Tomorrow is the beginning of the 2012 trout season here in Ontario and we want to pause to appreciate where we have come from and what lies ahead. We began our 15th year in business last week, we now have a second store in Fergus and this marks our 1,200th post on our blog. Any one of these occasions in our books is worth celebrating but we think the fact that they are all happening at the same time is pretty cool. Frankly, it boggles my mind that I have sat at a computer 1,200 times to type an entry onto this blog but it boggles my mind even more that WILSON’S is now in its 15th year of business. It seems like only yesterday that my parents (both now deceased), the rest of my family and my friends all gathered at our original location in downtown Toronto to celebrate the opening of our fly shop back in April 1998. That said, what completely blows me away is that we now have a second store in Fergus on the banks of the Grand River. To be honest opening a second store in Fergus is something I have dreamed about for years but in the category of “careful what you wish for” it is now a reality and our whole team is scrambling because we didn’t have time to properly prepare for it. In one sense this new store scares the heck out of us but we realize that had we not acted on it as quickly as we did someone else would likely have done so and the opportunity would have been lost – forever. So, after speaking with our families, our customers and our conscience, we took a deep breath and took the plunge. We have not yet resurfaced – and likely won’t for some time – but the shot of adrenalin we have taken through opening our second store in Fergus is keeping us on our toes!

I personally look back on the years since WILSON’S first opened with mixed emotions. Much has happened in those years on both a professional and personal level and to be honest I would not change any of it – even the dark times. I was 35 years old when I decided that I would open the kind of fly shop I wanted to find as someone new to the sport and while I am probably more surprised than anyone that 15 years later we are still around I am also proud of what we have built. I think the only reason why we are still here after the ups and downs we have experienced is simply because it is still enjoyable. If we take a step back we also realize that what makes working in a fly shop enjoyable is all of the customers we meet on a daily basis who share our passion for fly fishing. We realize there are very few people who are able to say they love what they do and we are fortunate to be part of that club.

We have had many people work in the store over the years – both good and bad – and we have learned much from each of them. Some of this learning was related to fly fishing, some of it was related to business and some of it was related to, well, let’s just say it is related to how some people choose to live their lives. Until recently, our friend Eli Garrett held the record for being the longest serving employee of WILSON’S. We appreciate Eli’s loyalty as much as his honesty and hard work and always enjoy seeing him at industry functions. Eli’s record was recently surpassed by Vasilios “Bill” Katraouras who manages our Toronto store. You could not ask for a better person to have behind the counter in a fly shop and Bill’s thoughtful words and actions make being a part of the team at WILSON’S fun.

We truely have a team working at WILSON’S and each one plays an important role in helping make our fly shop a business. Hugo Ma, John Lambert, Danny Desiato and Sheldon Seale are all equally passionate about fly fishing and each brings a special skill set that makes our team better with them on board. To that end, If you are not aware our rogues gallery now has a second chapter in Fergus headed up by Rob Heal who is managing our new store and heading up our new fly fishing guide and education programs. Rob is one of the most respected and well-liked fly fishing guides in Ontario and we are delighted to have him on our team. Working on a full-time basis with Rob is Mike Pratt who is one of those young guys who you want to find in a fly shop. You know the type: knowledgeable, helpful and full of energy. Jay Mowat and our old friend John Hoffman round out the team at WILSON’S Fergus and we are thrilled that they have agreed to join us.

So here we are. 15 years, 1,200 posts and 2 stores later and we all hope that you like what we are doing as much as we like doing it. We hope you agree we are heading in the right direction but we are always open to any helpful advice you may have so please send us an email with any thoughts you want to pass along. We thank you for your ongoing support and wish everyone tight lines this season!

One of the critical ingredients to running a business is having the right people in place. This is especially true in specialty retail and perhaps even more so in fly fishing retail. Unlike a run-of-the-mill retailer that sells, for example, shoes a fly fishing store does not have the luxury of being able to hire someone off the street, giving them a uniform and a name tag and putting them behind the counter to take orders. Customers who walk into a fly shop expect that the person behind the counter will know at least as much about fly fishing as they do – and hopefully more. People expect a level of expertise in fly shops that is frankly tough to find as an employer. Not only do these employees need to know fly fishing they need to know how to sell the product and, most importantly, how to treat customers. People come into a fly fishing store to shop the first time but they come back because they enjoyed their experience. Finding employees who understand the concept that the customer comes first is surprisingly tough in fly fishing retail. We don’t quite know why but in our experience many potential employees who we think are normal, sentient beings undergo a sort of transmogrification when they get behind a sales counter that turns them into complete knobs. Some put it down to the ego that is unfortunately found all too often in fly shops. We attribute it to being just plain stupid and the bad customer service that results is the reason why we have had to let go more than a few people over the years. These people for whatever reason could not grasp the concept that the sun in fact does not shine out of their derrières.

We are fortunate to have a great team in place in our Toronto store that is lead by Vasilios “Bill” Katraouras. Backing up Bill are Hugo Ma, John Lambert, Danny Desiato and Sheldon Seale. They make everyone feel welcome and we are lucky to have them all on our team but these guys can’t be in two places at once and with a second fly shop opening shortly we have been faced with trying to figure out who we can get to help Rob Heal who will be running the new operation under Bill’s guidance.

