Cheverly Cash tender only for all blood worms sale to me this is weird however u can't tell a person how to run one business


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## Tracker01 (Apr 4, 2011)

In the early 70s Ray Reynolds ran Cheverly Sport, at that time they had everything you wanted. They also were robbed or broken into almost weekly. I remember one time My Dad and I went there and the roof had a big hole in it where they came in from. I think Eds Bait and Tackle was one of the best. They would leave the minnows outside for us and I would leave the money taped to there door. They lived above the store. I think most of these small places are bitter because they cant buy at the same discount as the big places. Personaly I prefer a smaller place compared to the larger ones. Take Walmart for example the one in Bowie is worthless for fishing gear unless you are looking for hooks. The Super Walmart on 97 carries 5 times as much. The Kmart in Bowie has a couple of racks of fishing gear and thats it, alot of old stock. But you go across the Bay Bridge and the Kmart there has 2 isles of fishing gear. And every one knows BPS carries just about everything , BUT live bait. A bait shop that carries minnows these days is priceless , I think it so funny when they say no we stopped carrying minnows they are too hard to keep alive, no you are just too lazy to keep them alive. Small bait shops have a place in todays market but the also need to open there eyes and see that fresh bait wheather it is bunker , worms, and minnows , soft crabs , will have a good customer base. Any bait shop that carried these items would have me as a customer for life.


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## Stinky_Pete (Mar 28, 2011)

Tracker01 said:


> In the early 70s Ray Reynolds ran Cheverly Sport, at that time they had everything you wanted. They also were robbed or broken into almost weekly. I remember one time My Dad and I went there and the roof had a big hole in it where they came in from. I think Eds Bait and Tackle was one of the best. They would leave the minnows outside for us and I would leave the money taped to there door. They lived above the store. I think most of these small places are bitter because they cant buy at the same discount as the big places. Personaly I prefer a smaller place compared to the larger ones. Take Walmart for example the one in Bowie is worthless for fishing gear unless you are looking for hooks. The Super Walmart on 97 carries 5 times as much. The Kmart in Bowie has a couple of racks of fishing gear and thats it, alot of old stock. But you go across the Bay Bridge and the Kmart there has 2 isles of fishing gear. And every one knows BPS carries just about everything , BUT live bait. A bait shop that carries minnows these days is priceless , I think it so funny when they say no we stopped carrying minnows they are too hard to keep alive, no you are just too lazy to keep them alive. Small bait shops have a place in todays market but the also need to open there eyes and see that fresh bait wheather it is bunker , worms, and minnows , soft crabs , will have a good customer base. Any bait shop that carried these items would have me as a customer for life.



I was wondering what it would take.....thanks for the good advice. Awesome!


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

When it comes to old fashion customer service two shop in the Baltimore area wrote the book - Tochterman's and Clydes. They're the best of the best.


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## Tracker01 (Apr 4, 2011)

Stinky_Pete said:


> I was wondering what it would take.....thanks for the good advice. Awesome!


I dont understand ur post.


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## Stinky_Pete (Mar 28, 2011)

Tracker01 said:


> I dont understand ur post.



Was referring to opening a tackle shop.


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## supercast (May 17, 2006)

Customer service , Customer service is the ANSWER my friends


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

i remember mr. reynolds we used to hit CSF all the time from mid 60s to early 80s always had the freshest bait and opened early. havent been since mr. kim sounds like an a$$ but every one talks about anglers too the old guys behind the counter think they know it all, but lately they seem to have mellowed some


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## supercast (May 17, 2006)

To open a Tackle shop 1st location, location , money to start maybe $200,000 for stock , then $50,000 to pay rent for a period of time , $20,000 for sundries , rounded $300.000 and this will be a modest start


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## MetroMan (Mar 7, 2009)

LOL I like Mr Kim. I just avoid buying tackle lol....bloodworms only.


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## Big Rad (May 19, 2003)

I like mama Warren and Mr. Kim

TThey both asked about the cane I use now and showed honest intrest in my recovery. Mama Warren is gruff on the outside but she always slid me an extra bag of bloods when I brought my son in. That was when he was eight years old. He's 19 now and the last time in she gave us two extra because they were "old". I loved that lady.

Mr. Kim would pick and pack my bloods for me. So I guess its just my charming personality


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## Tracker01 (Apr 4, 2011)

supercast said:


> Customer service , Customer service is the ANSWER my friends


That was my point, my Father would call Mrs Ed the day before and tell her to leave 3 dozen out we would put the minnows in our bucket tape the money on the door and go fishing. That was trust and customer service.


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## Joey (May 27, 2001)

1BadF350 said:


> Is Marty's Tackle shop still open in Edgewater? I remember going in there alot as a kid in the late 80's/early 90's.


Still there, different owner but the name is still the same. The new owner (Jim or 2Jims on Tidalfish) is an avid bay fisherman and always willing to help with tips, techniques and reports. He also sells jumbo bloodworms but at a premium price.

Hate to see Warren's close up shop. Ricky and his mom have always done right by me.


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## kdkilbo (Apr 15, 2011)

i never had a problen at warrens.matter affect thees been plenty of times i been they n they give me free doz blood worms.free doz of hard crabs for bait.i will never go to them asses up in landsdowne.dont like the ass that works the counter


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## Joey (May 27, 2001)

*Sale @ Warren's*

Stopped by Warren's last weekend and everything is 25% off. A lot of items in stock and plenty deals to be had.


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

Stinky_Pete said:


> ...If I go to bass pro shop, I can count on the paid employees to bend over backwards to accommodate me. This gets lost on "owners" who want to let everyone know that "they" are in charge! .


You have got to be kidding me! Most of the times I go to BPS, I end up helping someone who is looking for their assistance! I have found that some of their "Salespersons" have no surf experience at all - much less make rod/reel recommendations. Most of the people that have approached me have never fished IRI, AI, or the DE surf much less assist with lure recommendations that make sense.

The fly fishing section is a totally different story now...

Sandcrab


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Has anyone ever been in a BPS at 5:30 AM, called you by your first name, remember what you bought last time or thrown so extra goodies in you bag for free. Didn't think so. Support our local tackle shops please.


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## Tracker01 (Apr 4, 2011)

catman said:


> Has anyone ever been in a BPS at 5:30 AM, called you by your first name, remember what you bought last time or thrown so extra goodies in you bag for free. Didn't think so. Support our local tackle shops please.


Catman you are 100% correct


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## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

catman said:


> Has anyone ever been in a BPS at 5:30 AM, called you by your first name, remember what you bought last time or thrown so extra goodies in you bag for free. Didn't think so. Support our local tackle shops please.


Amen.

I think the internet hurt small shops as much as BPS and the like.
Mom and Pop sell bait, and not much gear anymore, I would guess. That's gotta hurt when folks buy gear online that they used to buy from mom and pop.


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## tacklemake (Feb 24, 2010)

Fishbones is closing for the winter next wed and will reopen in March or April.........................woody


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