Fly shop moving to Main Street in Kalispell

Inside a small house converted to a retail shop on Airport Road, the three employees and family members operating Mystique Fly Shop are bracing for more space to cast a line.

Tim Braun, who co-owns the shop with his father, Jim, and wife, Kasee, will move Mystique out of the house and onto Main Street in downtown Kalispell in mid-May.

“We outgrew that space a few years ago,” Tim Braun said. “We just decided it’s time to move uptown and get some more space.”

A few years ago, Mystique was just getting its legs as a business. But the growing pains haven’t quite faded yet, Tim said.

That’s why the new Main Street shop is more than an acquisition in prime real estate; it’s the right size for what Mystique owners want to accomplish when they open on May 13.

“It’s about six times bigger,” Tim said. “Once the new shop is complete, we’ll have the most expansive fly-tying section in Montana as far as materials and equipment.”

Mystique Fly Shop opened in 2008 after Tim and his father became frustrated with a lack of access to fly-tying materials in the Flathead Valley. Rather than buying a long-term supply for their own stock, they waded into the retail market with an online store.

“That grew into people searching us out online, and with that much demand we decided to open the doors to walk-in traffic,” Tim said.

They opened the brick-and-mortar space on Airport Road in 2010 along with Tim’s wife, and the river of online and foot traffic has been rising ever since. Mystique Fly Shop began offering shuttle services and guide service referrals to anglers, both local and tourists.

Tim said in the past three years, online sales have been climbing by 30 percent each year.

“Because of that, it’s given us the opportunity to expand our retail footprint,” Tim said. “So we expect a following of customers and clients at the new shop.”

Kasee, who operates the shipping and floor sales at Mystique, said the search for a new space began in February. After securing the former office space downtown at 149 Main Street, the three Mystique principals tore down a few interior walls, laid new flooring and painted the ceiling. The result was their very own spot, one that the anglers are excited to share with people.

“It will be a huge relief,” she said. “Right now we’re still tight and we’re stretched so thin that this will be able to help us get more people on board.”

Kasee said she hopes to hire one person in June, about a month after the shop is expected to open. For now, she’s just preparing to fill the new space with equipment.

“We have no idea how fast this may grow,” she said. “It’s all kind of new to us.”

It’s a new avenue for a company that has been propelled primarily by online sales. Tim’s background is in graphic design and website development. He said starting with and relying on the online sales allowed Mystique to keep its overhead costs low.

Still, being the only fly shop in Kalispell brings physical customers, no matter how much emphasis is put on online sales or how small the shop.

“Customers are always amazed when they come in the existing shop and see the volume of products we have,” Tim said. “There’s always an ‘ooh, ahh,’ moment when they realize they’ve struck gold.”

Tim said many anglers who have come for local attractions such as Glacier National Park eventually find Mystique. When they leave the state, he said they often retain services from Mystique and end up as loyal online customers, creating a network of clients across the country.

A few years ago, Mystique began offering fly-tying classes at Evergreen Junior High. Much like the shop on Airport Road, the available space and time was limited to 20 people and only a few times a year. Tim said at the new shop on Main Street, Mystique can host about 10 people per class, but will be able expand the number of classes throughout the winter.

“It’s going to depend on demand, but we’ll be able to support the class that much more,” he said.

Tim and Kasee both said it’s an opportune time to be moving into Kalispell’s downtown, which has seen success of endeavors such as the Toggery, Sweet Peaks and Kalispell Brewing Co.

“The more quality businesses we can keep and maintain downtown will just keep improving that business market downtown,” Tim said.

The Mystique Fly crew is expecting a May 13 opening. For more information, visit mystique-fly-shop.myshopify.com.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.