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Yeah, I recall being quite taken a back, initially, when a Hemingway profile mentioned his A&F spree.

• ghaff 4y ago
  A long time ago I read a book In Search of LL Bean that talked about the old A&F. Apparently their Manhattan (I think) store had a gunsmith on premises and carried fly fishing lures that were apparently as specific as this type of fish, in this river, during this month.
  • vgeek 4y ago
    This is apparently the lifecycle of outdoor fishing brands. Orvis (100+ yr old fly fishing company) places more emphasis on clothes than fly rods, flies and waders-- the margins and addressable market are probably both larger. Field and Stream is Dick's spinoff to target outdoors customers, and they typically dedicate 70% of floorspace to clothes, too.
    • ghaff 4y ago
      Pretty much. Not a fisherman but Orvis is better than most. But they're also still family-owned. REI is also probably better than most but they're a co-op. But even in those cases they're pretty mass-market oriented which is pretty inevitable unless you're mostly niche mail order. REI doesn't stay in business and support a broad retail network selling climbing ropes and carabiners.
  • Cd00d 4y ago
    My father managed an Eddie Bauer flagship in the 70s, and they sold shotguns and climbing gear, as well as camping and fishing equipment. He considered A&F their primary competitor, which is how I learned that history.