The new shop is bigger.
This is more in keeping with the business than was the old, 25 pounder artillery piece that adorned the awning of the previous shop across the road next to the RSL. This is version three of Fishing and Outdoor World, and it features 600 sq. m of floor space, 400sq.m of warehouse. Inside the store, shoppers have readily accepted the change, and appreciate the spacious, uncluttered environment: welcome to Fishing and Outdoor World, version three. When the new store was opened, George’s son Ronald said it was important to maintain the intimate family business feel, “A place where every customer feels welcomed, just as they have for the past 44 years.” Ronald handles most of the business: “He’s been working in the shop since he was seven years-old, and he knows the business inside and out,” George said. The public’s response to the new store has been unbelievable said George.
“Business is really good. Our customers have accepted the change and appreciate that they now get better service,” he said, pointing out that the previous shop was too small and customers couldn’t move around freely. “It is easy to access our gear and people can take their time,” George said “The atmosphere is more relaxed and our tackle and clothing are easy to look at and access.”
Fishing and Outdoor World is one of Shimano Tackle’s biggest accounts, and George said the store offered the cheapest tackle in Australia, with prices that matched what is available in the Internet. One bugbear for George was learning how to handle the new technology that was incorporated in the till: “I’m Old School,” he said, “it takes a while to learn the new technology.” Some of the advantages of shopping in Fishing and Outdoor World, apart from the biggest tackle range in Darwin, is that all warranty work is done in-house and this includes rod repairs.
“We aren’t like the big stores; we offer service back up so there is no waiting for a few weeks to have a reel repaired,” George said, adding that they took pride in their back up service. As well as fishing tackle, Fishing and Outdoor World has a large range of firearms and ammunition, gun safes and a huge range of clothing. “We offer proper clothing from companies like Columbia, Shimano, Loomis and even have local shirts and hoodies,” George said. And he is quick to point out the quality of staff, people like son Ronald, Matt West, Jason Deigan and Alex Patsalides, have extensive hands on experience. Reel repairs are undertaken by Chris Hurt, who George regards as something of a legend, someone he described as a master lure maker who is capable of fixing or making anything. More than 45 years since George and then business partner Col Stringer established Darwin’s first niche fishing and hunting store, and Fishing and Outdoor World has come of age. As Ronald Voukolos said at the opening of the new store: “I don’t think anyone could argue that there is a better place to start Fishing and Outdoor World version three.” Go and see for yourselves, you will be pleasantly surprised.