Efinger Sporting Goods:

[AndyS]

I heard thats it, no more.

[Blackfish Doug]

I heard thats it, no more.

I know the Owner I saw him yesterday he used to be a member at the Golf Course where I work. He told me yesterday that they are going out of business the retail industry is getting very hard to make money competing with the internet.

[NJSquatch]

I heard thats it, no more.

WOW! Who is left?

I was talking with the folks at Dow's last week and they said things are way off this year. They have been dumping herring all summer and had a week or 2 were they didn't sell any wholesale bait.

[XXlyakattacker]

Sad. I really like to put the rod in my hands before buying it.

[SPEARFISH]

Not really surprised. They had a decent selection, but way overpriced.

[Jigman13]

Yikes. That's awful! It's a damn shame. I'd rather pay a little more for customer service, the ability to handle items before I purchase and having a good whack of it while cruising the aisles for things I probably don't need lol. The Internet has done major damage to a small business owners ability to run a successful retail business.

They could down size, run out of a warehouse and turn to ecommerce. This would lead to layoffs of employees and bring their prices down but at least they'd still be operational. A total revamp of their website and marketing strategy would be necessary but it's certainly worth considering. No more live bait, though.

[acabtp]

mixed feelings

i grew up on efinger's gear. we always shopped there for our scout camping stuff and fishing gear when i was a kid and it's where i got my varsity jacket. i rode my bike over there from somerville one day and bought a sweet knife that my mom promptly confiscated when i got home bc i'd been gone for like four hours without telling anyone where i went. lots of memories of hiding in the sleeping bag aisles with my brother etc...

but once i grew up i realized that their prices were pretty much higher than anywhere else you could shop and the old guys at the rod or gun counters were always more interested in talking to each other than helping a customer. there's a reason that many people know the store as "effinjerks"

at least when it was still in the old building it had that mom & pop feel and the smell of decades of oiled leather and seemed like a place where fishermen and hunters would feel at home. the new building just feels like any other "sporting goods" shop hawking yoga pants to soccer moms etc. i think that's probably where things went wrong... a family business can't compete with the big box stores with on sales/prices on clothing, shoes, balls, bats/rackets etc. they should have concentrated on what the big stores can't do: knowledgeable staff, local insight, variety of firearms, etc.

if it's confirmed and true, it's sad to see end like any other 107 year old family business. really, i wish that they had made some changes years ago though so that it never would have come to this.

[Mikey topaz]

Very crazy, i been shoppin there since i was a kid riding my bike there with a fishing rod in my backpack for those of you that mnow susan the register lady remmeber her yellin at me leave your backpacks here at the counter lol! I worked there for years my brother current and some of my bestfriends work there now still gonna be sad to see it go. All the guys over there told me personally end of december it done

[phil]

That blows. Ive brought rods in there with snapped tips or busted guides and the guys were always really helpful for super short money. I have a couple ive been meaning to bring in for repair. Its nice to know you can walk in and out same day and not have it put in a corner and sent out to some random guys basement and get upcharged at 3 levels.

[bassnblues]

That really stinks. They were expensive, but they always had what I needed. Spent a ton of money there. Especially the old store.

First Rays, now Effingers. :(

[phil]

That really stinks. They were expensive, but that always had what I needed. Spent a ton of money there. Especially the old store.

First Rays, now Effingers. :(

yea me too, what can we do, if anything with all those rewards points?

[Andrushkin33]

Now that's some sad news to hear.

Always helpful when I was shopping there and willing to share all the tips. One issue I had that I actually mentioned here was quickly resolved and even though I do agree that prices were on a higher level than others, the fact that they went out of their way to help me with an issue stayed with me and made me come back over and over again. Sad news indeed.

Andre

[catsmeow]

Bought my 22 and shotgun from them when they were a liitle mom & pop store in downtown bound brook
That was the early sixties you could just walk in and get your gun
You could bring your gun to school store it in the office and go hunting right after school
To me the old days were the good days.

[Chrisper4694]

these places should start internet order sites to go with their store sites i would think that would save them or at least give them a chance...

[Humanzee]

I just got the email from Effingers confirming store closing, so its certainly not speculation.

Love em or hate em, still stinks to see an independent, family owned business closing their doors.

Not only Rays and Effingers (as someone mentioned) but Meltzer's also closed down recently.

By the way, beginning tomorrow all stuff at Effingers will be 20-40% off per the email.

[SaltLife1980]

Even know it sucks they are closing. Are they putting everything on sale?? Get some good gear for cheap!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Seems like a lot of these small Mom and Pop places are going under. Hard for them to compete with the big box and interweb companies. They have a lot less buying power, can only spend so much on advertising, need to have and maintain a storefront, economies of scale favor larger companies etc.

Bottom line is most have to charge more to make a decent living so the only thing they can compete on is their knowledge and service.... Not sure about the rest of you but that's worth something to me...

Think about it this way....... Lets say you're going to spend $20 more on a $200 reel at your favorite local tackle place. Instead you decide to buy it from BigBox Company X or nostorefront.com and save the $20. Now you're on your way fishing driving down the road at 6:00 AM and need to stop for bait or have a last minute rod tip put on and the place has a sign on it, OUT OF BUSINESS.

