I read this article and thought of HOpkins Carter

This is the article I read : https://www.passagemaker.com/techni...-YV4b8Hzn7lyo9HM3IV4IOBtsbH1Fg&_hsmi=75840748

Wow, I thought, this sounds like HOpkins Carter and Parks and family. Good service can never be replaced.

Thanks Parks.

Thanks Fish!

I and many others miss your leadership. Enjoy retirement. Hopefully will get you up to Ft. Pierce.

Sorry I never made it to Hopkins Carter.


I did frequent Fawcett when I lived aboard in Annapolis and stationed in DC. Made lemonade out of that assignment...


They used to hold really good weekly seminars at night and I would walk over, then head out for a beer afterward. Usually were great evenings.... especially when the weather cooperated.

It does and wish we had more of such places. However, too many of us and too often we are not willing to pay for quality and service. I read the complaints about West Marine's prices and people going to Amazon and Ebay. Fortunately, so far there has been enough demand and customers for a few businesses like these to remain.

Oh I looked at the picture of the store and "sugar plum fairies" danced through my head.

Here is this guys resume, make sure to post your guys resume:

"David Pascoe is a second generation marine surveyor in his family who began his surveying career at age 16 as an apprentice in 1965 as the era of wooden boats was drawing to a close.

Certified by the National Association of Marine Surveyors in 1972, he has conducted over 5,000 pre purchase surveys in addition to having conducted hundreds of boating accident investigations, including fires, sinkings, hull failures and machinery failure analysis.

Over forty years of knowledge and experience are brought to bear in following books. David Pascoe is the author of:

"Mid Size Power Boats" (2003)
"Buyers’ Guide to Outboard Boats" (2002)
"Surveying Fiberglass Power Boats" (2001, 2nd Edition - 2005)
"Marine Investigations" (2004).

In addition to readers in the United States, boaters and boat industry professionals worldwide from nearly 80 countries have purchased David Pascoe's books, since introduction of his first book in 2001."

My dad use to drag me the HOpkins Carter In the 50s, Parks wasn’t even born yet. The guys there all greeted him by name and some learned my name. A guy worked there by the name of Senate Duttinhoffer (not sure of the spelling or how I can remember that) but he usually took care of my dad (both were pipe smokers. Everyone was friendly and if they didn’t have the product would call to find it for us. I think they moved three times to their present location a few blocks from there past location. When Parks was in his ultralight phase a company I was with would build him fiberglass pontoons.

Times have changed, sadly.

Scott, somehow I knew your story would have beer in it.

Bigsfish said:

My dad use to drag me the HOpkins Carter In the 50s, Parks wasn’t even born yet. The guys there all greeted him by name and some learned my name. A guy worked there by the name of Senate Duttinhoffer (not sure of the spelling or how I can remember that) but he usually took care of my dad (both were pipe smokers. Everyone was friendly and if they didn’t have the product would call to find it for us. I think they moved three times to their present location a few blocks from there past location. When Parks was in his ultralight phase a company I was with would build him fiberglass pontoons.

Times have changed, sadly.

Scott, somehow I knew your story would have beer in it.

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I didn’t know Sennet Duttenhoffer had worked for Hopkins-Carter!

He was a pretty famous racing sailor. In the seventies and eighties he owned a company called R.B. Grove. They sold marine generators and parts. It’s still in business.

When Sennet retired in the nineties, he sailed around the world.

Lightning Floats?

RB Grove was one of the large suppliers to the Yachting world. Glad to hear they are still opening I don’t get down to the area anymore. Eddie Adams closed shop, he probably taught more generator guys in Dade county.

Love these old stories.

Fond memories, it was different then. A man word was his bond and people had respect for others.

Bigsfish said:

Fond memories, it was different then. A man word was his bond and people had respect for others.

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That's just as true today with many people and it was just as untrue back then with many. If you weren't aware of dishonest people when you were younger, it's that you were fortunate, not that they didn't exist.

I was able to buy a new Rocna anchor from Parks before he retired. He actually delivered it to me and then bought me some beers IIRC! How about THAT for service.

