Dooley's Sport Shop, 168 Highway 378 West: 24 February 2017 9 comments
This old-time fisherman's stop is apparently a Lexington institution, having been there according to The State for 67 years.
The development of the area, and the many changes in retail have persuaded the owning family that it's time to close:
“You just can’t make it on bait and tackle alone any more,” the elder Dooley said.
His son, 51, decided taking over the store isn’t worthwhile. “The only way it would is if I work seven days a week, be the only employee and probably live here,” he said.
And so goes another little piece of Americana...
UPDATE 26 March 2018 -- Now closed:
UPDATE 6 March 2021 -- Now open as Twisted Roots Bar & Grill:
Also adding map icon.
9 Responses to 'Dooley's Sport Shop, 168 Highway 378 West: 24 February 2017'
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Rick
24 Feb 17 at 9:18 am
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Dooley's was up for sale in August 2014 for a little while. I assumed they had found a buyer since they remained in business. I think I also read somewhere that the elder Dooley had been in a car accident in 2010 that left his son running the store for him, but maybe I am misremembering that.
James R
24 Feb 17 at 10:23 pm
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As quoted in the State Newspaper, The owner said something to the effect that it is difficult to compete with big box stores and the internet on fishing gear.
I touched on this subject recently about making many purchases from Amazon.com. Brick and mortar stores are all about the convenience factor now. Get what you want or need now but expect to pay a little more. If one can wait a couple of days for shipping, and save up to 50% on some items, why not?
Rick
25 Feb 17 at 9:07 am
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I always got my bait from behind my Grandpa's barn.....
Homer
25 Feb 17 at 5:12 pm
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@Homer - I got some behind my girlfriend's garage one time.
Rick Campbell
25 Feb 17 at 8:19 pm
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@Rick Campbell - was that bait as in 'jail'???
Homer
25 Feb 17 at 9:59 pm
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@Homer - What ever are you talking about?
Rick
26 Feb 17 at 11:28 am
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Back in the mid 1970's my friend Mark and I would ride our bicycles around picking up empty glass bottles. When we had enough empty bottles to buy a snack and a drink, we would cash the bottles in at Dooley's. We would sit right outside Dooley's door eating our junk food and drinking our Cokes. Then we would see who could belch the loudest. Charles Dooley ran us off many times because of our "belching contests"!!! I miss those Simple Times.
Charles
1 Aug 18 at 3:50 pm
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A restaurant under the name Twisted Roots Bar & Grill has opened here. According to their Facebook page, they opened on January 3, 2019. One of their posts advertised Dooley's Annual Fish Fry - a memorial to the bait & tackle shop or possibly the new restaurant is owned by the same family that owned the former business.
JamesR
8 Mar 19 at 1:44 am
In the 1980's I spent many a weekend fishing Lake Murray. We always put in at Blacks Bridge Landing. My fishing partners sister lived on the point across the street from Blacks Bridge. Dooley's was a mandatory stop. Even though it has been many years I hate to see it go.