By 1983, he had sufficient funds and the opportunity
arose when a local grocery store went up for
sale. He bought the building and converted it into
the “Bait ’n Reel” fishing store. His early business involved
cash-only transactions with local fishermen. By
the mid-1990s, however, the building had expanded
into a superstore that sold a wide range of sporting
products and camping gear. People from all over the
county shopped at Bait ’n Reel as Roberts increased his
advertising efforts, emphasizing his ability to provide
excellent service and a wide range of products. Roberts
moved away from a cash-only business and began offering
store credit cards to consumers. He also became
a regional wholesaler to many smaller sporting goods
stores.