What are you doing in retirement Parks? Ever think about starting another business? I retired not too long ago from the car biz, and sometimes if I’m bored I catch myself thinking about starting something up again, but I usually come to my senses pretty quickly. [emoji30]

BandB

We disagree. In the 60s and 70s I could buy property on a handshake and a check, last deal I did in 2000s I needed a team of lawyers and the contract was over 100pages and there were still problems. I guess I was just lucky in my business dealings all those years or maybe I could sense who was going to be a problem and avoided them.

The last boat (current boat) I had to have the funds wired from my bank although I bought a boat from them before. The salesperson and company apologized for the inconvenience because they couldn’t take my check. Why, because their are so many dishonest people today.

Yeah, I guess I was just lucky..

cardude01 said:

I was able to buy a new Rocna anchor from Parks before he retired. He actually delivered it to me and then bought me some beers IIRC! How about THAT for service.

What are you doing in retirement Parks? Ever think about starting another business? I retired not too long ago from the car biz, and sometimes if I’m bored I catch myself thinking about starting something up again, but I usually come to my senses pretty quickly. [emoji30]

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I went into a little marine store in a PUNTA GORDA yesterday. I had to talk shop.
I go into my local Ace Hardware and find myself educating the young kids working there. They are very nice and put up with me.

Yes I miss it. I’ve taken up bee keeping to keep me busy. That’s a lot more work than I thought it would ?.

Irv....I understand both your recollection of old times and also BandBs that good and bad has a long history.....and probably hasn't varied all that much....

Simpler times gave a different feeling ...maybe not a reality...but we felt that way.


Good old times? Yes and no. Things are better and things are worse.. .just depends ...


I was hoping old age would bring clarity . But in reality, gray is becoming my understanding of most things. Can't say it's the march of time or the gradual experiences of becoming older.

Scott. Getting older? Who? Certainly not you or me.

Parks are you still without a cruising boat?

Bigsfish said:

Scott. Getting older? Who? Certainly not you or me.

Parks are you still without a cruising boat?

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Yup, still got several small boats that I don’t use enough. Wife has health issues that would prevent her from spending much time on a boat.

Sorry to hear that. It suck to have bad health.

Tomorrow is the last day for a 100-year-old chandler in our area. It's less than five minutes from our marina. They have everything for boats, recreational and commercial. Every boat owner within a 20-mile radius shops there when ordering on-line isn't an option.

We're all waiting to see if a buyer steps up, but as of today, they're clearing out merchandise. I have no clue what we're going to do if it closes for good.

Tom, if I understand you correctly you only buy from the local store if you can’t buy the item on line. Excuse me but I don’t feel sorry for you. Support your local shop or you won’t have it.

I own a share or two of Home Depot stock but I prefer to shop at the local hardware store.

CaptTom said:

Tomorrow is the last day for a 100-year-old chandler in our area. It's less than five minutes from our marina. They have everything for boats, recreational and commercial. Every boat owner within a 20-mile radius shops there when ordering on-line isn't an option.

We're all waiting to see if a buyer steps up, but as of today, they're clearing out merchandise. I have no clue what we're going to do if it closes for good.

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Businesses like this close for two reasons and often a combination of the two. Sometimes it's just the owners age out of wanting to operate it and no one to succeed them. Sometimes it's because you're all doing the majority of your buying online.

As to finding someone to step up and buy it, odds are against it unless someone already in the business. Not a business to attract people but also with all our talk about the death of brick and mortar, who wants to get into it. Fortunately, we didn't listen to all that talk. However, to survive, brick and mortar has to evolve and adapt and carry the right product. Adding services to products, affiliating with an online purveyor, holding classes, adding complementary products are some of the ways.

BandB said:

Businesses like this close for two reasons and often a combination of the two. Sometimes it's just the owners age out of wanting to operate it and no one to succeed them. Sometimes it's because you're all doing the majority of your buying online.

As to finding someone to step up and buy it, odds are against it unless someone already in the business. Not a business to attract people but also with all our talk about the death of brick and mortar, who wants to get into it. Fortunately, we didn't listen to all that talk. However, to survive, brick and mortar has to evolve and adapt and carry the right product. Adding services to products, affiliating with an online purveyor, holding classes, adding complementary products are some of the ways.

