Business Opportunity

[lbb]

I hope that I got someones attention that can/will look into this!! I wish that I had the funds and knowledge to pursue this opportunity.

There is NO indoor archery range in the Northeast Georgia area. There are NO open 3D ranges in the Northeast Georgia area. Unless there is a pro shop that I'm unaware of, There are none to speak of North of Gainesville.

I have shot the Northeast Georgia circuit and know that there are MANY competitive archers from this area. I attended a shoot a couple of weeks ago that was put on by B.C. Grant Church, near Baldwin Ga. This was their 15th annual shoot. I would be surprised if there were less than 500 participants from the surrounding area at this 1 shoot. If they need their bows tuned or accessories added/purchased, they have to drive over 20 miles to get to the nearest archery/ gun/ golf/ whatever else store to even ask about it.

It seems to me that a good/ proficient pro shop that offered a decent selection of the more popular items along with good service and a decent technician could make a killing!! If that shop were to set up in a manor to have an indoor archery range and a weekly indoor spot shoot in which everyone attending had to walk through the pro shop to get to the indoor range, it couldn't go wrong.

Anyone with cash, knowhow and initiative should consider the area of Habersham, Stephens, White, Lumpkin, Towns, and Union counties.

I wish I could do it, but I wouldn't know where to begin.

 

[Adams Family]

Good luck . I have been preaching this for years . I coach 4-h archery in Banks County . I have been to other bow shops south if here and the youth participation was unbelievable . All the shoots I have been to this year the numbers seam to be low . Everyone wants to know how to get more people in start with the youth! They'll bring the rest if the family. A indoor facility would great. Spot , FITA, 3-d indoor ect . Love to see it happen. Gainesville area would be great .

 

[Crow T]

The problem is...the internet has taken a good portion of sales away from bow shops, ESPECIALLY on accessory items. The thinking of most people is...why would I pay $140 for a dozen of arrows when I can order the same exact arrows online and have them delivered to my door for $70. I don't know what the overall markup is on items in archery...but shops can't pay employees and pay rent for a building...and sell everything at cost. So with that said, most of them can't compete with prices on the internet. Stand alone bow pro shops are hard to find. Most places have to offer other merchandise in order to keep the doors open. Add in to the fact that most archers in this area are hunters, and couldn't care less about competition or shooting year round...and the profit window/busy time for shops is just a couple/few months out of the year. I think is very hard to open the doors to a bow only shop and stay alive. But that's just my take on the matter. Most of the bow only shops that I know of, also have an online store of some sort as well so that would be one way of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em".

Jeff and Tate at Benton Shooters in Benton TN are two of the best bow techs you are going to find in southeast TN area. They also attract quite a few archers that come all the way from North Carolina and north Georgia. They have quite an inventory of bows on hand...one of the biggest in the area. Most other bow shops might be dealers for brands but don't have any in stock to shoot or even look at. BUT, Benton isn't a bow only shop...although I do think they have established themselves well enough that they could have a stand alone archery shop. They would be one of the few to pull it off IMO.

 

[C Cape]

Daniel is right on point as the internet has made it really tough for pro shops to survive. The sad thing is I can match or beat prices to most anything you can buy online but still install products that were bought online. We try to price everything inline with what it can be bought for on the net to get people to shop local.

It sounds easy but it's a tough business to stay in having 5 years experience in two different shops. It's very competitive between most dealers and almost cut-throat you could say. A buddy of mine the other day said there's enough of the pie for everyone to get a piece talking about my shop and another local shop. Sadly that isn't really the case as your margins are not good to begin with and if you want to compete with another shop it's even worse. Another thing that makes it tough is when you have some shops that don't have a store front but are allowed to sell certain products. I don't have a problem with that as I have been in that boat but it's hard to compete price wise when they have very little overhead.

 

[bamaboy]

I buy 90% of my stuff on line from Lancaster, Ebay, Amazon, or sometimes even from the wholesalers themselves. Much cheaper prices than a Pro Shop and no burning fuel at $3.50 plus a gallon. My Black Eagle arrows, my Vapor Trail rest, my Bohning nocks and My Blazer vanes, etc... all bought from on line shopping. I can not tell you how many times I have been in Pro Shops and said " They must be crazy charging these prices, I can get them on line for way cheaper"

 

[gcs]

I buy 90% of my stuff on line from Lancaster, Ebay, Amazon, or sometimes even from the wholesalers themselves. Much cheaper prices than a Pro Shop and no burning fuel at $3.50 plus a gallon. My Black Eagle arrows, my Vapor Trail rest, my Bohning nocks and My Blazer vanes, etc... all bought from on line shopping. I can not tell you how many times I have been in Pro Shops and said " They must be crazy charging these prices, I can get them on line for way cheaper"

I can understand the cost of gas and driving to a pro shop. I buy online new and used, but I still go to my local archery shops to give them business also. Yes, most of the time the pro shops are higher on stuff. But I think it is worth it for good customer service. The small retailers has to make a living too... I'm a ferm believer in customer service!!