FirBrook Flies reels in support

BRIDGEVILLE, NY — The Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development recently approved a Sullivan Investments Loan of $25,000 for FirBrook Flies, a seasonal fly-fishing specialty shop in Livingston Manor that has been supplying fishing enthusiasts with custom fly-fishing peripherals since 2002.

FirBrook Flies owner Rich Bradley has been an avid fly-fisherman for many years, and serves as a board member of the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum. Understanding the customer base from the inside out, he embarked on the design of the Bradley Reel in his home in Willowemoc. He later moved the business to a larger location on Main Street in Livingston Manor, to enable him to meet the increasing demand for Bradley Reels.

In 2005, the new fly-fishing reel gained nationwide attention when it was mentioned in an article about Livingston Manor in The New York Times. As a result, sales picked up sharply. The hand-made reels, which retail for $295 to $400 each, cost $175 less than comparable reels built by competitors and are durable and easy to maintain.

“They are the reel for the fishing enthusiast who enjoys the tradition of fishing,” said Bradley.

More than 100 reels were produced in 2005, and Bradley plans to produce at least 140 in 2006. The Bradley Reel is distributed through five distributors in the United States and has been exported around the globe.

With the assistance of the Sullivan Investments Loan, FirBrook Flies will undergo some expansion to include the hiring of one full-time and one part-time employee.

“Thanks to the Sullivan County Partnership, we are expanding our business to meet the needs of our reel manufacturing. The equipment has been delivered and we are working to ready both the manufacturing and retail side for opening day on April 1,” said Bradley.

Though FirBrook Flies is a seasonal business, the Bradley Reel production is year round. Demand for reels continues in other areas of the world where fly-fishing is less subject to seasonal patterns.

For more information call 845/439-4046 or visit firbrookflies.com.