The Reno Fly Shop

On April 19th, the Reno Fly Shop opened its doors to eager fishermen in the area. As the name suggests, the Reno Fly shop sells fly fishing equipment and apparel as well as guide services, fishing licenses, and good old fashioned advice. Another shop that operated under the same name was closed down a few years ago. With a new owner and some help from the old one, the name lives on as Jim Litchfield breathes new life into the concept.

The Dream

Born from the vision of Jim Litchfield, the Reno Fly Shop fills a gap that was left behind when the original shop closed down. A lot has changed since its beginning in 1983, but some things remain the same, such as the commitment to be the most knowledgeable and reliable fly fishing outfitters in the region. The new ownership is made up of local fisherman that have spent most of their lives fishing the Truckee River, the Little Truckee River and Pyramid Lake.

The Shop

The Reno Fly Shop is now located at 238 S. Arlington Ave in a beautiful and rustic converted home. This location is ideal due to its proximity to the Truckee River and Wingfield Park. Local fishermen like to stop in early, get some advice from the passionate staff, pick up a few flies and hit the river. The interior is a hybrid of rustic and modern, a theme that Jim focused on from the beginning. Hardwood floors give way to crisp white walls and open ceilings. The feel is spacious and uncluttered while still maintaining the small local shop feel. Nearly everything you could ever need for fly fishing is stocked along with thousands of flies, handpicked by the expert staff. Anything that is not in stock will be happily ordered for you. The Fly Shop also sells fishing licenses and guide services to round out the complete package.

This Fly Shop prides itself on community involvement and support. It is fly fishermen helping fly fishermen. Jim frequently hosts classes teaching people to cast, tie flies, locate the fish, and much more. Want to test out that new rod that was just released? You can step right outside and have a few casts along the grass corridor designed just for that purpose. Any questions you have will be answered by friendly, enthusiastic staff and owners.

The Success

The concept has come a long way since Jim first contacted the Nevada Small Business Development Center. The first step was getting the dream down on paper in the form of a business plan. Getting all the thoughts and ideas about the concept onto one location helped focus and shape the idea into what it has become today. Target markets, a marketing plan, location, staffing levels, products, and inventory all had to be taken into consideration. The next step was getting the financials in order. Jim and the counselors at the NSBDC had to figure out just how much it would cost to start the business. After that, a profit and loss statement had to be made to project sales and costs to insure that the business could be profitable. Any business that fails to lay out these aspects far in advance has a high chance of failure. Fortunately with the Fly Shop, this was not the case.

The community has embraced the Fly Shop with open arms and customers have been flooding in. Locals love the branding and take it upon themselves to rave about the shop to all their friends. Business has exceeded even the owner’s expectations. Customers are making the Fly Shop their one and only source for equipment and advice. If you drive by in the morning you will likely see a full parking lot with customers hanging out on the front porch as if it were their own. This is exactly what Jim had envisioned from the beginning. The Fly Shop has become a local’s favorite and will be for years to come.