Yeager's Sporting Goods — Local services in Bellingham

A couple of Christmases ago, I accompanied my mother while she was shopping for gifts.She was hoping to find a high quality sleeping bag for my brother, a then budding hiking/ trekking enthusiast. He enjoyed camping sans tent, and my mother wanted a sleeping bag which could keep him warm in the late spring to early fall PNW mountain foothills climate. After venturing to a big-box store at the local mall, we asked questions of various seasonal sales associates who didn't know and couldn't care less about insulation grades or warmth ratings. Not to mention that the one sleeping bag left in stock looked like it had been taken on a week long camping trip in a muddy bog then returned, and the sales ass-ociates couldn't tell us a thing about a damage discount. At this point I entreated my mother to check at Yeager's, generally known around Bellingham as a camping and outdoor sports mecca. Yes, I felt free to verbalize this in front of the big-box salesperson. Within moments of arriving at Yeager's we were assisted by a knowledgeable staff member, who was able to ask us question about the type of camping my brother liked to do, and assess what level of warmth he would need for such a purpose. He then led us to the display of sleeping bags, found the type he had been thinking of, and was visibly delighted to tell us that, not only was that brand currently on sale, but since the (still pristine) display copy was the only one left in that weight we would receive an additional discount.He then removed the bag from the display, happily found its original carrying bag, and rolled and re-packaged it for us (a feat in itself, am I right?) In the end we paid less for a higher quality product and received excellent service in the process. Yeager's is a case study in why the Bellingham's attempted "big-box ban" actually supports local businesses. The reason you receive such excellent and knowledgeable service at a local vendor like Yeager's is because the employees are being treated with enough respect and humanity to want to stay in the same retail job for...

I've lived in Bellingham for over 13 years now, and am an avid outdoorsman, from hunting to climbing to skiing and more. I also try to support local businesses whenever I can. I learned about Yeager's as one of the local businesses that I really should support, from people who grew up here, so I have given it an honest try over the last 13 years. Seriously, if I needed some outdoors item, I always gave Yeager's the first chance. Granted, I don't need a lot of things, but I was in the store at least a couple of times every year in all this time. Without fail, they never had what I needed, and sometimes the item in question was so common that you'd think they'd've had boxes of the things in a storeroom, like a .22 caliber rifle cleaning kit, for example. To make matters worse, the persons who worked there with whom I interacted have always been... less than enthusiastic, shall we say. Each time I've been in there, I've gone away feeling like I was not welcome there in the first place. Mind you, I'm not expecting electric sunny happy beams from every employee, just maybe some people who don't act like they would clearly like to be somewhere else.

So, after something like 30 fruitless visits, I've given up on this place. Maybe it was quite the gem of an outdoors store back 30 years ago, and maybe if all you need is a fishing license or a flat of canning jars you'll get what you need, but if you're an average guy with relatively common outdoors sporting needs, there's a good chance that you won't get what you need. So, I'm sorry to say that this is one local store to which I will not be returning. There's honestly nothing from them that I need that I cannot buy online, and I can get free delivery to boot, without even leaving...

Went in to the store. Had them re-line 3 fishing poles. Spent $150 in shopping. Even bought another pole. Get out onto the lake and none of the polls that they wound up with line work. Husband takes them in the next day and the gentleman said he messed them up and the polls were not gonna work. Because the line got stuck up in the top of the real Because the machine that lines them does not read enclosed reels very well? Gave us one free real 40% off the second real. I’ve tried calling the store twice now leaving messages with people for the manager he has not returned my calls. We took my grandson out on the lake. When we got out there could not finish except for the one little pole that I had bought. The ducks enjoyed eating our bait. We spent $18 getting the three poles Rena line. And I guess we get a free real for the two poles that they broke. Make sure that if you get your polls line tea we spent $18 getting the three poles Reno line. And I guess we get a free reel for the two poles that they broke. Make sure that if you get your polls lined here Fully checked them out before going on the lake. I guess they feel that’s what I should’ve done. Giving one star because I can’t...