i am curious as to how many guys here use or would use indoor ranges, likes dislikes, what you would like to see and experience at a range, fair charges or membership etc etc. also, say the range is the primary draw, what merchandise/product would you expect to have available.......no beer sorry
i shot indoors for a few years. you can't go wrong with it. anytime your shooting, your practicing. however, a lot of indoor shooters have a problem shooting in the woods. not real for sure the reason, maybe lack of experience or the heigth difference and they have a hard time judging yardages. judging yardages is a little tougher indoors in my opinion with teh ceiling and the floor. a lot of indoor shooters shoot back tension releases ( i shoot in the woods also) they also use scopes or lenses behind their sights. you'll need longer stabilizers for more stability, which most of the guys use. bigger shaft arrows. we call them line busters. a big shaft will take up more of the target, in indoor shooting if the line is moved or you butted right up against it, you get those points. last but not least good targets, mckenzie makes some good ones..
I use an indoor range by my house all the time - it's great for those nights where you're bored and it's too dark to shoot outside.
Also - the range by my house used to have the video screen that you put the special end on your arrows and shoot different animals in real life situations - like shooting at a movie screen - it was awesome. I asked last time I was there and he said they haven't used it for a couple of years - and if I wanted to buy it.......he was selling the whole set up for $12,000 -
It was sweet though - cause it would score you on where you actually hit the animal and my buddy and I would always play against each other. Really helped - better than shooting at a block all the time.
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<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MasterCASTER! »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I use an indoor range by my house all the time - it's great for those nights where you're bored and it's too dark to shoot outside.
Also - the range by my house used to have the video screen that you put the special end on your arrows and shoot different animals in real life situations - like shooting at a movie screen - it was awesome. I asked last time I was there and he said they haven't used it for a couple of years - and if I wanted to buy it.......he was selling the whole set up for $12,000 -
It was sweet though - cause it would score you on where you actually hit the animal and my buddy and I would always play against each other. Really helped - better than shooting at a block all the time.</TD></TR></TABLE>
yup, those are the techno hunts, i've shot'em in league before. i had a hard time getting used to the lighting, but once i did it was great. i've got one lined up for $3k, not sure how long he'll hold it though.
in a nutshell, i want to open a range. why, because living in the skirts of columbus, there is nowhere to go shoot, plain and simple. i refuse to believe i am the only archer in these parts. i want to find an old cold storage with some land 1-because they are solid 2-multiple levels 3-you can fit alot of chit in'em 4-utilize the outdoors too. i know what i want to do, i have a vague mental lay out, i have an idea of what product(s) i want to carry and have available. i'm going to get back into making custom strings/cables and stuff. i've still got to make it to a tool/die shop, cause i have a few ideas i need explored, and see if they will work. i'm going to send correspondence to see i what i need to get sanctioned. i would really like to get into indoor 3d shoots, moving/popup targets and all. though i would love too, i do not want/can't be a pro shop because of the competition, but i've got some pro staff around here who feel i should open up a shop in addition to the range. that's all well in good, but bows don't move like they used, and if i'm going to open a shop, i might as well as open a sporting goods shop. i'm not sure i'm going to be able to get the finances to begin with, that's why i want to get one thing at a time done. i do recognize the importance of being able to obtain whatever someone needs though. i was also thinking of maybe trying a co-op with a local retailer, but i need to set up an appt for that. i am going to complete my ffl, strictly for transfers. also, i want to be able to get the placed involved with the achery in school programs some how.
now is the hard part. i need input. i thought about sending out a mailer/survey, or posting them at gander and buckeye to get a real feel for it, whether it would fly or not. charge per session, per hr, or membership or both. again, what products, do i go with those most common/popular supplies because walmart has it, or do i focus more on the experienced archer and get more specialized products. secondly, this is how i'm really stuck. how do i do it, as in get the ball rolling. this is where i get lost. i don't even know how to write a business plan. 6+ yrs in admin and i don't know how to write one. do i go to the town hall and file for permits etc etc, which banking institution, i know i need to find a realtor, i know i need to get liability insurance. for some reason i think they have counselers or advisors, but not sure where to look or look under. i need to find a supplier, unless pats' can work something out from back home in NY. i really want to do this, obviously it will have to be p/t, but still. if i fail i fail. atleast i can say i tried.
Man - that's awesome! I hope you go for it and I really hope it works out for you! I know I like to shoot year around, and now that I've got a compound I will be doing so more often than when I had my crossbow.
If you open up a 3D range with moving targets - you could also open sort of an "archery club" - you know? You could have tourneys and so forth - and I'm sure you could get prizes from sponsors to give away.........