Well, we have! We are delighted that we have found a second full-time and 2 part-time employees to work alongside Rob in our new Fergus store. In addition, we have added 3 more fly fishing guides to our team all of whom have drift boats. There are temporary signs in the windows of Unit 6 at 105 Queen Street West in Fergus to make people aware that we are opening our fly shop on the banks of the Grand River shortly but the most important issue – having the right team in place – has now been resolved. We will be posting pictures and bios in the coming days as we start to move inventory and fixtures out of our store in Toronto (and my garage at home).

Watch for more details shortly – our team is growing!

We posted this last Christmas and had so much positive feedback that we thought we would reprise it so please forgive the repetition…

The night before Christmas
And all through the store
The coffee was brewing
As friends came in the door.

The fly rods were leaning
In the corner with Bill,
And Ian had his eyes
on the reels and the till.

The waders were hung
on the wall with the boots,
And the customers came
in long jackets and suits.

We sold tools and books
and nippers and things,
fresh water patterns
and many with wings.

There were duffels and vests
and dry bags for Jim Wilson,
by Orvis and FishPond
and Simms and by Filson.

Some caddis and streamers
And hackle and flash,
The orders kept coming
From fly fishers alas.

Customer questions
came out of the blue,
On Loomis, On Nautilus
on Patagonia too!

The day ended at five
with the staff on the run,
but the customers were pleased
with their boxes of fun.

As we gear up for the winter
We thank one and all,
for your business and friendship
In Spring Summer and Fall.

We hope you have enjoyed
your visits this year,
And want you to join us
in the New Year for a beer!

Hugo will be in the office
inputting new stock and new flies,
And Sheldon will be here
To teach some new ties.

We have many things planned
that we hope will excite,
but for now it is Christmas
And to all a good night!

Thank you & Merry Christmas to all of our customers! We hope you and yours have a safe and happy holiday.

I am delighted to welcome you to the new online presence of WILSON’S – “Canada’s Fly Fishing Outfitter”. This website represents our renewed commitment to being Canada’s fly fishing store of choice and we hope you like the path we are on.

There are many people to thank for this project becoming a reality and the first two are Ruth McLeod and Joel Langlois. Ruth and Joel took us up on our challenge of creating a new website that is easy to navigate, interesting and informative and I hope you agree they have delivered. Our hats are off to them! The team at the store – Bill, Hugo, Gary & Ian – have been diligently working behind the scenes as we have navigated the perils of organizing what has seemed at times ‘unorganizable’ and their efforts and patience with this process are greatly appreciated. I also wish to thank our suppliers over the last few months as we have navigated some interesting waters. Their ongoing assistance and words of wisdom have been invaluable and we appreciate the opportunity and privilege of being their retail partners.

As you wade through our new site you will see we are making more than a few cosmetic changes. Perhaps most importantly, we are delighted to announce that Rick Whorwood has joined us to head up our Education program. An FFF Master Certified Casting Instructor in both single and double casting, Rick is a great teacher who will take our fly fishing education program to a new level. Joining Rick at our schools are Marty Tannahill (who also has his Master  Certification in Single Hand Casting) and Doug Swift. Our new team members, along with Wally Schmidt and Eli Garrett, will be teaching our Beginner Fly Fishing Schools, On-Stream Instruction courses and fly casting lessons in 2011. The other exciting development in our school program is that we will be holding Fly Fishing Schools in 3 locations in the east, north and west ends of the Greater Toronto Area and at a fourth location near Collingwood. Watch for details in the coming weeks !

On the topic of fly fishing education we should also make you aware of the new courses we are offering. Notably, If you are an advanced fly angler who is looking for a new challenge, check out our FFF Casting Course that teaches you everything you need to know to become an FFF-certified casting instructor.

On the fly tying front we are delighted to announce that Sheldon Seale is heading up our fly tying classes. A well known fixture in the Toronto fly fishing community, a past-president of the  Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Club and Fly Tying Editor of the Canadian Fly Fisher magazine, Sheldon’s skills are a welcome addition to our team and we fortunate to have him on board. [We also now having "open vise" fly tying sessions after Sheldon's classes every Saturday from 1pm until 5pm and another "open vise" session on Tuesday evenings from 6pm until 8pm. Check the calendar on our website for details].

Another addition to our team is Ian McLeod. Originally from Ireland and an avid fly tyer and angler, you will find Ian behind the counter on a regular basis and he will also be hosting our “Open Vise” tying session on Tuesday evenings. Please make a point of saying hello to Ian when you stop by in the coming weeks!

The final, and most important group I want to thank are our customers. Many of you have been with us since we first opened our doors on April 28, 1998 at 26 Wellington East in downtown Toronto and I can’t express how much the team at the store and I appreciate your loyalty, friendship and support. On the days when being in fly fishing retail is not that great, you make it fun!

There is a lot of change for the better happening at WILSON’S and this new website is just a part of it. One of the things on the site that you will notice immediately is our ecommerce page is not yet live – but it is coming soon! In the interim, if you have any special needs please let us know and we will do our best to help you out.

Again, thank you for your interest and your ongoing support. We hope you enjoy your visit!

Very Best,

Jim Wilson