Taking Pride in the Business of Fishing

Sitting on a yellow fishing bucket, surrounded by rods, reels, and an assortment of tackle, a bleary-eyed Max Berry talked fishing with a couple of shoppers this weekend, part of a steady stream that’s come to check out everything Pride Fishing Tackle has to offer.

The shop’s been open a week, opening less than month after Berry earned approval from Red Bank’s Zoning Board in May to turn an out-of-use print shop on Front Street into the area’s newest retail fishing destination.

He’s tired, he admits, after pushing towards what he imagines could be one of the borough’s fastest business openings. He’s also at the shop all seven days of the week, something he doesn’t expect to change any time soon.

This brand of tired, the one he wears on his face, is different than the kind of soul-stifling tired that resulted from a decade of selling information technology hardware to businesses. There’s no resentment in this kind of tire, after all, this time it’s his dream that’s to blame.

“I grew up fishing in the Navesink and now, obviously, since I have kids of my own it’s something I want to instill in them. This is something I’ve thought about doing for quite a few years,” he said. “I saw what was out there, and I wasn’t really happy with what was being offered. Pride is designed to cater to anyone, whether they’re a professional fishing 100 miles off the coast or someone fishing right in our own rivers as part of their pastime.”

Berry, a Fair Haven resident, said he developed a business plan for his fishing shop years ago, completing it in 2008. Since then, he’s been biding his time, waiting for a location he believed to be prime to open up. The storefront on Front Street, a couple of steps from Riverview Medical Center on a major thoroughfare proved to be exactly the kind of place he was looking for.

What he believes he’s created here is a one-stop shopping destination for all levels of fisherman, including, or maybe especially, for the amateur. With all the gear you’d need to start casting, plus the know-how, Berry said he believes his shop has got what it takes to be a regular visit for anyone with an interest in fishing.

“A lot of fishermen find themselves in the same spot. We’ve tried to make this store far from your average tackle shop,” he said. “I think there was a chance to run the business like a regular retail business, but I don’t want this to be a regular retail store.”

Berry said a goal is to provide as much information as he can about everything fishing related. The kind of place he hopes Pride becomes, is one that welcomes all level of fisherman, and, if this thing works, fisherwoman, too. The idea is replacing the intimidation that comes with most specialty shops and replacing it with easily accessible information from a friendly face.

It seems to be working so far.

“I can guarantee you, we’ve had more women and families in here in the past week then some (tackle shops) will ever see,” he said.

Pride Fishing Tackle on 111 E. Front St. in Red Bank is open seven days a week:

Mon. and Tues. - 7am - 5pm

Wed. to Fri. - 7am - 7pm

Sat. 6am - 5pm

Sun. 6am - 3 pm

Store contact: (732)383-8198