40 Years of Fishing, Food and Fellowship at the Bedford Sportsman

After receiving a fishing reel when he was 19 from Ambercrombie & Fitch—before it was a teen mecca for the latest fashions—Tom Connor borrowed his family car and drove from Riverdale in the Bronx to upper Westchester to explore local waterways.

From the minute he stepped into the , he was mesmerized. He loved the tin ceilings, the merchandise and the feeling of stepping into a natural lifestyle.

"It was like visiting a college and deciding you had to go there—it came at you that way," said Connor, now 58 and a Katonah resident. "It's almost like 'Cheers' on TV. Like a club, but anyone who fishes is welcome."

On Dec. 11, the store will celebrate its 40th anniversary at the . Much more than a store, the Bedford Sportsman has been  place where customers become friends—where fishermen talk, barbecue and hang out.

Started by three ex-Wall Streeters—Harry Whitman, Larry Kennedy and Bill Gutelius—who decided to abandon their corporate lives and follow their passion for the outdoors, the original store offered gifts and equipment acquired by the trio after they loaded up their pickup truck at Orvis in Manchester, VT.

The shop's allure led Charles George, 42, to become a repeat customer and eventual owner of the business. When he was 14, he learned how to cast a fly rod in eight inches of February snow from Kennedy, who was a family friend. That sparked an interest that has lasted throughout George's lifetime.

When Kennedy retired, George, a South Salem resident, purchased the business in 2005 with a partner. George attributes much of the store's early success to Whitman, whom he says "is just so personable you gotta love him, he can carry on a great conversation."

For his part, Whitman, 80, said he's proud of the legacy he created at the store and cherishes the good friends he made there over the years.

"We were compared to a club where all fishermen were welcome," said Whitman, who can look down on the store from his home in Bedford Hills. "I miss the camraderie there, but Charles is very conscientious and is bringing in customers."

Offering customers a wealth of knowledge—even if it doesn't help the bottom line—is one way the shop earns its loyal customers. The anniversary party shirts bear the slogan "40 Years and Never Made a Dime," which is a nod to the information staffers share, whether customers are buying or not.

"We're a hub of knowledge of all things fishing—whether you're planning a trip to coastal New England or to the Bahamas," he said.

They also offer lessons in the store and workshops with field experts that include a barbecue lunch prepared on-site often sell-out.

The party starts at 4 p.m. and will be "sportsman style," offering food by Chef Mark Alvarez of Concierge Foods, a Bedford Hills catering business. For more information on the party and to R.S.V.P., visit the Sportsman website.