Starting an Archery Shop
 

People brought up that I should open up a shop in my area because of the run of luck that I have had with other shops around the area. When I went to work this morning I talked to a good friend there and he had been talking to his dad about doing the same thing.
We both have plenty to learn still, and are just kicking around the idea. But we both had a LOT of the same ideas and would love to pursue something like this.

My question I guess is, what are some goals we should meet before hand? I plan on getting all the equipment to service bows and do it myself for a while, and probably a couple friends that I hunt with to get a hang of that part of it. Also, does anybody know if there are any online classes, or would it be a good thing to look into a night class somewhere for some type of business management class? What requirements should the two of us meet before we go for it
We both agreed that it would probably take a while, and may be a little rough starting out. But what the hell. You only live once right? And this is something that we both are very passionate about.
Sorry for the long, somewhat rambling post. But I am just looking at what you guys would look for in a shop. And maybe what some of you yourself did before you opened your own shop.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

I dunno but

Whatever you do good luck!

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

haha, thanks. i was really hoping I could get some input from people on here that started from scratch by themselves. rough estimate on the cost?

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

find Buellhunter and I would try posting this in the bowhunting section, gets more attention there

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

No experience with them other than buying a bow at them. BUT the best course of action with most other business is to contact themanufacturers themselves. They want more dealers though some may limit the amount in one area. Talk to them about becoming a distributor and see what they require. Most of themprobably offer free classes etc to be certified with their bows etc. Understand they want more "their brand" certified bowsmiths cuz a "their brand" certified bowsmith is probably going to sell more "their brand" bows than anything else. Lots of manufacturers send out reps who will teach you to install their products if they think you will sell more of them. Likewise talk to arrow manufactures etc and also give you an idea of the amount of cash you need to setup and get some inventory etc. Also some of them may offer free equipment if you sell their products etc. example almost every fishing store has a berkeley or stren line winder as they all sell berkeley or stren line. Alot ofbars willsell one brewers line of beers on tap exclusivelycuz they will get the taps and lines for free and a bunch of credit for doing so.Ask around cuza whole lot of people selling archery stuff would like you to succeed andproabbly offer lots of incentives for doing so.
Hope it helps.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

There are some bow tuning seminars that you can pay for, to teach you the basics. I think PSE runs one. Certainly, you can learn a lot on your own if you buy lots of books on tuning and read everything you can that is available on the internet. Use the search function thoroughly on archery forums to learn as much as you can on a subject. Just be aware that you have to carefully read to discern who is knowledable and who to ignore.

There are ususlly lots of local people who will help small businesses with the general knowledge needed to run a small business. Make some phone calls to your local chamber of commerce and other local small business associations.

My only real advise is to forget about the partnership - they don't work and I mean almost never. For every one that gets by, barely - there are 100 that fail and usually very quickley. No two people have the sames goals and ideas on how things should be run (among a thousand other things you'll disagree on). If you do a partnership, you'll be severely handicapped from the beginning. I can't stress this more. I've seen some last several years, but they all eventually fail and in every single instance the people getting out, wish they had never done it. Don't do it because the other person has money or a building or anything that money can buy. You can hire part-time help a lot cheaper than a partner and you'll pay them less and get to run things your way.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

You have to treat it like a business and not like a hobby if you're going to succeed. Take a real cold, hard, analytical, non-emotional look at it from all angles. Set definite, and realistic business goals for what you want and what you can realistically do/expect. Are you going to buy/lease retail space or work out of your basement/garage? Look at the competition in the area and see if it is realistic to add another shop or is the area already saturated? Employees or are you going to do it all yourself? Full time or just evenings/weekends? Are you willing to give up your evenings and weekends for your customers? (Open the shop for your customers, not for yourself.) Have you got the capital to invest? Most manufacturers want to see a full time pro shop with a minimum annual order for their stuff (although most will work with you if you're in a low density area) figure about $10K for that. It sounds like the best training for you would be a dealer school like the one PSE offers. It gives you some business intro as well as technical training. They have a direct investment in their dealerships, if their dealers succeed, they sell more equipment. It's a lot to weigh out. Do it for the right reasons and stick to your goals and abilities and you'll do well. Over extend yourself and forget about putting the customer first and you won't...

