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iowaelkhntr
Guest
Jethro, hope your work bid is successful. As for myself Scheel's is nice to visit but you do pay for all that the store includes. Have had alot of guys go to Iowa City thinking they were getting good deals on bows and equipment only to drop their jaws when the stopped at the local Archery shop and found out they over-paid and will have to travel back for service work. Shop Local or you will have to travel in the future!!! The almighty Wally World proves this.
Jethro
New Member
I totally agree with you sp69 and iowaelkhntr. The thing that will be nice though is options. I have bought everything from licenses to guns to my new Mathews bow at Frontier and other small local businesses and will continue to do so even after it's built. But on countless situations i have needed or wanted to purchase something only to find out that there are sold out, don't carry it, don't have my size, so on. This is were the options will be nice, especially for last minute or emergency items.
I agree with buying from local shops and plan to continue doing that too. (especially archery and guns and a certain rod/reel repair shop) However, I will not feel guilty driving 10 miles to Sheels and shopping there too. