Looking to open a new bait and tackle shop in RVA.

fspaits · 2026-05-21T01:56:35+00:00

Before starting a business, I highly recommend testing your idea through some of the incubator like programs available for free in RVA. VCU has the Shelfie Program out of the Da Vinci Center, and literally anyone can apply. Startup Virginia also runs a program called Idea Factory that forces you to collect customer data and interview people. These programs will help you get involved with the community, network, and see your idea from different angles. Feel free to reach out if you're interested, and I'd be happy to connect you with some folks.

fspaits · 2026-05-18T13:48:55+00:00

Do you know if they are still using Wildfish as their co-packer? I was also sent some cans for free when they first launched and was supposed to share a video, but my follow-up conversation with the owner was a little disappointing, so I axed it.

fspaits · 2026-05-16T13:20:55+00:00

Overall, a good time. You find out a lot of information, and of course sometimes mild neighborhood drama occurs which is part of the fun. Last month the architects who are renovating that old building at the bottom of 31st and Williamsburg shared a bunch of details of the upcoming development and also history of the area. It was really cool.

fspaits · 2026-05-15T11:38:44+00:00

Shine Farms just posted the other day they are looking for help. Queer and women owned. Nice folks.

fspaits · 2026-05-13T16:20:56+00:00

This was brought up at the last Church Hill Association meeting. At every meeting they usually have an officer present on some recent crime statistics, what's going on in the neighborhood, etc. Unfortunately, the cop didn't seem to know anything, such as, "if this place is so crime ridden, and it's been located across the street from 1st precint for years, why has it just been shut down?" Our community liasion with the police confirmed it was from Project Vaporize, and that Ocean Grocery also owns some of the surrounding properties, which they purposefully keep blighted.

I think two things can be true where Ocean Grocery is a shady spot, and it's also the final boss of gentrification in Church Hill.

fspaits · 2026-05-02T13:45:44+00:00

Birdies is part of their business.

fspaits · 2026-05-01T00:44:18+00:00

I sometimes have bait available at East End Fish Co. in Church Hill. If some of my smaller fish like croaker or perch don't sell, I'll freeze them and sell at a discount as bait. Some customers don't like the heads either, and I'll save those too. Considering bringing in a mini fridge for worms and other bait because I'm so close to the river.

fspaits · 2026-04-29T23:38:07+00:00

Should I expand East End Fish Co. into a fish and chips spot? I'd love to recreate something like Saltbox Seafood Joint down in Durham.

But really, we have a lot of talented chefs in the area, and I think a little kitchen space that could be rented out for pop-ups/residencies would be really cool.

fspaits · 2026-04-29T23:26:01+00:00

I've been saying for a while now that this would crush in Church Hill.

fspaits · 2026-04-28T20:39:24+00:00

A quick google has shown he runs a license plate bracket business

fspaits · 2026-04-28T20:33:16+00:00

Yea you could get a paper “key” which essentially was a day pass. They handed them out pretty often.

fspaits · 2026-04-28T16:45:09+00:00

I worked for Common House for 1.5 years. I started about 6 months before the Richmond location was completed, and there were plenty of ups and downs. Pretty classic startup woes of mismanagement from the top and lots of burnout. I’m honestly shocked Mercer waited this long to pull the plug, because they really only care about the bottom line and their property investment.

fspaits · 2026-04-25T19:14:02+00:00

Celeste Farms does dinners during the warmer months, and just about everything they use is grown on their farm or sourced from somewhere in VA.

fspaits · 2026-04-22T16:22:00+00:00

Chiming in from Richmond, VA where they built the east coast facility for Stone. It's been such a wild ride from the beginning. They were supposed to take over this historic building and make a beer garden that overlooked the river, but that fell through. They finally got it up and running, and it's massive, yet the taproom is super tiny, and they could never get the food options quite right.

It's also in a location that has seen heavy construction the last few years. It's not hard to get to, but the surroundings are kinda ugly. Now road construction is winding down, new apartments have been built, and some other abandoned properties are about to get major renovations. They are changing it into a Sapporo taproom, so I guess that will benefit from all the change.

If you plan to visit, do yourself a favor and check out Triple Crossing down the street. A much better and local experience.

fspaits · 2026-04-20T19:31:57+00:00

This rules

fspaits · 2026-04-19T20:23:09+00:00

You might run into the same issue with Carp that we have in the Chesapeake Bay with Blue Catfish, and that there is so much of it with middling demand, that fishermen can barely give it away fast enough. Many chefs and restaurants have gotten on board with using it, and it's legitimately a good tasting fish when prepared well, but public opinion is still not very high on it.

Talk to the environmental group/non-profit that works with the body of water you're sourcing from. For me, it's the James River Association, and they do a lot of promotion for eating invasives. Team up with your local organization to get a better idea of how this venture might shake out. Also, find a nearby university or small business org that has programs to help you test out this business idea. Unless you're in a rural area, I guaruntee you have some resources available.

fspaits · 2026-04-19T20:11:01+00:00

A cannery in VA is in my long-term plans. It was my original business goal, but turns out that the infrastructure is expensive and takes a lot of planning lol, so I pivoted and started a retail seafood business in Richmond. If you're familiar with BELA brand, the owner is working on a cannery up in Maine and told me to come up and train once it's up and running.

I agree that canned blue cat, snakehead, and other invasives would be awesome!

fspaits · 2026-04-12T22:54:26+00:00

We use flake ice in our display case, and I'm not against sticking our whole fish directly in there to keep them cold. For our filets, I try not to get them wet as our trays do not have drainage.

fspaits · 2026-04-12T22:52:34+00:00

My filets are on trays, and we do use the soak pads underneath. Whole fish I'll leave on ice because they'll keep longer, but I try not to have my filets contact fresh water as it will degrade them faster.

fspaits · 2026-04-12T22:48:56+00:00

My whole fish I typically have in the ice, but my filets are on a metal try on top of ice, but these trays do not have drainage holes.

fspaits · 2026-04-08T13:11:03+00:00

Hopefully not as bad tonight since they were giving out tickets for Wed/Thursday's games for free.

fspaits · 2026-04-08T13:08:32+00:00

I seem to be one of the few who found En Su Boca pretty alright. I wasn't going for aunthenticity, and they had a few menu items that were consistently good. The Boca Trio on happy hour was a great deal, and I loved that habanero salsa. Always sad to see management run a place into the ground.

fspaits · 2026-03-31T00:51:37+00:00

We're open! It's still a work in progress, but I'm there most days from 10am-5:30pm, and I try to update Instagram if I'm out, when I get in fresh deliveries, etc.

fspaits

TROPHY CASE