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

And you can forget about hunting for a long time to come.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

Talk to Buellhunter, he opened his own shop this spring in IOWA.

PM him or give him a call. He's a great guy and will talk your ear off about archery.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

Work at an actual shop before you open your own.

That way you can find out specifically what you like and don't like about the "archery shop business".

I could tell you a few around here you should check out to learn how not to run your shop....but I will remain silent.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

WE need more people like u with that acts on thier plans and follows thier dreams. A good archery shop is so important and they are hard to find in my area.

remeber that the customer is always right

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

If there are lots of other archery shops in your area, then you might want to consider NOT opening one up. At least, not in direct competition.

I have been contimplating opening up my own shop for a long time. And I, like you, am going to take a chance on a dream to be my own boss.

However, where I live, there are LOTS of archery shops, within easy driving distance. To boot, Bass Pro, Gander Mountain and Cabelas are all building within the next two years. BPS and GM have already set opening dates and are building. The local giant retailer is also building a bigger store.

So how am I to survive? You have to ask yourself that question. What can you do that those other places can't or won't?

For me, thats opening up a HUGE range. Two thirty target courses, elevated practice range, broadhead range, indoor 5 stand and indoor spots. In my county, its illegal to shoot your bow in your yard. Anyplace zoned residential is off limits to bows. So all of these stores are going to be selling all these bows and no one will have a place to practice. Enter me. I'm going to have a small repair shop, and sell arrows and what not, and probably even a few bows somewhere down the line. I'm planing on having a "rent a shop" program where folks who want to work on their own stuff can come in and use the press and tools, and ask questions to learn more about their own equipment, which I think will be totally unique to the archery industry.

But, I'll be focused on service. If somebody needs something ordered... thats my place to step in. No middle men or anything like that... no purchasers or warehouses.

Thats what I have found a need for. And thats something you should focus on... don't try and compete with big boxes and/or established businesses, try and expound on them. Carry what they don't have. Be flexible and willing to work with people, or offer a service/facility that others don't.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

Well, I have owned my own shop. I have a friend that opened his own HUGE shop complete with indoor video range and 30yd butt range. He has league shoots and handles all the large brands. I have helped another young man get his archery shop, again, both indoor video and butt ranges. ALL the big brands.

Here is what I can tell you from experience of 3 shops. ARCHERY ALONE CANNOT SUSTAIN MORE THAN ONE FAMILY. You can't have a partner and use this as your only source of income. I would have enough money in the bank to live off of for 3yrs. Yes, 3yrs because any business if the business plan was sound and stuck to, will know whether it will survive in 3yrs. You must have something of a range to bring people in. 3D ranges bring in $$$ Find a top shooter and have him and a couple other guys shoot regularly and beat others. Then, guys will spend $$$ getting more and better equip to beat them. This will work inyour 3yr plan but not long term.

You must have another sustaining source of traffic and financial flow. Guns for instance, or possibly trophys and shirts or uniforms for local youth sports teams/leagues and the school system. Treat 'em right on the prices. I used to build Custom Muzzleloaders. Another business I would run from....FAST!

You must be located far enough away from other dealers to get franchises for Mathews, Hoyt, Parker, and Bowtec, Ross would be nice also. Get the ones you CAN'T get from wholesalers. Crossbows are coming on strong.

Paintball Ranges and equipment can be a great summer source of income as well.

Archery alone won't do it though....I PROMISE.

As for class. PSE has as GREAT Dealer School in Tuscon, AZ. Although here in the East they are not a good brand to have much stock in, you can learn a great deal there. But you have to be a franchise to go, or at least you did. I went. I stocked the bows, I dropped them like wildfire. Too many issues and they change lines toofast. The ones 6 mos old are now old news and you better like to eat bows for breakfast......'cause you will eat them.

As for startup. I would say if it is a business, not a hobby, you will need at least 50K in credit or cash. Be careful with bows. You have to have them, and keep one of each set up and FORCE folks to shoot 'em. But, if they don't sell by the first week of season or at a christmas clearance sale, you will lose $$$ on them. Accessories can hang, but keep them dusted. You may have to sell them on sale, but you will move them. Arrows are where your bread is buttered.

