RAVENNA, Ohio (WJW) — Mark Burkey, a welder by trade, said he started selling fishing lures from a table in his garage. That was nearly a quarter-of-a century ago.
For eight years, he did that before moving to a rented unit next door for the next two, then found a property that had been owned by the Knights of Columbus on state Route 14 that he believed would make the perfect bait and tackle store.
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Over the last 14 years, he has sold lures, rods and reels, fishing line, lottery tickets and snacks, working dawn until dusk and closing only twice over all of those years.
“I met so many great people over the years, customers who were on a first-name basis. I used to watch young men come in, little boys grow up to be men, and now they got married and now they are bringing their sons in getting them into the fishing,” said Burkey…