Opening in 1991, Chris's Bait and Tackle, now Chris's Outdoor Sports, 9611 Longswamp Road, Mertztown, was a dream come true and passion for Chris Mohry.

"It was something I always wanted to do," Mohry said. "It was something I have always enjoyed doing. I made my passion my job.

"I could not have done it without my family,"

Mohry's family includes his wife Teresa, daughter Megan and sons, Chris and Jason.

Also helping in the shop since he was 14 is friend Kyle Boyer, whom the Mohry family affectionately calls their mascot.

And, there is Stella, the family Weimaraner, always on duty quietly and politely greeting everyone entering the store.

When he was growing up, nobody in Mohry's immediate family fished. The last three or four generations were mostly hunters, but they had no interest in fishing.

When Mohry went fishing with his cousin Mark, he soon developed a passion for fishing.

"I loved fishing," he explained. "One day I woke up and said, 'Let's open a shop!' Nobody else was interested. Everybody told us we would fail. I never failed at anything."

Mohry started his business, which opened in 1991, when he was 33, with $3,500 worth of fishing inventory in a 900-square-foot building with storage upstairs.

He was working two jobs and he and his wife were raising a family. He worked on second and third shifts in the fabrication department at Atlas Minerals and Chemicals.

When he came home from work, Mohry worked in the bait and tackle shop with his family. When he worked the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift at Atlas, he came home, slept a little, got up and worked in the shop before going to Atlas.

In 1997, he decided it was time to leave Atlas and put all of his effort into the business.

For the last 30 years, he has also fully serviced snowmobiles and ATV's and continues this service.

The business branched out into archery and the shop added compound bows, Mohry said. He also makes custom arrows.

Still operating from the original building, the business now has $150,000 in inventory.

Although there are no concrete plans, thoughts of expanding in the future have been considered.

Wearing a ball cap, casual clothes and a rosy-cheeked smile, Mohry is never still. He is always looking for something to do.

He stamped and stocked merchandise as he talked with his family and customers coming in for fishing supplies, mealworms, minnows and whatever else was needed for opening day of trout fishing, a date just happening to coincide with the anniversary of Mohry's business this year.