Starting a home Traditional Shop

[rp65]

Has anyone started a traditional Shop at your home? What was it and how did it go? I would really enjoy it, but not sure what it be like to get started. There is just very little as far as shops that even understand traditional equipment where I live. I even thought about finding a small shop in the area and see if they would start stocking equipment, and offer some knowledge to help them out. I'm no expert buy any means, but I sure know more than any of the shops I go to. The closest Traditional shop from me is about three hours away.

[Scott Beitzel]

sure would be nice as even  we don't have a trad shop around here anywhere . almost everything we have here is for new archery so it's either make it or order it .

.

even a small shop would be nice . anywhere
jus my 2 cents.

Scott

[stevewills]

well i hope you have the shoppers to justifie the product overhead.the only one i know of around here is three rivers,and its like 4 hrs away.i always wanted a shop of my own and im not wanting the overhead right now.the shop here in town can order everything i need next day and what i dont need right away 3 rivers gets a call.i live by cinncinati and would love to find a shop close that was trad friendly,i just dont have alot of trad shooters around here to justifie my own shop,my mother passed in augest and told me before she left us that she took out a larger insurance policy for me to start a shop,gonna hold out for a little bit till i see what the economy is gonna do....good luck to you wish you all the luck

[Breakfast Boy]

I think you would really have to offer something special.  A small shop that also does mail order at low prices might do alright.  An indoor shooting range, even if it's just one target in the back of your garage or pole barn might help draw in a small traditional only league or something.  Just depends on the size of your town and how much business you think you can pull in.

[Mo. Huntin]

We had one bout an hour from here but it must have folded because I can't reach him anymore.  He was a real nice guy to.  I have a good friend who had a compound shop in his house and he said he did not make much money doing it but he liked it.  The fella below me reminded me I should say that both of the shops mentioned above where supplemental income.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Brock at Bull Mountain Archery has a successful home shop.  I get all my archery stuff from him as do a bunch of other folks around here.  I think you need to ponder how many customers you will have and how you will bring more to your shop.  I don't think your going to make a living at it.  I think it will be supplemental income.

[pumatrax]

From what I've seen and researched , about 10 to 12 percent of archers shoot traditional equipment...I have a very small trad shop (with a store front) here in CO. It's a tough market here but is probably better back east. Definitely not a get rich quick business...to be honest ; for me it's more of a hobby...I do like meeting and talking to traditional archers though...never met a trad guy I didn't like...good luck ; Doug

[Canyon]

I was warned by a person I admire greatly that making your hobby a job is always a mistake.

[Spectre]

I am trying to do exactly the same thing, but, as already stated here, a traditional shop might not be a life-changer. I intend to carry toys for the training wheel set, too.

[Hookeye]

Possible problems:

Many trad guys are "do it yourself" types.

Then there's the cost savings (real or imagined) of non overhead shopping (the internet and or mail order).

Potential converts to traditional are often hesitant, trust big hunting stores more than small shops (after all, in their archery catalogs they do have some trad gear).

Starting out, no name, word of mouth is gonna take a while.

Tough gig.

I too have thought about it, since I wprked at a gun/bow shop for a while.

But I learned quickly that customers come in all shapes and sizes..........rude, mean, stupid, dishonest etc.

Not enough good ones to make me want them (open invite to the general populace) coming over to my house or calling me on the phone.

It's fun to make and fix stuff, the backroom workbench is a Heaven. The front counter is Hades.

[vtmtnman]

I'm thinking about this as well,but I want to do wheel archery too.(Gotta have what sells)

If you're going to do trad only you MUST do internet orders and have a website,otherwise you'll never make any money.The trad market is terrible small around a given area.The use of a website would increase your customer base largely.

[ckanous]

I think Hookeye summed it up great. I do believe you weed out some of the crazies by going with a trad only shop, seems to be more genuine people involved with trad archery.

[Mike Yancey]

When you start out its not only the problem of not selling much but the buying as well. It will take years to find the best places to buy your product and when you start out you can't buy it cheap enough to make any money at all, it takes time to build up to the volume of business that you can buy at the next level. You must buy in volume to get it at a good price or you are simply trading dollars.
 There expences in starting up a business as well, some costs will be a one time deal others will come all the time. The first five years are tough it will seem like all you do is work for the shop with no time or money for you and you will have to put a bunch of your own money into the business the first few years unless you have a huge start up amount.
 The main thing I guess is that you can't make it simply by buying product at dealer price and selling it, you have to buy it at the next level to make it and you have to offer something they can't get just anywhere.
 The next thing is if Traditional Archery isnt a way of life for you and not just a neat little thing you do a month or so a year it wont work either. You have to love it because if you dont it wont be long before you hate it.
Mike

[PA-Spot]

Good Luck Have thought of doing the same thing. But so far have talked myself out of it. Like to hunt to much to get tyed down.

[Shaun]

There are at least two great trad shops in MN - a big one in the SE at Rochester and another up north I think near Bemidji.

[longbowman]

I did it, it worked and I'm glad I gave it up!  I will probably do it again in a couple of years but this time all I want to do it break even and maybe get some extra cash for a hunt now and then.  If you want to make a living off it I'd say try the lottery you'll get further faster.  Every successful one I know the guys wife has a great job and benefits or they are retired.

[Bill Carlsen]

How much of your own hunting time are you willing to give up? Seriously...that's when guys want stuff and want it NOW!

[NancyVTAS]

Rick I would not get involved with the wheels, every day there is a new gadget,you can't afford to carry all of them and the tech guys all want the latest and greatest. I have found my trad guys want a place away from all of the hoopla, also there is abig differance in the 2 personalities. Just a thuoght from one that is there.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Originally posted by Canyon:
I was warned by a person I admire greatly that making your hobby a job is always a mistake.

[Swamp Yankee]

Originally posted by NancyVTAS:
Rick I would not get involved with the wheels, every day there is a new gadget,you can't afford to carry all of them and the tech guys all want the latest and greatest. I have found my trad guys want a place away from all of the hoopla, also there is abig differance in the 2 personalities. Just a thuoght from one that is there.

My thoughts exactly.  just thinking outloud here, but I'm thinking an indoor and outdoor range, woodstove and perpetual coffeepot should be a part of the mix to make it.  Note: there's a profit to be made in coffee...  Sell the lifestyle, not just the hardware.