Your Proshop
 

I'm just wondering what ya'll think of your local proshop. I frequent 3 in my area and none of them really ever want to give me the time of day. And I can go into all three, ask a question, and get 3 different answers. And to top it off, I come here and hear stories of guys getting told all kind of crazy things from their proshop. Things like dropaways wont work on vft bows. Give me a break! I've learned infinitely more on these boards than I ever will at any proshop. Thanks to all that give valuable info on a daily basis. What do ya'll think? Is your proshop any better?

RE: Your Proshop
 

I hate mine. To become a member you have to pay $300.00 per year. Not only that but everything is overpriced, BIG TIME. A Tube of fletch glue that sells regularly for $6.99 at the local sporting goods store costs about $12.99 at the Pro Shop. They won't help you with problems over the phone, you HAVE to bring the bow in so they can charge you to work on it. It's closed Sundays and Mondays to members only. Most of the kids working there don't know squat about squat, they have to look everything up in books and manuals which takes forever, increasing your bill.

RE: Your Proshop
 

I've never heard of a proshop charging a membership fee! That is ridiculous. Who do they think they are? And people pay it?

RE: Your Proshop
 

If you don't like that, you better not ask any here because you'll probably get 20 different answers. :D

With bow shops, it's just like anything else. You have to look for the good ones and that can take some time.

RE: Your Proshop
 

I go to a Pro shop in Saddle Brook and am treated very well. You should try to get to know the person taking care of you on a first name basis. This way he gets to know you and your bow. Also go there in the so called off season and you'll get more personal care. Don't wait till right before the season opens. I went in once to get some extra scent that I didn't need and the place was swamped,Turned around and left. And all I thought was glad I had every thing I needed and taken care of months before hand. Next time he saw me he commented on how people wait till the last minute. He had a guy come in the night before opener wanting arrows. Remember everyone out there will be glad to take your money, but only some are willing to earn it.

RE: Your Proshop
 

It sounds like you folks have had some bad experiences. I do not blame you for having some of the feelings that you do. However, as Straightarrow mentioned, there are bad shops and good ones. I can think of at least 3 in my area that I would have no problem taking my bow to if I needed to get a repair done on it. However, there are also a few that I will not buy from not to mention take my bow there for work. ;)

RE: Your Proshop
 

After reading this I would never shop there again. I would tell the owner you are going to buy everything online just so you can cut his throat.;)
My local proshop is a good one. The owner bends over backwards to help you. He does not want to sell you a bow until you have shot it and every other bow in the shop that will fit you. I have spent just about $2,000 in his shop this year alone. I tell him his service keeps me coming back. I know I could buy things cheaper online. I know he will be there for me after the sale. I gladly pay extra for his top quality service.

RE: Your Proshop
 

I like mine, I work there;)

RE: Your Proshop
 

They couldnt get the "drop zone" fall away to work on my VFT samson .... and they tried and tried... went back to the quicktune, no problems.

shed

RE: Your Proshop
 

Swamp Dawg, I was actually going to ask the same question myself. I have only been to two in my area and they seem extremely snobbish. I spent quite a bit of money at one in 2003. I went back three times in about 2 months times for adjustments and they acted like they were going out of their way to make adjustments. Once, I couldn't even get them to help me! I walked around for about 10 minutes and no one even so much as acknowledged I was there. Needless to say, that was the last time I went there.[:@]

I would really like to know if anyone can recommend one in the DFW area that would really like to help fellow archers and not push them away? I don't want to name names on a public forum but if anyone would like to e-mail me that would be great. thanks

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Your Proshop
 

Mine is Ok.
The guy will answer questions that you have, but will not volunteer any information about the subject at hand. Not a very good word of Mouth place.
Most everyone I talk to would rather just talk to their buddies or someone they might know has been doing it for years.
Kinda sucks for those just starting out. Did for me.

RE: Your Proshop
 

I basically have to travel 50 miles to go to a small shop a guy has in his basement to get the quality of service I expect. Locally, I have probably four or five shops that I will not go to for various reasons except to just use their range. The fellow that I go to knows this and I call in advance of driving 50 miles, so I'm sure he can do the work I need while I'm there.

