First off small business in the good old USA has been going away for decades. If you all think about it you have witnessed all this yourselves. Auto parts, office supplies, building supplies, fast food, camera shops, bicycle shops, etc have all gone to big chane stores which is just plan old progress.
The only business I would recommend is big business or something out of your garage with the Internet. No employees, no rent, no expenses....
Small business will keep shrinking till all there is left is big corporate stores for everything. Yes, there will be small business where there is no business like in rural small towns.
As far as US fly shops (~500 now) in America go only about 10% of the owners make a living wage.
On a factual note: "the best way to make a million dollars having a fly shop is to start with two million". That leads into more facts about some local fly shops. Leland's and California fly shop are very successful companies but the fact is the owners are very well funded so making a profit is not the main goal. Lots of wealthy folks buy existing fly shops and put lots of money into them which is wonderful. I'm jealous...
Another recent industry study shows that the box stores like Cabelas and Bass Pro have not done that well with their fly fishing departments and have not effected the well run fly shops that much. The report said that about 60% of all fly fishing tackle was bought at independently owned fly fishing shops.
I don't recommend starting any small business unless it's with working partners or out of your own "garage" with Internet sales.
The cost of doing business today is just too much for small independents. Rents, utilities, multiple insurances, wages, workman's comp, upgrading computer systems, maintenance, advertising, book keeping,....you get the picture.
For me it is what I do (sense 1965) and I still enjoy BSing with other outdoor types. If you don't enjoy people don't ever go into retail.
My first job in the industry was working part time in a fishing tackle shop in the 1960s while going to college. I told my friends, "They actually pay me to talk about fishing? Can you believe it."
Get a good education and then a good job so you can have a life and go fishing.........
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