One of the coolest things I experienced this summer was visiting Dan’s Tackle Shop in Chicago. There are two great kinds of shops in the world: old ones with wood floors, and cluttered expert dens. Dan’s is the latter. His shop is in his house, upstairs, near Bucktown. Several rooms are jampacked with decades-worth of the best fly-fishing stuff. Dan serves the Chicago “inside” fishing scene. A character! Have a question? Ask Dan. Being from outta town I loved the Chicago accent.
Of course, like all great things, it recently nearly went extinct, falling prey to the Recession that has nuked his customers as well as the 20-something turn-keys at big-box Bass Pro and their Chinese wares and 24-7 mail-order (which have possibly caused the Recession!). (I bet Dan will mail, too.)
Dan’s website: www.danstackleservice.com
Video: Dan On ” A River Runs Through It — www.youtube.com/watch?v=56NKpB7dp9A&list=UUWic3UAvW70-Wu3P154F9nw&index=9&feature=plcp
Sun-Times article that saved Dan’s shop: “https://is.gd/HhYnvB
