Uptonogood
PNW raised
How many folks remember a outdoor store named “Ben Paris” located in downtown Seattle? Can you name three dramatic characteristics of it? I truly hope I’m not the only person on here who remembers it.
Truly “PNW Fly Fishing Old Timers” quiz
- Thread starter Uptonogood
- Start date
1. They had a live fish tank.
2. They had a barber shop.
3. They sponsored the Northwest Fishing and Hunting Guide. Here's their ad in the guide.
4. The space is now occupied by a hipster restaurant.
Restaurant near Pike Place Market | Downtown Seattle Dining | Ben Paris
Featuring the season’s boldest and brightest flavors, visit Ben Paris for all-day drinks and dining at the bustling corner of 2nd & Pike near Pike Place Market.
benparis.com
In the mid/late 1980s I tied flies for Patrick's Fly Shop when most of their inventory was still found in plain glass jars on shelves around that crusty little shop. The shop is still around but doesn't have as much dust and cobwebs covering everything...just a bit less cool.
In the late 1980s I worked across the street from Warshal's. I'm sure the guys there got tired of seeing me and another fly fishing addict in my office every other afternoon to shoot the breeze in their great fly fishing section.
In the early 1990's I would wander into the downtown Seattle Eddie Bauer fly fishing department and drool over the gorgeous Sage rods custom wrapped by Gary Anderson.
Kaufman's was the best shop around IMO, with their Bellevue store my favorite followed closely by their downtown Seattle store.
Swallow's Nest had a nifty little fly fishing section, located downtown near the Pink Elephant car wash.
I guess we now have to include Orvis in this list of old fav fly shops now gone. It was never my favorite store, but it had awesome employees including our wonderful Leland Miyawaki and Les Johnson who both belong in the annuls of PNW fly fishing greats.
In the late 1980s I worked across the street from Warshal's. I'm sure the guys there got tired of seeing me and another fly fishing addict in my office every other afternoon to shoot the breeze in their great fly fishing section.
In the early 1990's I would wander into the downtown Seattle Eddie Bauer fly fishing department and drool over the gorgeous Sage rods custom wrapped by Gary Anderson.
Kaufman's was the best shop around IMO, with their Bellevue store my favorite followed closely by their downtown Seattle store.
Swallow's Nest had a nifty little fly fishing section, located downtown near the Pink Elephant car wash.
I guess we now have to include Orvis in this list of old fav fly shops now gone. It was never my favorite store, but it had awesome employees including our wonderful Leland Miyawaki and Les Johnson who both belong in the annuls of PNW fly fishing greats.
Uptonogood
PNW raised
All great comments but those outdoorsmen who descended the Ben Paris store stairs remember two striking iconic items of that era. And they were impossible to miss OR ignore!
Uptonogood
PNW raised
Kaufman’s was great, Orvis staff wonderful, Patrick’s also good. I worked customer service on the phone for the old Eddie Bauer before Speigel bought it and drove it into the ground. I still have three EB shirts and a jacket I wear today from EB1992.
I remember some animal mounts in there.
There was a fountain maybe or something in there as well.
SF
There was a fountain maybe or something in there as well.
SF
Hey Dryfly, sounds like we had the same haunts back then. I bought a lot from Warshals cause I worked downtown . . . what a great store! Built my first couple fly rods from the Sage "2nds" bin in Patricks back when I was going to Dawg U. And met Mike Kinney and Les Johnson at Swallows Nest - they were a big help getting setup for Steelhead. Kaufmanns was always the gold standard later - met a lot of my fishing friends there. Good times for Seattle flyfishing!
Funny flashback - I'm friends with one of the former Swallows Nest owners and mentioned to him that I saw a white Ford cargo van with the old Swallows Nest insignia on it driving around Seattle the other day. He knew exactly who it was (apparently the van was associated with the part owner who caused the demise of Swallows) and his comment was "I can't believe that cheap fucker is still alive!"
Anyone here remember the Countrysport which used to be in Pioneer Square? Bought a nifty Thomas and Thomas 7 1/2' 3 weight there and fly casting lessons for my wife.
Seaalki
Guest
Sporting goods, pool hall and cigars and a cast of characters to stir a 12 yr olds formulating imagination. and don't forget the 211 Club, Second and Union, the best pool players in Seattle, if you thought you were good, they had some shots to show you, and the education was not free. Sailers and seaman from all over the world and at 12/13 yrs old never felt safer, different world today. First Avenue down through the garment district, China Town and don't leave out Hooverville where the Duwamish entered the Sound, it was rough, gritty, colorful and home. Between shooting pool and hot walking race horses at Longacres in the summer, I was living large at 14/15 yrs old. My parents moved to Seattle in 1950, I was 3, and on most clear days you could see from south Seattle 16 miles away the tallest building west of the Mississippi, the Smith Tower, and now a white monument to a past illusion, Indians, sailors, drunks, travelers... a Fellini dream, the older we get, the more we seem to long for what was, it was really a grand place.
HauntedByWaters
Life of the Party
I’m a young buck at 40 so Kaufman’s was the big city stop for me.
I remember some of those names. But I lived in Snohomish co. I just never ventured into Seattle that much. I never lost anything there so I really didn't need to go there. I hit Kaufman's in Roosevelt district or the "U" district. I tried one of their other shops, but they didn't even see me in one of their shops. So I quit going to them.
I just stayed where I was comfortable and spent my money there.
I just stayed where I was comfortable and spent my money there.
@Old Man I am with you regarding Kaufman's. I was a DINK (Dual Income - No Kids) when they were around. I would walk into their Bellevue store with money burning a hole in my pocket. The sales people were more interested in talking with their buddies than putting money into the till. I could get no service from them. Tried a couple of times but to no avail. Stopped going there...
I would frequent Royal Coachman in Renton. That is where I learned to tie flies (a 10 week session) - a Christmas present from my wife. Bought lots of stuff from there and felt welcomed for sure.
I would frequent Royal Coachman in Renton. That is where I learned to tie flies (a 10 week session) - a Christmas present from my wife. Bought lots of stuff from there and felt welcomed for sure.
Bambooflyguy
Legend
My dad would take me to dinner there before we went to a Totems game! Being a wee lad, I remember the record mounted king salmon commercially caught that was 126 lbs and over 5’ long!!! Scared the crap outta me......
Porter2
Legend
Porter2
Legend
Remember Kaffmanns at Bellevue a bit but remember the downtown Seattle better because the first time I had a hard time parking and then trying to find it. It was more like a hidden cove among a large 1st floor office building foyer if I remember correctly. Also got my Sage TCR 691 there on a great deal, evidently a good customer of theirs bought it untried and went out and hated it and returned it, so basically it was brand new and 50% off, plus for some reason no sales tax on the transaction. 
. Still have it and use it. It’s the best red colored rod I have. 
I remember Avid Angler off 15th Ave NE in Pinehurst area. Kinda ugly green blue dump of a building. But inside was a rack of the prettiest eye candy I had ever seen until I discovered girls ……Rack full of green Winston rods with exotic wood reel seats
I know I have posted this before on other site. But for a young lad in the prime of the disco era and quickly switching to the ‘RocknRoll Fantasy’ of Bad Company there was Pay-N-Pak and Ernst Hardware, which both had a decent fishing section including fly fishing. These were my middle school spots, right off Aurora Ave in North Seattle. Purchased my first fly rod set up from one of them. Berkeley Cherrywood rod with a gorgeous maroon metal reel seat, cigar cork grip and a Berkeley Japanese made fly reel w/ 8 weight floater. I tied the fly line istraight to the reel, had no idea what backing line was
…. Hey I was 11 or 12 and going for it with a royal coachman fly. Best 25ish bucks I ever spent from my summer lawn mowing business wages. That Berkeley found its way quickly on the Williamson River area of Chiloquin. My dad took me there three years in a row. First time there is a picture of me wearing a Roger Staubach #12 jersey just to date it with a couple nice 18-19” RB’s which we cooked and ate, Spring Creek, Williamson, and Sprague River. Awesome Fishing times. Gotta try to find that pic.
. Still have it and use it. It’s the best red colored rod I have. I remember Avid Angler off 15th Ave NE in Pinehurst area. Kinda ugly green blue dump of a building. But inside was a rack of the prettiest eye candy I had ever seen until I discovered girls ……Rack full of green Winston rods with exotic wood reel seats
I know I have posted this before on other site. But for a young lad in the prime of the disco era and quickly switching to the ‘RocknRoll Fantasy’ of Bad Company there was Pay-N-Pak and Ernst Hardware, which both had a decent fishing section including fly fishing. These were my middle school spots, right off Aurora Ave in North Seattle. Purchased my first fly rod set up from one of them. Berkeley Cherrywood rod with a gorgeous maroon metal reel seat, cigar cork grip and a Berkeley Japanese made fly reel w/ 8 weight floater. I tied the fly line istraight to the reel, had no idea what backing line was
…. Hey I was 11 or 12 and going for it with a royal coachman fly. Best 25ish bucks I ever spent from my summer lawn mowing business wages. That Berkeley found its way quickly on the Williamson River area of Chiloquin. My dad took me there three years in a row. First time there is a picture of me wearing a Roger Staubach #12 jersey just to date it with a couple nice 18-19” RB’s which we cooked and ate, Spring Creek, Williamson, and Sprague River. Awesome Fishing times. Gotta try to find that pic.
Eddie Bauer ad in the 1954 edition of the Pacific Northwest fishing and hunting guide. Notice the slogan. Eddie Bauer Alaska Outfitter. A far cry from the catalog company of the 70's and 80's.
