A Tale of Two Lloyds

Back in 1975, two men with the same first name began parallel custom rod component supply businesses. Lloyd Simmons opened Simmons Custom Tackle in Shelbyville, Tennessee. His first employee, hired that same year, was Bob McKamey. Meanwhile, over in Olathe, Kansas, airline pilot Lloyd Bingham launched Bingham Enterprises.

I remember buying LCI rod blanks from Lloyd Simmons in the early 1980’s. This was back when you ordered by mail or by phone.  If you had a question, you made a long distance phone call.  Like most of the component suppliers of the day, Simmons was cut from the cloth of service.  If you called, he took the time to answer your questions and make sure you got what you needed.

Lloyd Bingham carried the Weibe Super Sticker handle kits. I bought quite a few from him. He was among the first to carry Flex Coat epoxy. And like the other Lloyd in Tennessee, he was always happy to talk about rod building. Back in those days, service was a requirement. Those who weren’t good at it didn’t last long.

Both Lloyds sold their businesses in 1984.  Simmons sold his to long time employee Bob McKamey. Bob renamed the business Custom Tackle Supply and moved it a few miles down the road on the Duck River. He continued the service oriented business that Simmons had become known for.

That same year, Alex and Karen Hapka arrived in Overland Park, Kansas. Fresh from New York with their two infant sons and no relatives nearby, Karen wished to be a stay-at-home mom. To do that, however, she’d have to acquire a home based business. Luckily for her, Lloyd Bingham had just put his business up for sale. Karen also moved her new business a few miles down the road, from Olathe to Overland Park.

From their inception and continuing on through the changes in ownership, both companies produced yearly paper catalogs. And, both catalogs were remarkably similar in style and content. With the advent of internet based sales, both companies dropped their print catalogs about the same time – Custom Tackle in 1998 and Bingham Enterprises in 2000.

According to Bob McKamey, Lloyd Simmons passed away about five or six years ago.  Bob remembers Simmons as being a great friend and mentor. Karen Hapka tells me that Lloyd Bingham resides in Arizona these days and still sends a Christmas card each year.

Bob McKamey sold the assets of Custom Tackle Supply to Mud Hole Custom Tackle in 2009, and works for them today. Karen Hapka continues to expand and grow Bingham Enterprises and remains in Overland Park, Kansas.

Tom Kirkman

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Bingham Enterprises  -  http://www.angelfire.com/ks/bingham/

Mud Hole Custom Tackle  -  http://www.mudhole.com/