Lew’s Museum To Open in Springfield
Lew’s will open the doors of its new Ozarks Fishing Museum Thursday (May 19) in Springfield, Mo., beginning with a reception that starts at 1:30 p.m. The museum is located in Lew’s corporate headquarters at 3031 N. Martin Ave. in Springfield and is accessed through the adjacent Sportsman’s Factory Outlet.
The grand opening will begin with the meet-and-greet, followed by remarks from Lew’s officials and guests begin at 2 p.m., and a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:30 p.m. The museum opens to tours afterwards and closes at 6 p.m.
Besides local dignitaries, others in attendance will include Casey Childre, son of the late Lew Childre of Foley, Ala.; “Mr. Crappie” Wally Marshall; and Team Lew’s bass pros David Fritts, Guido Hibdon and Dion Hibdon.
The 1,000-square-foot museum was incorporated into the original design of the new Lew's building and has been under development since the fishing tackle company occupied the facility last September. Approximately half of the museum is dedicated to the history of Lew’s and the evolution of its rods and reels, with the balance of the space used to house other tackle collections.
“Lew Childre introduced a lot of industry ‘firsts’ from the 1950s to the 1980s, many of which are still used in today’s fishing gear,” says Lew’s CEO Lynn Reeves. “The man and his innovations deserve a place of preservation in fishing's history. We have the BB1 serial #2 Speed Spool reel here, along with many of Childre’s earliest prototypes that I believe folks will find highly interesting whether they fish or don’t. These are things the public need to see and we’re pleased to make that possible.”
Many of the Lew’s items have come from Reeves’ collection, while some has come either through company purchases or donations by individuals. Among the most prized possessions are one of the Lew’s gold rings that Childre used to recognize special friends and achievements, the original pistol-grip wooden rod handles hand-carved by Childre’s fishing buddy Shag Shahid of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and which ultimately led to Lew’s Speed Sticks becoming the country’s best-selling bass rods in the 1970s, and some vintage movie footage of Lew Childre fishing.
More than 5,000 lures also will be on display, along with a 1975 Ranger as well as other antique fishing items and scores of old fishing photos from the Ozark region.
“I’m actually quite impressed with the diversity of the items being showcased here because the scope goes well beyond just Lew’s,” notes Lew’s President Gary Remensnyder. “This museum captures an era and region of equipment heritage that without a doubt played a critical role in the development of today’s tackle. These items have rightly earned their place in fishing’s history.”
Museum hours are the same as Sportsman’s Factory Outlet, with both being open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Museum admission is free.
For more information on Lew’s and its history, visit www.lews.com.