Because Florida is surrounded on three sides by saltwater and the interior is littered with freshwater rivers and lakes, it is a paddling paradise. And over the years, as paddlers’ interests have shifted among canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, Bill Jackson’s Shop for Adventure has been providing watercraft, accessories and instruction to newbies and experts alike. Bill Jackson’s is a proud retailer of YakAttack products.
Family-owned and operated since 1946, Bill Jackson’s has evolved from a post-World War II military surplus store to a state-of-the-art outdoor adventure outfitter. They cater to those pursuing kayaking, paddleboarding, archery, backpacking, camping, climbing, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, metal detecting, SCUBA diving, snow boarding, snow skiing and triathlons. Their shop, founded by Bill and Harriet Jackson, expanded from a garage in St. Petersburg to a custom shop in Pinellas Park that now boasts a 100,000-gallon solar-heated indoor pool for SCUBA and kayak instruction, a rolling, carpeted “ski slope,” an indoor pistol range, an indoor archery range, four classrooms, and a lake for kayak and paddleboard demos. Mr. and Mrs. J, as they were fondly called, passed in 2014, but sons Darry and Doug Jackson continue their parents’ mission of being as much educators as businessmen. The Jacksons require their employees to have experience in one or more outdoors pursuits, ensuring that customers have access to expert knowledge of not only the products, but the sport itself. This level of commitment means Bill Jackson’s customers get both great service and best-in-class expertise.
To that end, Bill Jackson’s involvement with the community extends to hosting monthly meetings of the Tampa Bay Sea Kayakers and the Bay Area Canoe and Kayak Fishing Club, as well as a kayak fishing seminar series run by a local guide. Bill Jackson’s contributes to kayak support efforts during local endurance events, such as the St. Anthony’s Triathlon, and staff members provide free instruction classes on kayaking, paddleboarding and fly-fishing several times a month.
Every day is a demo day at Bill Jackson’s.
