WILSON’S opened its doors on April 20, 1998 and in the years since we have undergone more than a few changes – hopefully you will agree they have been for the better.
When we opened in our original location at 26 Wellington Street East we were 1 of 3 fly shops in Toronto. The first of the 2 other fly shops closed 3 years after we opened and shortly thereafter we moved around the corner from our original location into larger premises at 61 Front Street East. That move was pivotal in our history for a number of reasons, perhaps most notably because prior to moving we actively solicited the advice of our customers on what you wanted us to be. We asked what products you wanted us to carry, how we were doing and what you wanted to see change in our store. Asking those questions also meant opening ourselves up to criticism and, frankly, we got both barrels and much of it was deserved. To say that our first 5 years in business were ‘difficult’ is a gross understatement. We were doing more things wrong than right. Thankfully, instead of ignoring the sometimes painful things you had to say we sat up and listened. By listening we allowed ourselves an opportunity to correct many things including bringing in new product lines, we found a location with better parking and, most importantly, we made some changes to our staff. In addition, after 4 years on Front Street the other remaining fly shop in Toronto closed its doors and we became – and remain – the only fly fishing store in Toronto.
Finding honest, hard working employees is critical to the success of any business but a specialty retailer like ours also requires 2 additional ingredients in its staff: knowledge and humility. There is a level of expertise required in fly shops that customers not only expect but deserve. Those shops that find employees who fit the bill are few and far between and one of the common and unfortunate results of hiring staff with this level of knowledge is sometimes having to deal with employee arrogance. I still haven’t figured this one out but, like many in the sport, I have unfortunately experienced it because the undercurrent of arrogance we often find in fly shops is one of the reasons why I opened WILSON’S in 1998. I wanted to find a store that had a good selection of gear, competitive pricing and nice people behind the counter who would give me good advice. In fact, “great service, excellent selection and friendly advice” have become the three hallmarks of our store.
December 1 2004 was another pivotal moment in our history in that Vasilios “Bill” Katraouras started working at WILSON’S. For those of you who do not know Bill, there are few people in Canada who have been in fly fishing retail longer than Billy and fewer still who approach his level of expertise and casting ability. Bill’s friendly, courteous manner, his work ethic and his quick wit have been a welcome addition to our store and integral to our success. If you haven’t met Bill do yourself a favour and seek him out !
That said, the success of any business does not rest solely in any one person and our fly shop is no different. Hugo Ma is another member of our team and his eye for merchandising has greatly improved the organization of our store. Hugo’s other focus is on our ecommerce site and his efforts are helping improve the electronic version of our store on a daily basis.
David Nonomura, Gary Horton and Mike Fitzgerald are the most recent members of our team. Hailing from Oshawa, Mike is one of those guys whose youthful enthusiasm is simply contagious. A good fly tyer, a hardcore angler and a budding photographer, Mike is anxious to learn the retail ropes under Bill’s guidance and we are delighted to have him on board. David Nonomura is a high school student who has been with us on a part time basis for the last year. David has been working weekends and his love and knowledge of fly fishing is tough to top. A member of the Canadian National Youth Fly Fishing Team, David is an up-and-comer in the sport who we will be hearing more of in the years ahead ! Our part-time patriarch is Gary Horton. Gary always has a smile and the store is a better place whenever he is there.
The final members of our immediate team are Wally Schmidt and Mike Warrian. Wally and Mike teach our beginner fly fishing schools and our On-Stream Instruction courses and I think in previous lives both were Montana Trout Bums. Their passion for fly fishing combined with their love of teaching is the perfect combination for anyone who wants to learn how to fly fish.
The other important member of our team is our suppliers. We recognize that it is a privilege to be associated with the brands we carry and appreciate the support you have shown us over the years. Thank you for all of the help and guidance you have given.
As we start our 12th year in business the final and most important member of our team we want to thank are our customers. I know I speak on behalf of my staff when I say that the main benefit of being in the fly fishing retail business is the opportunity to meet and serve those people who have allowed us to be their fly shop of choice. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business and look forward to continuing to work for you in the coming year.
On this anniversary I would also like to thank my other business team at Cushman & Wakefield LePage. My partner Jeff Peters and I have worked together for 16 years and our assistant Wanda Keough has put up with us for the last few – your support is greatly appreciated.
The final thank you goes out to my family, in particular my father Lawrence who passed away in 2000 and my mother Esma who passed away last August. I am proud to be your son and thank you for the job you did and the love you provided… I miss you both.
Tight Lines !
Jim Wilson
WILSON’S
“Canada’s Fly Fishing Store”
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