Swedes fly shop closed down?

jact55 · May 23, 2023

Guess this is a spokane folks question.
I don't get up to Swedes too often, but figured I would make the trek north today and show him some love. Pick up a better vise and some tying stuff.
Drove up and a sign saying they are closed for the time being was posted.

Anyone know if this is going to turn permanent? Or temporary? Hope the dude is OK, although I didn't know him really.
Don't really want to buy a vice online, and silverbow doesn't have many options.

Thanks in advance

krusty · May 23, 2023

jact55 said:
Guess this is a spokane folks question.
I don't get up to Swedes too often, but figured I would make the trek north today and show him some love. Pick up a better vise and some tying stuff.
Drove up and a sign saying they are closed for the time being was posted.

Anyone know if this is going to turn permanent? Or temporary? Hope the dude is OK, although I didn't know him really.
Don't really want to buy a vice online, and silverbow doesn't have many options.

Thanks in advance

It appears Allen passed away on May 15th.

Always enjoyed visiting his shop and talking to Swede...he was 'one of a kind' and a true character. His gruff exterior hid a very kind heart.

Tribute for Allen Leonard Peterson | Hennessey Valley Funeral Home & Crematory

Share memories & support the family

www.hennesseyvalley.com

Russell · May 23, 2023

Was his shop in Woodenville prior to Spokane. If so he helped me get started in fly tying and had a great shop for the fly tier. Started me in the right direction with materials and tools that I still use today around 30 years later.

jact55 · May 24, 2023

That's what I was scared of. RIP Swede.

Down to one shop in spokane now. Hopefully someone reopens his shop, or another one comes. Although I question if he made a ton of money. Never saw it busy in there.

TicTokCroc · May 24, 2023

jact55 said:
That's what I was scared of. RIP Swede.

Down to one shop in spokane now. Hopefully someone reopens his shop, or another one comes. Although I question if he made a ton of money. Never saw it busy in there.

Watch for the estate sale

krusty · May 24, 2023

jact55 said:
That's what I was scared of. RIP Swede.

Down to one shop in spokane now. Hopefully someone reopens his shop, or another one comes. Although I question if he made a ton of money. Never saw it busy in there.

Owning a flyshop is a labor of love and a good way to ruin your passion for flyfishing.

Stimson · May 24, 2023

R.I.P. Al. I frequented his shop for several years when he was located in woodinville. Good guy, gave me great advice on tying flies. That's really when I became a decent fly tyer. Bought my first g loomis imx signature rod from him. Enjoyed the many parking lot casting contests we would get into. God bless.

Matt B · May 24, 2023

krusty said:
Owning a flyshop is a labor of love and a good way to ruin your passion for flyfishing.

It's been said before--How do ya make a million bucks with a fly shop? Start with two million.

Evan B · May 24, 2023

Oh wow. I used to talk to Al every day or two when I was working at ECHO. The last couple times I talked to him before moving on from the job, so earlier this year, he did not at all sound like himself. I never pried but he didn't sound well. Very sorry to hear about his passing.

Richard Olmstead · May 24, 2023

Sorry to hear of his passing. I was a regular customer of Swede's when his shop was in Woodinville and was sad when he moved to Spokane. It was always a great shop where you could find just about anything in the way of tying materials.

RCF · May 24, 2023

I visited his store a lot when he was in Woodinville. He always had great materials available. I know I bought way more than I needed and still have some in my inventory to prove it. He shared his expertise willingly. So much fun learning from him too...

RIP Al

SKYKO · May 24, 2023

I also would drop by his shop in Woodenville years ago for advice on lake fishing, he was fun to talk to and shared good pointers that paid off for me. Specifically directed me to some patterns that worked on Spada, I would row around in my drift boat and work the little coves. RIP.

tatross · May 24, 2023

Never visited his shop in Woodinville but stopped at the Spokane shop everytime I passed thru to visit family. His materials for tying flies was pretty extensive.
I had no idea that chenille could be stored in one gallon jars.
Must have been a mile and a half length of material in one of those jars.

Old406Kid · May 25, 2023

jact55 said:
That's what I was scared of. RIP Swede.

Down to one shop in spokane now. Hopefully someone reopens his shop, or another one comes. Although I question if he made a ton of money. Never saw it busy in there.

The North 40 store in Airway Heights has a fly shop.

Dogsnfish · May 25, 2023

That is very sad. Every trip to his shop in Spokane was an education for me. As others have said, also a great source of fly tying materials that went well beyond the generic selection found in most shops. I think he spent half an hour one time going over a Kingfisher skin he had in stock and talking about the patterns I could use it for. It was always great fun to 'road trip' to Swedes when it came time to tie steelhead flies for the season.

Stonedfish · May 25, 2023

Visited his shop in Woodinville many times.
As others mentioned, the materials selection was really significant. Not many shops with that old style feel around any longer. Everything is all packaged up now, unlike his shop. I specifically remember the piles of rabbit skin strips. What a selection!
I never made it to the Spokane shop after he relocated there.
SF

troutpocket · May 25, 2023

When I lived in Spokane, Swedes was on North Ash St. Al was always up to talk fishing and tying. I bought my first zonker-cut squirrel skins there. I still have a couple of his chartreuse pheasant rump patches for olive willies.

jact55 · May 25, 2023

troutpocket said:
When I lived in Spokane, Swedes was on North Ash St. Al was always up to talk fishing and tying. I bought my first zonker-cut squirrel skins there. I still have a couple of his chartreuse pheasant rump patches for olive willies.

I got some of his Chinese pheasant in olive from him. Talked about that same pattern last time I was there.
I actually found some olive hen hackle from him last night I didn't even know I had haha. Pleasant suprise.
So tied one up for him.
Small mayfly type, tail, wings and hackle From that saddle.

Ernie · May 25, 2023

Russell said:
Was his shop in Woodenville prior to Spokane. If so he helped me get started in fly tying and had a great shop for the fly tier. Started me in the right direction with materials and tools that I still use today around 30 years later.

Yes, this was the Swede’s originally in Woodinville. Several years ago while visiting Spokane, I dropped by Swede’s and asked about the Woodinville shop. Alan told me that his manager was stealing things from the Woodinville location, so, he had to close that one down while he was operating the second shop in Spokane. I feared the day that this Spokane shop would close.
RIP Alan

Dloy · May 25, 2023

I visited the Woodinville shop only a few times. Met “Olive Willy” and after yaking an hour bought the fly ingredients. Also bought a couple coffee table books by Schmookler and Sills, which apparently was a good deal at $100 each. I haven’t looked lately but have seen asking prices of several hundred.
Anyway, it’s always sad and disappointing to loose a good shop.