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Bill Jackson’s remains a Bay Area institution
Bill Jackson's Shop for Adventure in Pinellas Park has evolved over 75 years into a premier outdoor adventure shop.
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. - The story of Bill Jackson's Outdoor Store is one of passion, happy accidents, and a deep love for adventure.
It all started after World War II, when Bill Jackson, who had been stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, began buying and reselling military surplus items.
With his wife Harriet by his side, the business evolved into an outdoor shop, expanding into camping gear, fishing supplies, and eventually, scuba equipment after a salesman convinced Bill to buy some fins and snorkels.
Brothers Doug and Darry Jackson literally grew up in the business. They didn't need babysitters; they simply came to the store, where they learned to price items and even run the register from atop an overturned garbage can. Their father fully trusted them from a young age, even letting them teach scuba diving to people much older than themselves when they were just teenagers.
Darry briefly left the family business for a career in the military, joining Special Forces. But his father, Bill, had a wish for him to return, a plea that Darry ultimately honored. "I never wanted to disappoint my dad," Darry says, and it's a decision he now considers one of the best he's ever made.
For the Jackson brothers, the store is more than a business; it's a way of life. The shop has become a sanctuary for its customers, a place where people can go to escape the stress of everyday life. This commitment to creating a welcoming, passionate environment is the legacy that Doug and Darry want to protect.
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Bill and Harriet Jackson passed away within weeks of each other in 2014, but their presence is still felt every day. The store is located in Pinellas Park on US 19 and is open seven days a week, continuing to be a haven for those who, like the Jackson family, have made adventure their life.
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What you can do:
To find out more about the store and its offerings, visit their website.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Corey Beckman.