The entrepreneur behind Tri-Cities Tackle has opened a bigger store, fine-tuned an expanded vision for the operation, and adopted a more inclusive business name.

Tri-Cities Tackle is now Northwest Outdoors, and it recently moved to 731 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Suite 110, in Kennewick to sell a wide range of outdoor gear, including fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, archery and hunting supplies.

“It’s always been my dream to expand, with kayaking and paddleboarding, archery and hunting,” said owner Faith Akopov, who says a dedication to good customer service and a passion for the outdoors have been the driving force behind her operation all along.

The Richland woman started her business inside her garage in 2019, with a small fridge for bait and four pegboards to hang lures.

Then she and her husband, Michael, bought a trailer and carted their inventory around the Tri-Cities.

Within three years, Akopov opened a small shop on George Washington Way near Howard Amon Park in Richland.

She was there for two years until she, her husband and their three daughters closed the Richland store Nov. 25 and spent a week getting the new shop set up.

They opened their Kennewick store Dec. 2. It’s near Let’s Glow Mini Golf and Planet Fitness.

“We really decided to make a move at mid-year. We wanted to go all in on expanding. We’ve always been so successful at our other locations,” Akopov said. “We were looking for a better location, with more traffic, and a lot more people walk along here.”

After visiting a number of potential sites, Akopov and her husband walked through the new location, both unusually quiet.

Akopov said she and her husband are constantly bouncing ideas off each other, but this time they were silent until she walked into the back room and said, “Hon, I think this is it. I see an archery room and party rooms back here.”

They signed a five-year lease and look forward to outfitting their new shop.

“The retail square footage at the Richland store was 650 feet. Add in some office space and all told it was 1,000 square feet,” Akopov said. “This place has 8,000 square feet, with 3,500 square feet for retail storefront.”

Multiphased approach

Akopov envisions several future phases for the store.

The first involves retail.

“We’re working our way into this place,” she said, as some shelves were empty when the store opened on Dec. 2. “We’re still waiting on some deliveries to arrive. We’re getting bass fishing and tie-flying sections down, even equipment dealing with ice fishing. We’re slowly building the inventory.”

A counter to display reels, knives and ammunition will be in the back corner. No guns will be sold.

Akopov grew up in the Denver area, where her father owned a private ranch with seven lakes in nearby Wyoming. She was always outside, fishing, hunting, hiking, shooting and kayaking.

It made sense that she would expand her fishing-focused business to include other outdoor activities.

Kayaking has become a family affair with her husband and children.

“We are a kayaking family and all five of us have our own kayaks,” she said. “My kids love fishing off their kayaks, whether it’s bass or perch. We really love kayaking. It’s not just about fishing anymore.”

But fishing is still important.

In 2022, the couple created and sold the Scent Bullet, a two-piece lure with some gel in between the two interlocking pieces that fish can smell. It’s the shop’s No. 1 seller, and Akopov has trademarked and patented it.

Their Vortex Blade lures are the No. 2 seller.

Their products are not only sold in their store, “but in 10 different stores now, and we’re adding and expanding the line.”

They’re starting to get into deep sea fishing, too.

Party room phase

With 3,500 square feet of retail floor space, what happens with the remaining 4,500 square footage in the back room?

The second phase of expansion involves a seminar room and party rooms — which may include a kids archery room and a fishing simulator.

The back area also will store kayaks and paddleboards.

“I feel the Tri-Cities area is limited when it comes to kids’ activities. So we’re creating something new,” she said. “The seminar room can be opened up to any club.”

One thing that won’t change in the new location is customer service.

“I listen to my customers. I still like to help somebody who doesn’t know what to do,” she said. “I grew up fishing on a Colorado lake. When I moved here, I was lost with all of the river fishing around here.”

To help with the shop, Akopov has added two employees. It’s a small business and that’s fine with her.

“I still feel for us, the No. 1 formula is customer service. We want to go above and beyond to help our loyal customers,” she said.

The bottom line: she loves what she’s doing.

“It still comes down to passion,” said Akopov. “I have a keen business sense, running a business, managing one. I’m passionate about serving people. It takes a special passion to work retail.

“My passion is evolving, and I’m adding on to it.”

Northwest Outdoors: 731 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Suite 110, Kennewick; 509-221-1146; tricitiestackle.com. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday.