Mystery Tackle Box is a monthly fishing gear subscription service founded in 2012 and based in Chicago, Illinois.Amina Elahi, "Mystery Tackle Box aims to hook customers with new online store," Chicago Tribune, October 21, 2016Bill Gallagher, "Bass Fishing Startup Mystery Tackle Box Hopes To Reel In Chunk of $45 Billion Industry," TechCrunch, July 18, 2012 Users subscribe to the service on a monthly or other basis, in which they select the fishing supplies which they receive in a “mystery box”.Inc Magazine, 2017"Mystery Tackle Box to move into e-commerce," Canadian Sport Fishing, Nov. 2, 2016
History
Mystery Tackle Box, Inc. was founded by Ross Gordon in July 2012. Gordon, an avid fisherman who grew up in Minnesota,James Risley, "With millions in revenue, this founder's childhood hobby is big business," Built in Chicago, Oct. 19, 2016 had previously started other companies, including fishing lure manufacturing company BioSpawn Lure Company, and CraftJack, a software company for home improvement contractors that was acquired by HomeAdvisor in 2012."Ross Gordon '05B: Accidental Entrepreneur," Yeshiva University Alumni News, Aug. 26, 2014 In 2016, Mystery Tackle Box was rebranded as The Catch Co.; the subscription service continued to be called Mystery Tackle Box. In June 2018, the company launched Karl’s Bait & Tackle, an e-commerce site including Mystery Tackle Box, as well as clothing and related products."Introducing Karl's Bait & Tackle!", Bass Resource, June 19, 2018
Operation
Mystery Tackle Box uses data collection relevant to anglers to match products to anglers, Anglers have the option of purchasing hundreds of new lures every season. Mystery Tackle Box allows customers to select the type of fish species they want to attract and then be guided to equipment choices."Company Overview of Mystery Tackle Box, Inc." Bloomberg, August 2, 2018."Product Reviews: 7 Reasons to Try Mystery Tackle Box," Fishidy, Oct. 5, 2016Sarah Mitroff, "From Coffee to Condoms, Now There's a Subscription Service for Everyone," Wired, Nov. 21, 2012 Orders come in boxes designed for different fish, and are delivered on a monthly basis.Bill Daley, "Bacon? Moss? 5 quirky subscriptions that keep on giving," Chicago Tribune, Nov. 17, 2017
References