Overall a great shop kind and helpful service and large selection of rods and reels. Would…read morerecommend to anyone in st Pete area.

This local shop takes care of you! Victor has a lot of knowledge in fishing and can definitely help…read moreyou out if you're a beginner. Thank you for the tips and demonstration of the knots we needed to know!! Honest shop and reasonably priced. Will be back.

This place is my "Go To" whenever I need to buy a gun or fire live ammo on their indoor range…read more I was there buying my third 1873 Colt clone chambered in 45 LC because I needed one with a specific barrel length which they had in stock. I found the gun department staffed with EXPERIENCED and attentive employees who participate in shooting activities like I enjoy and were able to offer a discount that made a good deal even better. I feel that if you exhibit the safety habits that make everyone on both sides of the counter feel comfortable and show employees that you would not be a danger to yourself or others you will find employees who are happy to serve and even train you depending on your experience level. Don't expect the same happy response from that employee if you show disrespect for gun safety or have nefarious ownership reasons because those employees protect my rights to legal ownership and the stores best interests which I rely on and keeps me coming back when ever the need dictates.

TL;DR Managment/ownership treats customers and employees terribly, would not spend money here…read more Repeat bad experiences, I'd rather buy online than go back in this store. As an avid adventurer of the western US, I tend to visit outdoor stores wherever I travel to see what their idea of adventure is there and take the chance to upgrade gear that's frustrating to use or worn out over time. I've visited Bill Jackson's on two separate occasions now, heading in each time with about $500 worth of gear in mind to shop for. The first time I came, I got great help from multiple associates and planned to purchase gear off of their advise, but witnessed a confrontation between management and an associate that I recall as mild but disruptive enough it made me leave the store without buying anything. I didn't come back for about 8 months. Now I'm back in town for a few weeks of work before heading on a 2,700 mile bikepacking journey and really needed to grab a few items I hoped they'd have in stock. Being interesting in all outdoor activities, I started talking with an associate about the ski shop they were building the last time I was here. He keyed in that I had ski knowledge from my time tuning skis and custom fitting ski boots out west and started talking to me about part time work as they expected to need some extra hands with ski knowledge and took me to show me their ski selection. To get there, we had to walk through an area that he explained was sectioned off for an upcoming sale, so not yet available, but the necessary route to the still-open ski shop. He made a pretty good case for their ski shop and my wheels were turning about coming to help them out in the fall. On our way back through the sale area, I asked a question about the items we were walking past and the associate was very clear that those items were not available for sale until the official sale start date, but took the opportunity to educate me about them(I knew very little about diving equipment but am curious to learn). I was quickly convinced that a decent snorkeling kit was necessary equipment to enjoy the area and decided I'd get a setup. Before he got a chance to redirect me to where the currently available snorkeling gear was(I could tell it was coming, this area was also tiny compared to the sale area), an angry manager/owner appeared ready to tear apart the kind and helpful associate that had just taught me what I needed to know to spend an extra couple hundred dollars on top of the items I was already planning. I hurriedly left the area while she continued to holler at me and once I passed the threshold of that room I heard her resume berating the associate in anger. I walked myself over to the full price scuba stuff and found another helpful associate, but I could not bring myself to buy anything from this store after that experience. It was not unreasonable for her to ask us to move along since we had stopped in a place we were meant to pass through, but she was incredibly rude to the associate for going above and beyond to take care of an enthusiastic customer. I won't spend money here, that manager is the most unkind person I've encountered since I've been in Tampa. In a town of incredibly kind people, there is no place for that. Very sad, I really wanted to like this store. The associates seem to be knowledgeable and passionate about the outdoors, but they don't deserve to be treated that way.