Sucks right??

If we want them to be there for small repairs, bait, personalized service and local knowledge, we need to support them on our other purchases as well albeit for a few dollars more...

Shop local, shop small business and especially shop our sponsors when you can. Don't let a few dollars be your deciding factor because at the end of the day it's not worth the trade off.

[Jigman13]

Seems like a lot of these small Mom and Pop places are going under. Hard for them to compete with the big box and interweb companies. They have a lot less buying power, can only spend so much on advertising, need to have and maintain a storefront, economies of scale favor larger companies etc.

Bottom line is most have to charge more to make a decent living so the only thing they can compete on is their knowledge and service.... Not sure about the rest of you but that's worth something to me...

Think about it this way....... Lets say your going to spend $20 more on a $200 reel at your favorite local tackle place. Instead you decide to buy it from BigBox Company X or nostorefront.com and save the $20. Now you on your way fishing driving down the road at 6:00 AM and need to stop for bait or have a last minute rod tip put on and the place has a sign on it, out of business.

Sucks right??

If we want them to be there for small repairs, bait, personalized service and local knowledge, we need to support them on our other purchases as well albeit for a few dollars more...

Shop local, shop small business and especially shop our sponsors when you can. Don't let a few dollars be your deciding factor.

Brilliantly put, Gerry! I also say to myself, where are my kids going to get bait when they're taking their kids fishing in the future? Obviously something WELL into the future but it's a reality. 123tackle.com ain't shipping you herring or shiners...

[tycomps]

was there yesterday, bought waders and boots. no sign of a sale but the guy in shoes had to ask someone about returns and the answer was 60 days if that's an indication.

price for boots and waders was same as online.

went there because as mentioned previously I wanted to see them before buying them.

I've lived two blocks behind where Ray's used to be for 30 years and was sad when that went too.

[bassnblues]

In addition to competition from online retailers, I think people are just not spending as much as they used to. I know I'm not. Plus outdoor sports like fishing and hunting have had a decline in popularity.

[Eskimo]

I've lived two blocks behind where Ray's used to be for 30 years and was sad when that went too.

Yeah, I used to live somewhat close to Ray's when I lived in Berkeley Heights. In fact, I practically lived in Ray's store in the 1980's. I can still hear the sound of the squeaky front door and remember the musty smell of the hallway when you first walked into the building. The issue with Ray's was the real estate became really valuable on Route 22, while the over-the-counter sales were decreasing. When Ray retired, his family had the choice of running the shop and gun range or selling the land and building. They made the decision to sell everything for a rumored twelve million dollars. 12,000,000!

I never went to Efingers much. I just bought my licenses there and occasionally someone in my family would give me a gift certificate to Efingers as a gift. It's a shame to see it close, though.


.

[dakota560]

World is changing in front of our eyes. Hand shake, personal service, solid advise, a face and a name are being replaced with an IP address. It might at times provide benefits and conveniences but it's destroying the community as we knew it growing up. One day the world is going to wake up and realize Bill Gates was the beginning of the end.

[icebadger]

when you loose the mom and pop shops fishing has lost a important personality that goes along with those places and it hurts the local economy.you don't get the familiar face element that you get from your favorite local tackle shop.your not getting that with .coms and as well pointed out, where are you gonna get fresh live bait? i don't really like big retail stores. yes they might have what you want, but do you know the person your buying from and do they hunt or fish? really sad news.

[Krablips]

Sad, very sad. I have been visiting and purchasing from Effingers since I was a child. I remember going with my father to get my first shotgun. As an adult I use to visit on a regular basis and made many purchases of guns and fishing supplies. It was sad when Ray's closed, but this is down right depressing. Effingers will be missed!

[Detour66]

Sorry to hear this. Yes they where way overpriced and there customer service was not good but they had a good selection and you could get a feel for what you are buying instead of looking at it online! Times are changing ...this is the wave of the future. I like the old way better!

[AndyS]

I remember the deer hanging out front of the store downtown during the Christmas shopping season, imagine trying to do that now !!!:):):):)

[Polelock]

Open since 1909!!! Damn, what a shame.... I remember going their as a kid in the 70's... Bought my first shotgun there as well as many other items over the years...Sad to see them go.. Brick and mortars will all be extinct soon..:(

[RWole]

Do not forget the new generation does not hunt and fish.
If their smartphone does not do it for them they are not interested.

[Chrisper4694]

you guys better start learning how to use lures cause pretty soon we won't be able to buy bait anywhere!

[Wilson]

Heard the parking lot was railed today

[phil]

Heard the parking lot was railed today

great. all I wanna do is bring a couple rods in tomorrow to replace a guide and its going to be a madhouse, maybe ill wait till next week.

[Moz]

I got the email today about the closing sale so figured I'd check here as I know a few people were regulars and Andy worked there.

My January won't be the same without my renew-the-fishing-license trip there. Very tough for brick & mortar shops in this day and age and with the BPS store opening in Sayreville at some point I imagine it's going to put even more strain on the mom and pop shops.

