another shop goes under
General Topic
A local gun and archery shop is hanging it up, after decades of operation in the same small store.
For those decades, ANYTHING I needed was a 15 minute drive away. The owner's a good guy, gunsmith, and extremely archery knowledgeable.
He's got his inventory on an on line auction, and is only going to do the gunsmith and arrow building...no retail.
On line shopping was something he couldn't compete with, and that's a shame. A vist to his shop was never a quick stop...the bull was to be shot, stories exchanged, and general good nature banter.
I do my share with the fine sponsors here and on LW, but I was just looking for a new glove for my longbow. There's NOTHING else around...on line is the only option now, and that kinda sucks.
I miss those old hunting stores...gone the way of the dinosaur....
Yes they just can’t compete and it not just the prices but there is a much info available online on how to do Your own work on stuff. Not a lot of reason to visit
The industry is changing. Online ordering, crossbows the family can share, less range time required, etc. I have a bunch of friends who are shop owners and they are needing to adapt more than ever if they want to remain in the business.
Don't forget to blame the outdoor channel for sending the salt of the earth to walmart to stock up on rages.
Yep it's those damm crossbows... again.
Blame Al Gore for inventing the internet. It is not just small shops, nor is it just archery. Big box stores and malls are going down also. Times are changing/have changed. I find myself not only missing small shops, but really miss the catalog days. JC Penny, Monkey Wards, Sears, the good old days. My nephew was looking at one of my cycling sales small catalogs the other day. I told him about the olden days when we had to fill out the order form by hand, write out a check, stuff an envelope, mail the thing and wait a few weeks for our products.
Where is John to tell us how good it was back in the day, and how he wrote an article about it and people loved it!?
The OP said it’s been open “decades”, I suspect the owner was as much ready to “retire” as shut down. I also feel that shops that are “never a quick stop” are in many ways killing themselves. I can’t tell you how many times I have been in places like that where there are random guys at the counter BS’ing (not spending $) and I feel like a complete outsider and am treated like one! And honestly I think people pay for convenience, and when online pricing is better, more convenient, and I don’t have to feel uncomfortable in the situation. Then yeah, I’m gonna do that! I know guys will disagree with me on that (mainly the ones siting at the counter BSing), but I’m sure there are lots of guys like me out there too. It’s a different world...
—jim
Funny in Winnipeg wholesale Sports died, and Cabelas now sucks big time. I see my local archery shop doing better than before.
For a lot of things you can’t beat buying something on amazon in a minute and a half and having it st your door two days later. Pretty sweet.
Its not just sporting goods fighting for existence. Look at hardware stores, the days of walking in a place with squeaky wood floors and being able to buy anything from nails to dynamite have been over for a long time. Now it's Lowes or Home depot with everything made in china. If what you need isn't in a blister pack on the wall you're out of luck.
I shop at the local store as much as possible. If I have an issue in the middle of archery season I don't think an online place will help me over night.
Scott
I love the small bow/gun shops. I was in one yesterday and its great to go through the used guns and not knowing what brand or caliber can be had for less then a new one. It is boring going online for new guns. I go to the archery side and bs with one of the guys behind the counter and it passes the time. The new age is convenient but the old days are great as well.
Well...the proprietor HAS been at it a long time. But, he's not boarding the place up. He IS getting out of the retail biz for reasons posted. Just going with basic gunsmith, arrow building, and repairs.
My angst with this trend is not being able drop in to pick up a new glove, or what ever a guy needs NOW. So, by "saving money" on line I get to wait til the UPS guy shows up and paying "shipping and handling" practically doubles the cost.
The problems vary greatly. Around here, our archery stores pretty much suck. I patronize a local lady that does a lot of online sales but she also has a store as well. And she has 2 techs that’ll schedule to help you with your bow.
I can’t speak for other shops, But the ones here are terrible with customer service.
As far as cross bows go, I’m not a cross bow guy, but common sense is this:
If they really are hurting vertical bow sales and accessories, then somebody is buying the crossbows and their accessories. Either evolve with the times business wise, or die. That’s just a basic fact. No amount of “superior” bow hunters will change that basic philosophy.
I have had to change and evolve Immensely in my own business. I can either stand back and Bitch and moan about the labor pools, or I can do something about it. I chose to make the necessary changes.
The crossbow isn’t responsible for aids and cancer
"The crossbow isn’t responsible for aids and cancer"
"Where is John to tell us how good it was back in the day, and how he wrote an article about it and people loved it!?"
I can't stop laughing at this.
Id spend my money local if I got something for my dollar. The local guys turned themselves into mini cabelas and killed the archery league, it was "too much work" then wonder why bow sales dropped. Then hire high school kids to work on bows. Nope. I bought my own press.
I've been in a few of those shops Jim mentioned...... you stand at the counter for several minutes watching the "regulars" shoot the chit before your existence is acknowledged. Then you get the attitude as the "boss" struts out and puts on a show for all his buddies...... "you don't want that..... it's not what you need and it's junk anyway..... here's what you need...."
Some places it's a shame they couldn't make it work...... others deserve it......
Oh it's junk, well, why are you selling junk? Do you have what I know I need or not? Good bye and have a nice day.
I've always supported the idea to spend my dollars where it matters most. Sometimes it's a .com and others it's 20 miles from my house. I exclusively by bows local and any dealer required accessories. Any others I may "outsource".
Some thrive and continue to provide superior service and product.
We had a shop here in Eastern Pa for years owned by Dan Neebe, called Bow4It. He was a warm and friendly guy who knew a lot about everything hunting and walked the walk. He just loved to hunt and fish and started his shop in the basement of his home, before building a separate building right next to it, From then on his home was always the to-go to for anyone that wanted to learn or buy. He gave away his time and knowledge for years, until his wife made him charge for his work like a normal shop would. Unfortunately and very sadly, his health got the better of him and he had to give up the shop. I understand that some of his old employees bought it and moved it. I tried to find it the other day to go by and check it out...but apparently it has closed down. Breaks my heart frankly. He taught me to hunt, he helped me to learn to shoot, and he taught me to enjoy myself out there no matter what. I still remember the day that he explained that when in a stand, you had to remain motionless for long periods of time to elude the deer. . I was amazed, and horrified at the idea. It is now 25 years later and I guess that I got it
There is always a good story about the local shop and the great stories but the stories kill your local shop. Every second i stood around telling stories cost me money I wasn't selling anything or working on repairs ect, ect! Impossible to compete price wize when you purchae 600 arrow shafts and Amazon is buying 6000 guess who gets the better price? I had a good run of seventeen years owner of local archery shop and made a nice living and best of all knew every body in town really great to be able to say I still have a ton of friends! God bless you all it was great fun, many thanks, be kind to yourself!!
A good buddy of mine had a pretty successful shop for a lot of years. It got so that all the manufacturers required him to carry so much inventory that it didn't make sense.
grubby makes a good point as well. Pretty hard on the little shops when manufacturers are requiring so much investment to be a distributor for their products. Inventory is great and necessary, If not in stock and have to order..... folks may go elsewhere or just order their own. But it can kill business as well. It's money.... sitting on shelves..... and if it doesn't move it's tougher to eat than an AZ elk tag.......