Next CHARGE FOR YOUR TIME. If you work on a bow, after the first year it was purchased from you, charge for your time. People expect to pay. One yr. free on a bow you sell is fine, but not after that. Besides, it may encourage someone to buy a new one. If someone brings you a walmart rest they can't figure out. Charge them roughly what it cost them to tune it, then tell them if they had bought it from you, you would have put it on, tuned it for free and they would have saved $$$. Folks learn quick when they learn from their wallet.

You can't take bows on trade. No matter how bad folks want you to, you can't. Offer to put them on a used rack for them if they buy a new one from you, but don't trade or hang it up to sell before they buy a new one.

Next. FORGET IT. VERY FEW EVER MAKE IT AND YOU WILL LOSE 3YRS DOING IT AND YOU WON"T GET TO HUNT AT ALL THOSE 3YRS.

One thing I would consider for fun and $$$$$$$ is deer farming. Little land, and a fence and you can keep your job while you raise your herd and buck size. Then in 3 yrs you have a gold mine. Check both out and see which owners are happiest with the decision they made.

Sorry But I wouldn't do it over at all. <NEVER MAKE A HOBBY YOUR BUSINESS>

Dave (dbowguy) Dryridge. Former owner, Strait Shootin' Arms and Archery

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

Geez, what did I do, kill this thread??? SO, what are you thinking now??? Feel free to ask questions I will be honest and if I don't know I will try to find out.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

This is something I've been thinking about since I was a teenager. The biggest thing you have to be willing to do is commit your time and money and not give up after a few months or ever a year or 2.

Dryidge makes a good point that you must be willing to invest 3 yrs(time and money) to hope for the shop to work. The 3 yrs applies to any business and people must be willing to put that kind of time in to make it. Don't just quit your regular jobs when you open the shop. The first 3 yrs you may only have the shop open at night and weekends.

Swampcollie makes great points on the range you have. A broadhead range just doesn't exist in my area and I don't own a yard to shoot in. Having a place for people to shoot broadheads and from elevated locations would be a good draw. Technohunts are great. however, the cost of a unit is very high.

Here's another idea that is probably a must and came from a magazine that is made for shop owners. You have to start a youth archery class. You are trying to generate future sales as well as sales today. By starting children into archery you hope that one day they will remember you and return to the shop. This may mean donating timeor equipment.

PM MDBUCKHUNTER and ask him what magazines I just game him. They are from a friend of mine who owned a shop that are for archery store owners and have a lot of useful information on how to set-up and run a shop.

Location is a huge thing. My friend had his shop in the boonies of PA and have very little traffic flow. The area he was in wasn't exactly the best place to try and make money. A bad location will kill the business fast.

How you lay out your shop will also impact sales.How you treat your customers will have a big impact too. As stated by Dryridge it's ok for a while to do some things for free for a customer. However, eventually, you have to make money and the good customers are willing to pay for good service.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

I have been thinking it over a lot lately. It would still be a couple years off I am sure. So much planning, and all that good stuff.

Some things I have thought are having an elevated 3d range with full body decoys set up in particular situations. Like having telephone poles or something similar up to simulate trees that would simulate hunting situations. Stuff like that.

Another thing would obviously be an indoor range. For the bow shops that we have around here all they have is like 10-15 yards at most.

I also gave thought to the classes for kids. The thing that sparked my interst in that was the NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) I am pretty sure that is what it is called. I also thought about the fact that if you get the kids into archery, and they stick with it. They will remember you, and it would be easier for them to come to you and ask questions. That is if I'm not a huge ass to them during the classes ;)

Also having events on weekends and stuff like that, with contests at the 3D ranges and stuff like that. Have the winners be able to pick prizes from a certain price range. I don't expect to become a millionaire or anything like that. Just be able to support a family of my own. The other guy has already stopped talking about it. Kind of thought that he would, he is the type to get hyped up about something for about 2 days and move on to something else. The other shops around here really haven't impressed me much. I doubt that I am the only one in the area that has been disapointed by them.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

Was all good advice until this part!

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

Buck Slayer, Look at what you typed buddy. You talk about going to schools, TIME. Weekend events. TIME. That is time away from family. Including your kids in the business is a sure way to burn them out on it and you.