[Jigman13]

I got the email today about the closing sale so figured I'd check here as I know a few people were regulars and Andy worked there.

My January won't be the same without my renew-the-fishing-license trip there. Very tough for brick & mortar shops in this day and age and with the BPS store opening in Sayreville at some point I imagine it's going to put even more strain on the mom and pop shops.

If it ever opens... Talk about an environmental and political cluster f*ck! Maybe they'll carry live bait seeing as they'll be on the river... In 2020 lol

[AndyS]

Place is a mob scene, it'll be PICKED CLEAN IN 2 WEEKS, watch !!

[Jigman13]

Bigger ticket items flying off the shelves. 20% off things $800 or more can be significant. High end reels, rods, sunglasses, guns, etc. $100s in savings.

[phil]

Place is a mob scene, it'll be PICKED CLEAN IN 2 WEEKS, watch !!

Is it going to be a zoo if I come in this am to put a new rod tip on today around 1030

[AndyS]

Rod tip ??? The place is a mad house !! The store is in the hands of a liquidator, everything must go !!

[phil]

Rod tip ??? The place is a mad house !! The store is in the hands of a liquidator, everything must go !!

Holy crap even if you gave me 70% off anything in the store I wouldnt wait in this line. Good luck to anyone who enters

[bassnblues]

Is it going to be a zoo if I come in this am to put a new rod tip on today around 1030

Better off going to a tackle shop for that. Shoot west on 22 and go to bahres in Lebanon.

[kcritch]

Went yesterday at 5 o'clock...hardly anyone there..NOT!!! HA! :D But i got a new pair of Orvis Waders 20% off and it really wasn't that bad of a wait in that line. 15 minutes. I was going to roam around and buy more stuff i dont need but decided to just get outta there before it got any worse. Can't imagine what it's going to be like Sat/Sun.

[Chrisper4694]

Seems to me like if they had a big sale like this now and then they might still be in business...

[Jigman13]

Liquidating. Start at 20%. After taxes you're at about 13%. First wave passes then discounting goes to 30%. Another hoard passes through. Before you know it there's less and less product and better discounts until the doors close. Timing would put them right around end of December to close.

[AndyS]

Lines were out the door to get in all day Saturday. People are parking on the back roads by Walgreens and walking because the parking lot is full. It'll be picked over in a week, all the fw rods are gone already.

[bubbasdad]

Really sad about them closing; have tried to teach Bubba to support the local guys over the big box places, but we're losing all the locals :(
We've spent a lot of $$ and time in that place, and the staff were always good to him and I, especially when they realized that the kid knew what he was talking about when it came to fishing (and baseball gear)....No idea where we are going to pick up bait now, looks like either South to fred's or way up north to behre (can't stand D*cks, and their bait sucks, usually)...
Little guy was really bummed when we were there today, between losing Efinger's and our favorite bait and tackle shop ever (Anne's up in Bolton Landing) earlier this year, our fishing trips will never be the same :(

[ScowardNJ]

meanwhile, while the little guys fall, the box stores cash in!

http://www.scout.com/outdoors/wired2fish/story/1713214-bass-pro-shops-to-officially-acquire-cabela-s

[Capt. Lou]

Yup , now they will control the industry , thankfully many of our stores still exhibit professionalism that can ward off most incursions into many aspects of specialized markets.
I guess the rest is up to us the customers to support independents or else they will be a memory.
Maybe the government will step in & recognize for what it is a monopoly that can dictate many aspects of this retail business & crush the industry !

[Ken Lyons]

So Bass Pro has finally inked a deal for Cabela's. more often than not mergers are not a sign of industry health. Compare Bass Pro prices with Tackle Warehouse and the trend becomes clearer. When a product becomes commoditized the only thing that matters is price.

[kcritch]

The money is too big to stop it. If you look at what that one Cabela's store has done for the Hamburg area in PA you start to get an idea. When that store opened there was nothing there at that exit. Now it's one of..if not the...largest "tourist destinations" in the state. Now there are restaurants, hotels, additional retail stores of all kinds that all opened in that location because of it. That's a lot of jobs and tax income for the surrounding area and the state of PA that just did not exist before. Not saying it is right or better or that others were not impacted by it...just saying that when an area sees that kind of positive economic potential they are not going to say no.

[bassnblues]

People too often bash the large chain stores saying it puts money in the pockets of rich executives. But you need to realize a large company like BPS or Amazon employs thousands of people from all income levels. Not to mention extra workers hired by UPS, IT companies and various other suppliers.

In the past, I have enjoyed browsing places like Effingers etc and made most of my purchases there. I'm sad it seems they are becoming part of the past.

Personally, I think it's just that people are spending less on leisure activities so only a large operation can sell enough to make it worthwhile.

Just my 2 cents...

[Ken Lyons]

That's a good point. The trend in the sale of fishing licenses bears that out. Kids seem to prefer the couch to the real,thing.

[Eskimo]

.

The combined force of big box stores and internet sales are putting the local retailers out of business in a lot of industries.

From what I see, the only businesses where small, privately-owned stores are proliferating are stores that sell guns and 'head shops' selling smoking paraphernalia.


.