An exciting new concept is preparing to drop anchor in Yards Marina this spring. FishThePotomac is bringing nautical gear, refreshing beer, and a cozy patio setting to DC with The Tackle Shop, its latest project set to open next month.
The Tackle Shop is taking over the 301 Water Street SE boardwalk space that was last occupied by Due South. Captain Tim Blanchard was kind enough to speak with What Now DC about the inspiration behind the unique retail and bar space and what it will bring to DMV fishermen-and the community at large.
“We’ve been running fishing charters for the last 2 years as well as a summer camp for kids and these 2 spaces on the boardwalk have been vacant for the last 3 years” he explains. “We were just trying to figure out what we could do there.”
Blanchard and his team wanted to broaden the scope of their operations beyond the sea and The Tackle Shop affords them that opportunity. “We’re a young business and we’re trying to figure out how to expand. I thought ‘what could make it there at the dockside, on the boardwalk’ and we thought ‘what about a tackle shop?’”
While the idea of a retail shop was a great start, Blanchard explains that the bar component offers a year-round allure that will draw in a variety of customers. He states: “One of my best friends owns several bars in DC and he got in on the conversation and said, ‘this thing is a goldmine but the thing that kills business down there is ebb and flow’. In the winter business slows. If it’s a tackle shop and serves beer on the patio, you’ve created a great place for people to stop and enjoy the view and a beer and you’ve created a hub for the fishing community, which is greatly underserved.”
Blanchard and his team are applying their particular expertise to ensuring The Tackle Shop serves the local fishing community well. He says: “It’s going to be pretty inclusive. We’ve got it dialed in for what the DC fishery is like on the Potomac. I’ve established relationships with all the big names nationally. Now that I’ve told them I’m opening a shop, everyone is knocking on my door since we’re the only tackle shop in DC. It will be filled with all the best rods, all the best reels, a freezer with live bait. We’ll also have plenty of artificial bait. Anyone who wants to do any kind of fishing, we’ve got it covered.”
The Tackle Shop bar will allow visitors to enjoy a refreshing drink in a scenic location. Blanchard describes the straight-forward but delightful experience saying: “It’s as simple as it gets. We’re serving canned beer and canned cocktails. Nothing in a glass, nothing being poured, Tom Cruise isn’t back there spinning bottles. We’ll have 8 picnic tables. It’s a place to sit, look at the water, and enjoy friends. We’ll have snacks like potato chips, but nothing prepared.”
The Tackle Shop will begin reeling in customers relatively soon; the concept will be holding its grand opening on Saturday, May 9 from noon till 10 pm. Local fishing enthusiasts won’t want to miss it; Blanchard and crew are planning something truly special: “We’re going to have a couple of celebrity fisherman there, contests, giveaways… we’ll have specials for tackle and bait. The real draw is going to be the raffle. We’re going to be giving away some pretty nice gear.”
The Tackle Shop will then settle into its regular hours of 7 am to 10 pm, with the bait shop opening at 5 am on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays-though Blanchard qualifies this is subject to change. “We’re going to read the room as to what fishermen want in DC.” he says.
The Tackle Shop is bound to become a DC favorite-particularly for an underserved community. Blanchard concludes: “The DC fishing community is huge and lacking resources. It’s become a passion project of mine. The community needs love, it needs resources, and that space needs to be activated.”