Baseball Players and Parents!!!!! If you need anything baseball related go see Nate at the St. Pete…read moreDick's on Tyrone. He is very knowledgeable and willing to help. My son wanted a new bat after the holidays and so we went to Dick's. As soon as we walked in and began to look at the bats on display Nate greeted us and made us feel welcomed. He listened to my son who is only 10 and treated him with the same respect as he did me. After understanding what he wanted Nate shared with us it would have to be ordered. He did everything right there with us. He ordered the bat and discussed all the warranty options and how to handle if we had any issues. I was very impressed. My son was so happy when it arrived only a couple days later. Nate was professional and knowledgeable about so much more too. We have since been to the store a couple of times since and were welcomed and greeted just the same. Thank you Nate and DSG for supporting our athletes and families in a unique way!

Dick's Sporting Goods is located in a shopping center "conglomerate" of sorts, which is convenient…read morein case you were to need to get other goods and services in the area. Went here twice, scoping out a collapsible utility cart. They had plenty in stock, and staff was always helpful in answering questions. They have a huge selection of fishing gear, camping stuffs, sports accessories, tennis shoes, workout clothing, etc. At checkout, I was offered an extended warranty to cover any damages on the cart for the next year, which I thought will come in handy considering I'm likely going to be banging this thing up quite a bit. Good service!

I had an outstanding experience at the West Marine located at 2010 Tyrone Blvd N in St. Petersburg,…read moreand I want to highlight the exceptional service I received from Michael. I walked in with a fishing reel that had completely seized up, not realizing that West Marine doesn't actually offer reel repair. Even so, Michael went above and beyond. He took time out of his own day to take a look at it, apply the grease I brought with me, and even take the reel apart a bit to diagnose the problem. He made it clear he was doing this on his own time just to help me out, and that really stood out to me. It's rare these days to find an employee who genuinely cares about helping a customer, especially when it's outside the scope of the store's services. Michael was knowledgeable, patient, and extremely kind throughout the whole interaction. Huge thanks to him -- and kudos to this West Marine location for having employees who embody excellent customer service. I'll definitely be coming back.

Every time I have been in here the customer service people were friendly and helpful and went out…read moreof their way to make sure I had a good experience. Dave provided over and above beyond any kind of help you get at most places, they ordered things that they did not have in stock, they are friendly and have a great attitude. If there's anything you need for the water or your boat this place definitely has it . And they have cute shorts and swimsuits!

Best bait shop in the Tampa Bay Area. The service is excellent the staff is knowledgeable and…read morefriendly. They will sell you bait and help you get on the fish. I wouldn't go anywhere else. Harold H. Is a weak beta male whose wife baits his hook and he carries his dog in his purse.

Always feel welcome. They have time to answer my questions about what's biting. Great advice and…read moreknowledge of the area. Love the shop dog, Whiskey.

Every person explaining the owner's rage is telling the truth. Read the reviews with 1 star, they…read moreare all very detailed and explain that this business owner has something wrong with him. He has stolen a scooter from me that was purchased for a student. Upon coming to pick it up he got in my face and became confrontationa and told me we would never see the scooter again. He acts very tough, but it is all rage. He wants you to respond so he can tell you that you did something wrong. Do.not do business with this company you will regret it. Do not buy here.