Most of the time though, I can pretty much do all maintenance on the bow in my basement. Last time I saw him it was to change a 80 percent module to a 65 percent on my Parker. The guys at Gander looked at me like I was nutts when I asked them if they had the module.

RE: Your Proshop
 

Im tired of the games at pro shops. I have started to do my own bow work.If they don;t treat me well they dont need my money.

RE: Your Proshop
 

As a younger bow hunter living in New Jersey..there was a ripoff artist in Belleville New Jersey and a couple of real decent ones in other parts.. Good and bad in everything but I especially remember the ripoff artist..

RE: Your Proshop
 

There isn't a real big selection of archery shops here but the shop i deal with is pretty darn good. The shop i go to are the inventors of the APA ultimate rest and these guys really seem to know their stuff. The are efficient, knowledgeable, they will help you out with any type of a question or a problem and they are realy dedicated to their customers. The bow shop is an hour away from me and they guys told me if i ever need anything and don't want to drive just to give them a call and they will drop it off at my place when they are coming this way.

RE: Your Proshop
 

I like mine! This Guy will take all day to help me out if nessesary. He's never steered me wrong. This guy is at a gander Mountian he's the only one that I let touch my bow. He even gives me the heads up if i can get a better price some where else.

RE: Your Proshop
 

oldelkhunter you can't mean Len on washington.? He is a very prominent figure in the bowhunting community.

RE: Your Proshop
 

My shop is run by a guy whose shop is attached to his garage. He will bend over backwards to help you out. I have seen him put a new string on bows and not charge because they bought the new string from him. I have seen him spend what ever time it takes to get a peep sight just right and only charge for the peep.

RE: Your Proshop
 

I love mine. They just donated a brand new PSE competition bow to some turkey hunters.:) I was 9 tickets away.[:@]:D

RE: Your Proshop
 

We are lucky here in Western Washington . . . we have three [and probably more] within a short drive. And ALL are SUPERIOR.

Remember though even Pros will differ.

RE: Your Proshop
 

We're lucky enough to have a few good ones around here now. There was a particular one (opinionated S.O.B) that was the only one close awhile ago that prompted me to learn how to do all of my own work. It's something thats very easily learned and is very rewarding in alot of ways when you can do everything yourself from fixing your own bow , maint. , etc. to cutting and fletching your own arrows.

RE: Your Proshop
 

Mine isnt worth beans......so I'm learing and slowly buying my own equipment to do the work myself.

RE: Your Proshop
 

Understand he is also in the bowhunter hall of fame also. He taught me how to shoot a bow though and I am a better shooter because of him . But I paid a steep price for it.

RE: Your Proshop
 

are you talking about butts and bows ?? i always though len was a little high ,but i didn't think he was a ripoff! i got my first bow from him way back in 1979 ,still have it too!

RE: Your Proshop
 

Its not until I moved out of the area and tried other bowshops that I realized how much I overpaid for going to his shop. Lets leave it at that .

RE: Your Proshop
 

Small world, we all patronized the same shop, Len was a good instructor. Got my Bow license from him in 83 although I received my shotgun license in 1970.

RE: Your Proshop
 

Jerseyhunter, it is a small world , He taught the hunter safety course for archery back in 71 thats when I got my first bow license. He gave me very good tips on shooting but problem back then was he had no competition and compounds were just starting to appear so I guess he could charge what he wanted at the time.

RE: Your Proshop
 

oldelkhunter
i quit going there in the late eighties only because i found a place i liked better, i don't live in nj anymore ,but there is always someone somewhere who only cares about the almighty dollar.there are two shops around here both are good and there prices are about the same ,but higher than the catalogs.

RE: Your Proshop
 

thats where i took my hunter saftey course back in 1979.

RE: Your Proshop
 

I lived in Bloomfield back then how about you guys?

RE: Your Proshop
 

Jerseyhunter I lived in Lyndhurst