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MERIDIAN--As part of a trend that began 18 months ago, live fishing bait vending machines have begun appearing at places as diverse as New York City and the rural Hilltop Cafe on Highway 21 near Lucky Peak Dam.
Mirroring the trend that has seen the nationwide number of worm dispensers balloon to 800, Meridian-based AAA Bait tripled its number of live fishing bait vending machines over the summer.
The fishing bait wholesaler entered into a financing agreement to buy its first live fishing bait vending machine in June.
In August, AAA Bait owner Tom Anderson purchased two more of the machines. The 24-hour dispensers, offered by Vending Consultants, Inc., of Des Moines, Iowa, have a principal price of $3,525 with a three-year, 11 percent financing contract.
Although he doesn't expect to reap huge profits in the short term, Anderson is still bullish on the concept.
"I believe it's kind of the wave of the future," he said.
Anderson has the newer additions at Walmart at 8300 Overland Rd. and at the Hilltop Cafe. Anderson's original live fishing bait vending machine location is at the Black Sheep Sporting Goods store at 8100 Fairview Ave.
Anderson has three of Idaho's eight live fishing bait vending machines--an idea commercialized after Vending Consultants discovered that local fishing bait sellers would use sandwich vending machines to store bait.
The response in terms of sales? "Not necessarily overwhelming, but it certainly met my expectations," Anderson said.
So far, Anderson said sportsmen have given the machines good reviews.
"I liked the idea of 24-hour availability for the customer without actually having to be there, or having a person there, because it's very popular for fishermen to go real early in the morning before the stores are open or even late at night," he said. "It might be something they forget."
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