Like any business, selling hunting and fishing gear fluctuates with market conditions and consumer habits. But another variable can be just as finicky and unpredictable for outdoor retailers. It’s called nature.
B.J. Lupton has observed the impact of nature’s whims on his business since 1977, when he purchased Snappy Sport Senter from his father. There are the obvious elements to be reckoned with, such as volatile weather. But Lupton and his counterparts also deal with shifts in wildlife behavior and trends, both in the short and long term.
Some years are better for a certain type of fish than others, while in other cases a species might entirely replace another, thus becoming the new rage in outdoor sporting. A place like Snappy’s better make sure it offers the appropriate equipment.
Lupton said it’s vital to be constantly aware of what’s happening out in the natural world, and how consumers are reacting to it.
“There’s this constant search for new knowledge,” Lupton said. “I don’t know if you ever arrive.”
Lupton’s father opened Snappy ServiSenter in 1947, near its current location at 1400 U.S. Highway 2 East, where Highway 2 and Montana Highway 35 diverge. The eastbound lane of Highway 35 runs through the old Snappy’s site.
In its earliest decades, Snappy’s was an all-purpose general store, offering fuel, automotive parts, plumbing equipment, groceries and about anything a person might need in Montana.
Since the younger Lupton has been in charge, Snappy’s has evolved from a 5,800-square-foot convenience store into a 32,000-square-foot sporting goods retailer. Lupton has shaped his inventory to fit the specific markets he reaches.
For example, Snappy’s doesn’t sell gear for downhill skiing or archery, but offers an abundance of supplies for camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, water sports and footwear. By focusing on the store’s specialties, along with offering customer service that is both friendly and well-informed, Lupton said his store remains viable through economic lulls and the arrival of larger box stores.
“I don’t know that box stores have driven any of my decisions,” he said. “I think to do the job well, I would sum it up by saying that it’s all about taking care of the customers, treating them well, having what they want – having the right things at the right time.”
Employees such as fishing manager Chancy Jeschke exemplify Lupton’s philosophy on having knowledgeable workers. Anglers throughout the Flathead Valley know if they have a question, they can go to Jeschke and he generally has an answer.
“Chancy is just terrific, he really is,” Lupton said.
Lupton is a trumpet player in local bands and symphonies. His appreciation for the arts is evident in his store as well. Next to Lupton’s upstairs office, painter Allen Jimmerson has a studio. Jimmerson said eight or nine years ago he approached Lupton about setting up shop in Snappy’s.
“I just asked one day and he said, ‘OK,’” Jimmerson said.
Jimmerson, whose work has appeared on the cover of Cabela’s magazine and been featured in Glacier National Park celebrations, displays his paintings in the sporting goods store outside of his studio.
Beyond its expansive outdoor gear selection, Snappy’s has other supplies to keep people entertained, including equipment for billiards, ping-pong and golf. And tucked away in the back, attached to the warehouse, is an event center. Everything from hunting seminars to jazz shows is held there. The space wasn’t planned, rather Lupton simply noticed he had extra space and decided to do something with it.
“This was a total accident, but a wonderful accident,” he said. “I just stumbled into it.”
Snappy’s is the largest seller of hunting and fishing licenses in Montana, “by far,” Lupton said. But in addition to preparing people for their outdoors experiences, Snappy’s also offers an outdoor experience right in its backyard for little kids. In a courtyard, a stocked fishing pond hosts children’s fishing events every year.
“It isn’t an exaggeration to say we’ve had thousands of kids fish out here,” Lupton said. “And hundreds have caught their first fish out here. It’s wonderful for the little kids.”