Next the elevated stand range...great idea if it is indoors so it can be used when it isn't too hot or too cold or too wet or too dry, but that costs big $$$ to build, then the insurance.

I don't want to tell you only bad stuff, but man, I know for a fact, that it is mostly bad unless you like being in a shop 7days a week. Another thing. FORGET BUILDING A SHOP AND WORKING> YOU CAN'T DO IT. You gonna work a job 8hrs, then be in the shop 5 or 6 everyday. Soon you will realize you no longer have that family you are trying to support. Get off these boards and talk to business men. You can't start small and build into a big shop either. You have to go big or stay home. If you truly want to make money, you have to look like you are a millionaire already when you start it. Look at the successful sporting goods stores. Are the little and dingy? Or Huge expanses with the nice displays and nothing cluttered. To they have a coffee pot and a half worn out couch, or a cooler that sells sodas and ifyou find place to sit it is on a treestand display. Hangouts aren't moneymakers. Those guys that spend half a day there are there because they aren't working and making money to spend.

I just don't want you to loose a bunch of money and possibly the family you tried to support. It happens all the time. And when do you hunt, while at work or the shop or with your family at home?

Did you think about the deer farm. Seriously...there's a money maker and you aren't tied to it or anyone elses demands.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

That would be something different, but I guess I don't even know what the hell a deer farm really consists of. making my own estrous scents and stuff like that? What is the big money maker there? I am going to google deer farms and read up on them a little bit.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

You make money selling deer semen for Artificially Inseminating does, by selling deer for other farms; both does and bucks are needed. You can sell bucks to shooting preserves once they grow good antlers. There is also a market for antler velvet for arthitis medication, smaller antlers for crafts, and you can throw in some red stags for meat, or fallow for meat. There is no end to it. Butfarms are growing and the market is growing as well. The avg deer can bring you up to 5 times that of a cow on less than 1/3 the feed and requires less property. Just need a higher fence. You can also charge for tours of the facility.If I weren't disabled I would be in the deer business.
My friend is doing it and makes over 75k/yr on 9 acres.

Check with others in both businesses and see who is happier. Those deer will eat, grow and raise little ones with only a minimum of time invested. Initial investment will be about the same for both businesses (DONE RIGHT)

All My Best. I am glad you want to be your own boss and grow a business in the US. It is truly the American dream. However, I know it can also be a nightmare. It all depends on how you start, and the connections you have. It takes connections with financial people/institutions, Vendors, consumers and others in the business that will help you.
Despite what you feel about the high fence operations, they exist and will pay up to 4,000 for a two year old buck with 140-160 antlers. This is where food and genetics come in. I saw a buck this week that was 15mos old and has antlers that will go 180 right now, with a month of growing time to go. Look Up HIGH ROLLER. He is 6 I believe and scores over 400". There is semen on the market at $10,000/ 5cc straw for bucks like Samson, and Highroller that produce this type of 18month old deer.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

I have wanted a place in the country for some time now...maybe this would be something to look into. 75k on 9 acres sounds pretty good. 75k around here is upper class. haha, join the local golf club and let them all know I sell semen. haha, just kidding, I don't golf

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

I worked part time at a very successful shop in Indiana for 2 years, the owner did end up selling the shop because he wanted to pursue other interests. He offered me the shop, but to be honest I was nervous about tying up rainy day money in an iffy business. He was in alot better shape than me financially. You only have about a 5, maybe 6 month period that you need to make all the coin it will take to support your shop when business slows for the year or comes to a major halt. IMHO you would be better doing this on your own if you are serious, because when you have to many invlolved everyone wants things their way, and that doesn't always benefit the shops best interests. I do have all the equipment at my house that was in the shop, and I am still tossing around the idea of my own shop, but I want it to be where I can keep watch over it, and something that I start and build myself. If you decide to do this learn all you can anyway you can, and then go for it. You do only live once, but like stated obove, you must be able to accept that you will have to give up alot of your free time for this adventure, mosty your hunting as this will be your busiest time of year. GOOD LUCK.

RE: Starting an Archery Shop
 

You could learn a lot from the posts about bowtech dealers, how to deal with customers and such.......:D

F.