Our pro shop here is awesome guys that know there stuff, with that being said I do all my own work in less I need my bow pressed then I go there because I don't have a press. I love just stopping by there and shooting the bull with everyone, and yes there prices are alittle high but you know they always have what I need when I need it and they are less than a mile from my home so they get my money and the bull I may spread when I am down there..Oh I almost forgot to give them a plug the shop is Grand Valley sporting goods.. Walt
I actually live a mere 7 minutes or so from a small shop. I've done business with him a few times. He's a bit quirky, and frankly I don't exactly 100% trust the guy. I do most of my work, and if I can't do it (like possibly pressing a bow that can't be pressed in my press:p), I'm taking it to Rob.:D
The only pro shop that is affiliated with my bow of choice is about an hour away. Like Christine, I would be there a heck of a lot more if they were closer. That said, I make it in a few times each month, usually to drop off money and see how they are making out and what bows are selling. I am really lucky to have Rob a few miles away. "Poorguy's Archery" isn't a licensed "Pro Shop," but we set up and work on a ton of bows each year and we have a blast doing it. A stocked fridge, 6 or 7 3D targets, and nearly every archery tool you could ask for makes it my go to place. Used to be an every Thursday thing before my little man came, we'll get back there.
I go to Blue Ridge Backwwods in Monticello, IL also. And like Christine said, it's a family atmosphere. They have treated us very, very good. So I have no reason to go anywhere else, even though a shop opened just two miles from my job. I have been there. They seem to be good people too. But Deb has not only earned our business, but become a really good friend. So needless to say if Deb asked us to do something for the shop such as move targets or whatever, I'd be glad to do it. To answer the original question, Not as much as we would be if BRBWs was 40 miles closer.
Not my thing to just go hang out on a pro-shop. Although when the trad shop near me was open, I did enjoy going there to shoot & BS-ing with who ever was in there usually kept me a few extra minutes. But I never went just to hang out. I do stop in to my gun shop (less than 5 minutes away) quite a bit to see what they got, but again, I don't "hang out" like many of the "regulars" who are in there every time I am there.
I only stop when i have to. The individuals that hang out at the shop near me.... well lets say they are not to friendly looking, they sit in front of the store smoking. (nothing against smokers) This makes it a little uncomfortable walking in. The guys that work at the shop are nice and friendly.... but they need to move these loiterers along.
My brother-in-law has an archery shop and that is where I get all of my items. Although it is over 100 miles each way I am still over there quite a bit. I love just hanging out in there and talking with the people that come in.
We have a TON of shops locally. I can think of 8 that are within a half hour of home, and there are probably more smaller places that I'm not thinking of too. I used to be much more involved with the shops, and actually worked for one for a couple years. It got to the point though were things were really too cliquey for me, and I had good friends that were spread through the different shops and different groups. I ended up leaving the shop I worked for because I didn't really want to be associated with any one shop, and because I really didn't need the money anyhow......it was more of an excuse to hang out and keep in touch with friends. These days I visit a shop or two probably once a month, and try to spread my business around to the different shops that I managed to visit. I'm able to keep on better terms with several shops this way and I simply enjoy it more. With that said, I do spend a LOT more time at the local archery club than I used to, I get to shoot a lot more too, and I'm able to hang out a much bigger group of guys than I would typically see in one shop. Now if I'm volunteering time for something, it's for a not for profit club or for a target oriented event (setup, etc), not so much a specific shop.
I've built my home shop up enough that I don't need to go pro shops for anything except to buy a bow really, but I still stop by one shop in particular just to visit and shoot new bows. I usually end up buying something while I'm there too. I know the two guys that run the shop and both are oustanding hunters so it's fun to swap stories and look at trail cam pics on their computer, etc. There is another shop that's alot closer to me but there's 2-3 young punks that work there and they don't know crap but boy they like to run their mouth. My tolerance level for that type of behavior is not real high so I tend to stay away from that establishment.
i used to have a GREAT pro shop to go to in MN (Cabin Fever) but since i've been in IL cant find one. some folks say i should head up north to WI to find one... i say maybe i had the best one for me already and now i'm just lookin for second fiddle. please recommend one if you are in northern IL or southern WI!!!!!!!!
Not involved and don't want to be at all. I just need my bow tuned and worked on every now and then...then I am off.
Let me throw this thought out there. Do you guys think that those of us hanging out around here aren't........hm, how to word this........ The 'typical' archers? Now, please don't read that to mean "elite" or better.........Just a different breed? I say that because hanging out in BH.com and the pro shop, I see both sides of the world. I personally think the folks that hang out in here are a bit more knowledgeable, and tend to do their own stuff. So, it would be a logical assumption that most of us here WOULDN'T hang out in an archery shop.
I don't have extra time to just stop in to stop in... If I'm heading to the pro shop, it's for a purpose... Speaking of the 'regulars' just hanging out - to give you another perspective... I always get a out of place feeling every time I walk in because it seems like it's the same group of guys huddled around, just shooting the bull... I can walk around for 20 minutes without anyone even recognizing me half the time - because they are to caught up in their conversations.... Feels like going to 'that' party that you weren't really technically invited to feeling....
What's the difference between shooting the bull on the internet with guys you don't really know vs. doing the same thing face to face in a pro shop? Is it a time management issue? If it is, then I could understand that. It's cool to do both but I prefer to speak face to face with people, much easier to get a feel for who you're buddying up with. Case in point, there's one small forum that I go on and one of the guys there is considered the archery guru, whitetail guru, fishing guru, etc. What's funny is that I happen to know this guy personally and was suprised as heck to see how much respect he got just b/c of his post count. In person, it takes no more than 5 minutes to gather that this particular dude is windy as a sack full of farts most of the time. Makes you wonder who's on the other side of the computer ... Well that won't win me any "friends" , buy hey that's my opinion, take it for what it's worth.
Luckly I have a shop in my hometown full of good guys willing to help you with anything, i stopped in there a lot this passed year when i needed to gear up for this coming season.(when i realized how short i was of gear)
I steer people their way, but I really don't have time between work and being "Daddy-Daycare" to be hanging out in the shop all that often. I DO however spend enough time there that if I'm setting up a new bow, they know what size peep to put in, what color loop to put on, and what color fletches to use......:D Ain't Dubbya from Oklahoma???? :D