You could also think about with the archery club - having dues and then members can come in anytime to shoot........
There's tons of things you could do - and if you opened up an archery shop, I'm sure you'd get a ton of business too.......especially if you had a range right there. I know from person experience, I like to shoot at the place I go because if I need anything - it's right there and there's someone there to help me out.
Also - the company I work for manages multiple sites in the N.E. Ohio area and also Columbus (as well as other cities).......I'm talking big buildings - they buy them from companies that go out of business, then tennant them off and lease out space. Like the Ford plant in Lorain.......that place is like over a million s.f. and we've got like 6 tennants in there now.
I'll look into what space we have available in the columbus area and get back to you - I think I'll actually be down there week after next.....so I'll have a better idea of what we've got available.
I also wanted to tell you that if you've got a lead on a techno hunt system for $3,000 - then you've got yourself a deal!! There's not too many of those around, and I don't understand why - they are really awesome to use.
I think it's a great idea - and wish you all the best.
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thanks for the support, just a little scared i guess, and i know i'm nieve/ignorant when it comes to starting a business. i can run'em, just don't know about the start up end................you think it would fly? there really isn't much available in this area that i am aware of. i like the "archery club" idea, might be able to work that in with the membership thought.
you said you may be in the columbus area? if you do come this way, we should meet if ya got the time and go to Hooter's.
yeah man! that sounds like a plan - I should be there for 1-2 days......if I spend the night, I'll be sure to let you know ahead of time so we can exchange numbers and set up a time!!
There aren't alot of archery ranges anywhere.........around me there's just Ohio Outdoor Sports and that's it. Next nearest is like in Portage lakes, akron and barberton......and from what I've heard, they all have a-holes that run them. Guys that think they know everything and treat you like you're stupid when you go there. Who wants that??
I go to Ohio Outdoor Sports because they are super friendly, have an indoor range and someone there to actually work on my bow when I need it. I had a new peep installed, old nock points taken off and a release loop installed - and it took him about 20min and cost me $16.
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<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MasterCASTER! »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> I had a new peep installed, old nock points taken off and a release loop installed - and it took him about 20min and cost me $16.
that's one of the things that get me. i like the guys at buckeye, but $30 labor to swap out a string and cables and to tie stuff back in....wth. where i come from, if you buy anything from a shop like patsy's, all labor is free, regardless when or what. one hand washes the other creates a huge customer loyalty
definately - that's what I'm saying......I know all my buddies and most of the guys around me like going somewhere where there's someone that actually KNOWS what the hell they're doing.........not like at gander mtn or dicks - where you get the douchebags working for $10/hour that don't know chit about bows or anything to do with them...........you know?
Most of us like going to a shop where they not only have all the equipment to work on bows - but actually know how to use it.
And - as I stated before, you'll get alot of guys coming in to not only shoot the lanes, but get stuff worked on while they're there.
Also - if you ever get into selling bows - and have an inventory......having the indoor range will be a HUGE selling point when someone wants to come in and try out a bow before buying..........same with arrows too - if you get into letting someone shoot an arrow before purchasing.
I know I'd love to have shot my arrows before buying them.......but I didn't. I just went ahead and bought 12.......don't know if I'll like them or not. Just a $50 chance I had to take. You know??
Are you planning on eventually having stock - like sights, rests, peeps, etc.. for sale as well as installing all that?? You could have some gimmic where if they buy that stuff from you - then installation is free. If you know enough about bows and have done it before - then this should take you no time at all, but might be a really good selling point for someone who is looking to buy a new sight or whatever........
The place I go has several of the "blocks" to shoot into......and they also sell different targets too - so you have to buy a target to shoot at...........
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i'd like to have a variety of product available from the get go. but the more i think about it, the addittion of a proshop sounds better.
as far as targets go, depending upon the building and final layout, my intent would be to have a variety of 3D targets as the primary range targets prolly a mix of mckenzie's and rhineharts-rh's have some pretty cool targets like the alien from the movie aliens, dino's, exotics, some 6X6 blocks for broadheads, and anyone wanting to punch paper for tuning would be a c/b wall. i am drawing/working up plans on my target idea's for the elevated (treestand) lanes. plus if i do get the technohunt, i'm sure that will get utilized as well
that's a really sweet idea - the elevated stand to shoot at 3d's! I'll bet that would get ALOT of action! I've never seen anywhere that's got that.........and I'd go for sure if anyone around here had that.
All you'd need to do is basically build a mezzanine - that's pretty simple, but definately would get the attention!
Heck, you could utilize the space ABOVE the proshop for the elevated section......
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i think we're on the same page as far as that goes
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