If you have someone in your life who loves the outdoors, enjoys hunting and fishing, is a runner, or just needs something casual but high-quality to wear daily, McCoy Outdoor is your place. The store is chock full of everything you can think of for enjoying all that the Scenic 98 Coastal area has to offer. I sat down with Dubby Hannon to discuss the latest trends at McCoy Outdoor Company.

I’ve known Dubby pretty much all my life, so I was happy to see him and catch up. He was born in Houston when his father was doing his residency at Houston’s Hermann Hospital. His family moved back to Mobile in 1957. While a student at the University of Alabama, he began working at The Locker Room, a men’s clothing store in Tuscaloosa. “I never interviewed for the job,” he says, “I just started selling clothes one day.” 

After graduating with a degree in Advertising, Dubby went to work at the Locker Room in Montgomery. Two and a half years later, he moved back to Mobile and opened his store, Wm. Moore, selling high-quality casual menswear, suits and accessories. Later, he brought in a partner and changed the name to Hannon & Williams. A few years later, he was tired of retail and left the business to try his hand at other endeavors.

Dubby heard from a friend that Steve McCoy, who started McCoy Outdoor on Government Street in 1975 was ready to sell his business. “I decided to go back to what I knew how to do, retail.” He bought McCoy Outdoor in 2002, which at the time was located in a stand-alone building on Dauphin Street across from McConnell Automotive. 

Steve and Dubby are close friends. “Steve McCoy is a fountain of knowledge. I can pick up the phone and call him anytime. If he’s in town, he usually stops by a couple of times a week.” Dubby inherited a great customer base from Steve. In 2006, McCoy Outdoor moved to its present location on Springhill Avenue just off I-65 and business is good!

McCoy Outdoor is an inviting place to buy everything you need to enjoy the outdoors. Their staff is knowledgeable and can readily answer your questions. During Christmas, business doubles from normal months, but they aren't overwhelmed. “We see wives and grandmothers buying for their husbands, kids, and grandchildren. Fathers are buying first hunting guns, and some are upgrading for their teenagers that have outgrown their first guns. Lots of camouflage,” he says.

The pandemic helped bring people into the store. “Covid was good to us as far as sales go, we didn’t have to close. We saw people we’d never seen before. People couldn’t work so fishing and running took off first, then hunting and everything else. It was a two-year run.” Things are back to normal now; everything is up to speed regarding the supply chain except for some types of ammunition. “Target shooting was popular during Covid.” Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) is popular, especially for turkey hunting, and 410, 28 and 20 gauge are a big part of that.

McCoy Outdoor sells mostly hunting guns. “When it comes to guns or anything else for that matter, we don’t like to buy problems,” says Dubby. “We have really good gun guys – everybody’s go-to gun guy is Stephen Parnell, with Ryan Dixon and Daniel Hughen coming up right behind him.”  During hunting season, they sell equipment, camouflage, boots, and accessories. They carry Beretta, Benelli, and Browning shotguns as well as Retay and Rizzini over-under and side-by-sides.  Their Sitka camouflage is of higher quality with different patterns and a better fit.

Fishing is a year-round sport but is better in the warmer months. They specialize in inshore and freshwater equipment. McCoy carries a lot of conventional high-quality rods and reels like Shimano reels, G-Loomis, and St. Croix rods. They sell fly rods, and some staff members, like Chip Deupree, offer casting lessons. McCoy sells Sage and Reddington fly fishing equipment. “What we try to do is know what our customers like and keep it in stock,” says Dubby.

When Steve McCoy owned the store, they started selling running shoes and brought in local running and marathon enthusiast, Joe Sims, to head up the department. Joe has been a staple at McCoy Outdoor for years and won’t let you buy a shoe that isn’t good for you.  Joe gets quite a bit of physician referral,” says Dubby, “so through his reputation, he has built an important part of our business.”

McCoy sells a line of good-quality sportswear for men. “We’re not trying to be a menswear store, but offer a good selection of casual, ready-to-wear men’s clothes.“ They carry Tom Beckbe (a play on words for the Tombigbee River)  shirts and jackets and sell a lot of waxed cotton jackets and quilted vested jackets. For women, McCoy Outdoor carries Barbour clothing, a popular line from England.

McCoy Outdoor has a great staff and a terrific selection of everything you can imagine for gift-giving the outdoors person in your life. Whatever the season, you really can’t go wrong when shopping there. “Customers come into the store and are trying things on and checking things out again,” says Dubby. “It’s always nice to see old customers and meet new ones too. I love to see folks find what they need and leave happy!” 

Go by McCoy Outdoor and say hello. It’s a great place to shop!