Bait and tackle shop replacing shuttered Port Jefferson McDonald's

A new bait and tackle shop will take over a long-closed former McDonald’s in Port Jefferson.

Port Tackle, founded by partners Justin Braun and Conor O’Keefe, will open as early as April 3.

The company is awaiting a certificate of occupancy from Port Jefferson village, Braun said. Braun said he expects to hire around six employees to work at the store.

“The way we’re being embraced by the village and the fishing community is really exciting,” Braun said.

Braun said he’s loved fishing since he was a kid growing up near Stony Brook Mill Pond. As an adult, he made fishing into a career, founding ChatterLures, a Port Jefferson-based fishing tackle company, in 2015, he said.

ChatterLures now has six full-time employees, and Braun said the company’s growth encouraged him to think about starting a new venture with O'Keefe, who was Braun’s first full-time employee at ChatterLures, and now serves as the company’s director of operations.

Fishing for a new business

The duo founded Port Tackle last year and bought the building at 115 W. Broadway in December, Braun said.

The property, built in 1999, was advertised for sale at $1.55 million, according to an online listing. Braun, however, declined to disclose the final sale price.

The location — near the waterfront, boat ramp, marina, and two party boat companies — was perfect for a bait and tackle store, Braun said. Plus, there’s little competition nearby, O’Keefe added.

“There are no tackle shops in that area, and that McDonald’s has been empty for so long,” O’Keefe said. “We thought it would be good to get something good in there for the community.”

The McDonald’s closed in 2016, in part due to the building’s restriction against a drive-through restaurant.

The new store "is a great use for this building," said Barbara Ransome, the director of operations for the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. "It lends itself to our waterfront community" and the "fishing enthusiasts that come to the Village of Port Jefferson." she added.

Braun and O’Keefe have spent the past few months renovating the roughly 3,000-square-foot building, removing the dining room, kitchen equipment, and redoing the floors, O’Keefe said. At the grand opening on April 25 Braun plans to host representatives from fishing brands, such as Shimano Fishing, Jigging World, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, and have giveaways for customers, he said.

He hopes the store will be a resource for the fishing community.

“A lot of people don’t advance in fishing because they’re afraid to ask," Braun said. "Our team is going to be there to teach without you having to ask.”