Our experience with West Coast Kayaks started on a promising note but quickly turned into a deeply…read moredisappointing ordeal due to unprofessionalism and poor customer service from the owner, Jerry. We purchased two Heybike Mars 2.0 e-bikes (one orange and one gray) for over $2,500, including additional fees for assembly and warranty maintenance. We were assured the bikes would be fully prepared and ready for pickup, and that the store would handle any manufacturer-related issues on our behalf. Unfortunately, when we arrived to pick up the bikes, we encountered multiple problems: The bike locks and baskets were not delivered with the bikes, and we weren't informed of this until we arrived for pickup. Reggie, the employee assisting us, advised that they had extra baskets on hand and could install them while we waited. Both bike batteries were completely drained (0%), preventing us from testing the bikes or asking operational questions. The orange bike had knicks and scratches on its body and fender. The lights on the orange bike were installed crookedly. The controls on both bikes were improperly positioned. All of this was relayed to Reggie. After taking possession of the bikes, we visited the manufacturer's website to look for additional accessories. During this visit, we noticed the baskets installed on our bikes did not match those advertised as part of the package. The original baskets were supposed to include an iron bottom, while the substitutes installed on our bikes had open bottoms and appeared cheaper. While reviewing the website, we also noticed a pricing discrepancy when comparing the store invoice to the manufacturer's pricing. The store had ordered the bikes directly from the manufacturer's website, just as any consumer could do, but failed to apply a $100 combo discount and a $100 promo code. Instead of ordering the bikes as a combo, as initially discussed and displayed on the store screen, the bikes were entered individually, costing us an additional $200. While we believe this was an unintentional error, it added to our frustration and prompted us to follow up with the store. We returned to the store on Christmas Eve to pick up the bike locks and discuss these issues. At this point, Reggie called Jerry directly each time, and with each call, Jerry hung up after relaying his response to Reggie. This continued until Jerry eventually asked to speak to us directly. During the initial call, Reggie spoke with Jerry for more than 15 minutes while we stood in front of him, with another customer waiting behind us. Reggie relayed Jerry's response: all sales are final, with no resolution offered. After another call to Jerry, Reggie offered store credit. We explained that we were unlikely to return to the store given the mounting issues, making this solution unacceptable. On the third call, Jerry offered a refund if we returned both bikes within 1 1/2 hours on Christmas Eve. When we asked Reggie if the refund would include the additional fees for assembly and warranty maintenance, he said he didn't know and had to call Jerry again to clarify. At this point, Jerry requested to speak with us directly. When Jerry finally spoke to us directly, he was immediately aggressive and profane, shouting, "What do you not f*@king understand about a refund?" His tone was shocking and entirely unprovoked. Jerry then repeated his demand: we had 1 1/2 hours to return the bikes or, in his words, "All bets are off." With other customers in the store, we placed the phone on speaker so they could hear the way Jerry treated us. We initially planned to email Jerry about the issues, hoping for an amicable resolution. However, his abusive behavior and unwillingness to handle the matter reasonably left us no choice but to share our experience publicly. Over a $200 error that we believe was unintentional, Jerry not only alienated us but also lost the potential for substantial future business from us and anyone we might have referred--and we hope, many of you reading this review. After spending over $2,500, we expected much better service and support. A simple apology and a willingness to discuss the matter after the holidays would have been sufficient to retain our business. Instead, we were subjected to verbal abuse and unreasonable demands. If you're considering shopping at West Coast Kayaks, we urge you to think twice. Save yourself the frustration by ordering directly from the manufacturer or choosing a retailer that values its customers. Jerry's behavior and the store's lack of accountability make it clear that West Coast Kayaks does neither.

We do a lot of fishing out near Treasure Island and we love having the convenience of running in to…read moreJohnny's Bait & Tackle and getting absolutely any type of fishing gear we may need. From fishing poles, (I got the cutest one ever there, to lured, hooks and even live bait it is all there. He was even nice enough to help set up my tangled up fishing reel for me!

Great tackle and bait store! Lots of fishing supplies. Parking was easy. Great prices. Live and…read morefrozen bait. I bought frozen squid!

Awesome staff helped us pick out the live shrimp and crab we needed, gave us some advice for the…read morelocal fishing. Will definitely be back in the future.

I could only recommend this place as the BEST possible option in the area. The friendliest and most…read morehelpful fishing store I have been to in years. 5 star for sure!

They are very helpful with tackle questions with a good selection. I go there frequently since…read moreit's conveniently located.

Andrew was incredibly knowledgeable and super helpful. He walked us through all the local places…read moreand helped us take care of all of our fishing needs. The selection of bait allowed us to go after the fish we wanted. Go see Andrew and he will take care of you!

Great store in a great location. New staff cares and is friendly. Clean, full and bright!…read moreContinuing to improve.

I am familiar with the Academy stores that were in Houston years ago. They have really expanded…read morebeyond an Army surplus store of the 60's. We were greeted as we came in. The store is enormous. It's located in Pinellas Square where the old furniture store used to be close to the cinema. An associate told us that they have been open since last November. Everything smelled new. If you're looking for a good old fashioned sporting goods store, Academy Spots + Outdoors is your one stop shop. Drop by if you can.