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Excellent summary of what happened to me. I had no kids to leave the company to and it was increasingly difficult to compete with Amazon. I was lucky to find a family who was already in the business who wanted my location.

Hopkins-Carter had been in my family for 101 years when I sold it.

BandB wrote “However, to survive, brick and mortar has to evolve and adapt and carry the right product. ”

I would suggest that is true for all retailers whether store front or mail order.

Bigsfish said:

BandB wrote “However, to survive, brick and mortar has to evolve and adapt and carry the right product. ”

I would suggest that is true for all retailers whether store front or mail order.

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True for all businesses. Today's prime example of one successful so long but which stopped evolving is GE.

Bigsfish said:

Tom, if I understand you correctly you only buy from the local store if you can’t buy the item on line. Excuse me but I don’t feel sorry for you. Support your local shop or you won’t have it.

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I wasn't looking for pity. And I've been supporting this place for decades.

I'll buy things I can wait for, or are hard to find locally, on line...if it's a well-known or generic product for which I don't really care about service.

But there's still a huge market for a local store which stocks the parts people need and/or provides a service. I don't mind paying a premium for that.

Apparently, I'm not alone, because this one store I'm talking about is always mobbed. I spoke with the owner and she said it's been very profitable, and believes it will continue to be so if someone buys it. She shared with me some of her reasons for wanting out, and they're very valid but would not necessarily apply to the next owner.

Unlike West Marine, this store never got into "fashion" items, never did a drastic inventory reduction, does very little advertising and stocks products which customers might actually need, not just the ones with the largest profit margin. They don't have stockholders to answer to and I doubt there's a single MBA on their payroll. Their customers are more like old friends.

If they stay like that, I'll continue to shop there, and recommend them to others. If not, it'll be less convenient for me, but I'll find alternatives.

This is what a marine store should look like. It should also smell of pine tar inside. That's downtown Miami, corner of Miami Avenue (Avenue D back then) and South East 2nd Street. That building was replaced in the mid 1920's by a three story masonry building.

CaptTom said:

But there's still a huge market for a local store which stocks the parts people need and/or provides a service. I don't mind paying a premium for that.

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Is there really a huge market? Then why so many closing. Stores mobbed but are customers spending large amounts. One problem encountered is customers buy relatively small items but then order all their large purchases online. Smart businessmen then do things like Parks with anchors where he'd go above and beyond to sell them. People like looking around in boating and fishing related stores, but doesn't mean they spend. The majority of these small businesses are making enough to pay the owners who operate them and their families who work there decent salaries but no more.

I know of a marine consignment store that also does canvas. Always people in there looking around. Sales are $211k per year and owner only makes $60k working full time there. Average sales ticket is shockingly low. Bait and tackle shops once made money. Sell a few $500 reels, some $300 rods. I know one for sale that sales are now $275k and owner makes $53k a year. His only income is from the bait as his average tackle purchase is under $30.

Crowded stores is a start, but the people must buy and the average ticket must be decent.

CaptTom said:

Tomorrow is the last day for a 100-year-old chandler in our area. It's less than five minutes from our marina. They have everything for boats, recreational and commercial. Every boat owner within a 20-mile radius shops there when ordering on-line isn't an option.

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That is the problem. If every boater within a 20 mile radius would order online only after they were unable to get what they needed from the local chandlery, that chandlery would still be in business.

dhays said:

That is the problem. If every boater within a 20 mile radius would order online only after they were unable to get what they needed from the local chandlery, that chandlery would still be in business.

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Actually, that's not the reason the owner has chosen to close up shop.

That said, I'm a bit conflicted. I do try to support local businesses to the extent possible. But my resources are limited, and I owe it to myself and my family to maximize my return from them. Is it my obligation to keep anyone else employed?

Where I worked, there were several rounds of layoffs over the years. Nobody except immediate friends and family shed a tear for any of my co-workers who got cut. Had it been me, nobody would have posted in a forum about how awful it was that my job was being eliminated. And certainly nobody would have been asking people to pay more for my company's products and services, just to keep me employed.

If Defender, or Amazon, or the commercial fishermen's store a few miles away can get me the products and services I need for less, should I avoid them?

Every new technology throughout history has eliminated jobs. Where do we draw the line? Do we go back to a pre-industrial civilization?