The Sportsman's Den, the Cos Cob fishing and outdoor shop at 33 River Road, will close at the end of 2026 after more than 50 years in business.

Owner Billy Ingraham announced the decision in a Facebook post on Sunday, Nov. 8, as first reported by Patch. Ingraham, who took over ownership in 2009, said he spent 17 years equipping neighbors and watching them "grow into great fishermen."

The tackle shop sells freshwater and saltwater fishing supplies, runs fishing charters and handles firearm transfers for eligible Connecticut permit holders, according to the store's website. It originally stood at the corner of Post Road and River Road before moving to its current spot, Patch reported.

Ingraham pointed to several forces behind the closure. Rising rent, inventory costs, employee salaries, taxes and utilities all squeezed the small retailer, he said in his announcement.

Online competition hit hardest. Amazon and other online stores proved "just too appetizing" for customers, Ingraham said in his announcement. Even loyal customers bought gear online for next-day delivery at what was most likely a lower price than he could offer.

"Instead of selling $500 worth of gear to a new angler, I'm selling them $30 worth of line and setting up their online purchased equipment for free," Ingraham said, as reported by Greenwich Free Press. "And most of the time it was not the right gear."

Ingraham, a father of four, said supporting his children in sports and weekend activities "has taken its toll" on the shop's charter business and pulled him away from the store on its only busy days. A couple of years of poor fishing also hurt the bottom line, he said.

First Selectman Fred Camillo called The Sportsman's Den an "institution" in town and said the Ingraham family is one as well in Cos Cob. "We're sorry to see [the business] go, and we wish Billy the best in the next phase," Camillo told Patch.

Ingraham said he is open to selling remaining inventory or handing the business to a new owner. He is looking for "someone with a vision and young ideas on how to bring back the Den like I did 17 years ago," adding that a buyer with social media skills and possibly online sales experience could keep it going.

The Sportsman's Den is open noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays.