Hunting for treasures? Whitney Pier woman says she has them!
Fishing tackle, costume jewelry sold side by side at Hunted Treasures
Karen Barry says she’s hooked on entrepreneurship.
After 16 years of working at a call centre, Barry now owns Hunted Treasures, a shop at 760 Victoria Rd. in Whitney Pier, which specializes in fishing and hunting equipment but also has a costume jewelry counter.
“I love meeting the people, sharing the stories,” she said.
Barry was a training coordinator at Sykes call centre when it closed in January 2015. Faced with unemployment, she turned to her dream of owning her own business.
She knew what she wanted to sell.
“I have interests in hunting and fishing and know a little about it,” she said. “I want to have knowledge of what I’m going to sell.”
As a hobby, Barry had been selling fishing and hunting items at flea markets, but it was costing her $120 per day for four flea market tables and workers.
So she searched until she found the perfect shop in Whitney Pier and opened in May 2016.
“I started with a little bit of merchandise and when I sold $40 worth of stock, I’d buy $40 of stock,” she said.
“The support of the local people in the surrounding areas helped me get this business off the ground.”
The business has continued to grow with customers coming from as far as North Sydney, Port Hood and Port Hawkesbury.
“I had someone in from B.C., Alberta and even from the States who saw my post on Facebook. I had two people in from P.E.I. Monday.”
The shop has an “old cabin” feel with everything from old gas cans to an old typewriter decorating the walls.
The merchandise for sale includes everything one would need for fly-tying as well as rods and reels and hundreds of hooks and bait. Hunters can find anything from scents to backpacks to air protectors.
And in among the hunting and fishing stuff, customers will find costume jewelry, a section that includes necklaces, bracelets and rings as well as pocket watches.
There are also lots of other goodies from pocket knives to a horn mounting kit, bug jackets, shooting rests, sporting pistol cases and camouflage clothing. And for something a little different,
there is a raccoon hat, a fly wallet and bear salt and pepper shakers.
Tyler Southwell of Glace Bay was in the shop recently looking for fly-tying equipment.
“I heard about the store from a friend,” he said. “I’ve only been coming a few months but I have been here a lot. I guess I’m hooked.”
Barry has found different ways to advertise the business including creative signs she changes every couple of weeks. Currently the Lingan Road sign reads, “Hunted Treasures – I’ve been diagnosed with CSF - Can’t Stop Fishing” and another sign on Disco Street says, “Hunted Treasures – customers wanted, no experience necessary.”
As a result of the signs, she had one fellow come in asking to buy fish and a few people asking to apply for a job.