Within one week of opening his new store, Warren business owner Ray Brierly has already had his most interesting sale. A rumbling noise grabbed Mr. Brierly's attention one afternoon last week while he was working inside his store, Canoe Passage Outfitters, at 277 Water St. He looked through his front door and was surprised to see a cement mixer parking out front.
"I heard the mixer come roaring up the street," Mr. Brierly said. "Then in comes the driver. He came in on his lunch break to buy a kayak. I never had a customer pull up in a cement mixer before."
The customer was in the market for a kayak, but hadn't found a conveniently located dealer until Mr. Brierly's shop opened July 24. Mr. Brierly's new location — there's another Canoe Passage Outfitters store in Raynham, Mass. on the Taunton River — was nearby the driver's work site, making it easy for him to slip in during lunch.
According to Mr. Brierly, the sale perfectly demonstrated his reason for opening his Warren store. He said Canoe Passage Outfitters is one of the only canoe and kayak outfitters in the area. But beyond filling the need for a local retailer, Mr. Brierly also hopes that the instruction, guided tours and workshops the store offers will make it a home-base for the community of kayakers and canoers who paddle Warren and Barrington rivers.
Canoe Passage Outfitters carries everything a kayaker or canoer, at any level, could need, said Mr. Brierly. Several models from Old Town, Dimension, Mad River, We no nah, Current Designs, Bell and Swift are displayed on the store's first floor.
"We have a kayak or canoe for every budget and every experience level," Mr. Brierly said of his stock.
The new store also carries Heritage Boats, but they are available through the store's website only.
Canoe Passage Outfitters also rents vessels by the day, and accepts trade-ins, although, according to Mr. Brierly, they are rare.
"I do take trade-ins," he said. "But most people save their boats for friends who come to visit. People like to be able to take their friends out on the water."
The store carries a range of accessories, including dry bags, life jackets, paddles and helmets. In addition, the new outfitter is a United States Geological Survey certified topographical map dealer. A section of dock doubles as a display table for a wide variety of local, national and international USGS maps.
Out and back
Beyond stocking the supplies necessary to get a boater out on the water, Mr. Brierly's new location also offers the knowledge he or she needs to get back home again safely.
The company staffs 10 American Canoe Association certified instructors to teach basic, intermediate, rolling and rescue classes. Rolling classes are conducted year round, both in the Warren River and in a pool during the winter. Canoe Passage Outfitters also offers private instruction and semi-private lessons.
Mr. Brierly, who recently became a Warren resident in addition to business owner, has more than 10 years of experience in the kayak and canoe outfitting business. The former contractor opened his first Canoe Passage Outfitter location in his home in Rehoboth. His second location, in Raynham, Mass., has been open for eight years.
Take a sunset cruise on the river
Ray Brierly, owner of Canoe Passage Outfitters, offers opportunities beyond just instructional courses. This month he is offering a sunset dinner cruise every Thursday evening. Participants can enjoy basic kayaking instruction, a tour of the Warren River and Barrington Harbor and a dinner catered by Tav Vino's Restaurant of Warren. For more information call 245-9025.
By Lucy Butler
lbutler@eastbaynewspapers.com