Local family-owned business not giving up despite adversity

By Leah Rainwater

Dick’s Bait and Tackle in St. Joseph has had a rocky year, but its owner is still giving his all to his business even after facing hardships.

“Ohhhhh man, it’s … it’s been rough you know, with all of the adversity we’ve been through in the past year and, you know the emotional side of it’s also been pretty rough,” owner Thomas Adkins said.

In June 2024, Adkins celebrated the one-year anniversary of moving his shop to a new building after a fire destroyed the first location in May 2023.

At the time, Adkins ran the shop with his father, Dick Adkins, who died in October 2023.

“Some of them (customers) don’t know dad actually passed away, to be honest with you,” Adkins said. “So you know, it’s kind of a shock for them and it’s a reminder for me.”

A month after his father’s passing, a vehicle crashed into the shop, breaking the front window and causing minor interior damage.

The shop also suffered when there were widespread power outages throughout St. Joseph in April 2024.

Adkins said he lost money on his live bait.

However, he said the community has been more than supportive.

“The Northside association put on a fishing derby back on May 11 of this year and they named it after my father,” Adkins said.

And even “regulars” continue to make their way back to the shop.

“Well, I look at these people as family myself,” said Walter Brown, a fisherman who’s been buying from Dick’s Bait and Tackle for five years. “I mean shoot, I’d even hang out with Thomas outside of the shop. You know and just go over there and chat it up with him and his dad, and they’re just good people.”

Although Adkins said the customer base is slowly growing, he has no doubt that he’ll be able to continue to follow in his dad’s footsteps.

“We’re trying to stay positive, we’re trying to come up with new things,” Adkins said.

One of the things Adkins has done since his father’s passing is convert the business from cash only to cash and card payments.

He’s also created social media accounts for the business as well.

Adkins said he will continue to keep the business thriving, despite the obstacles he’s faced.

“Seeing how my dad did it, and also my background of being a veteran, you know,” Adkins said. “If you don’t know a lot about veterans, there’s certain codes that you go by and one of them is to never give up, never accept defeat.”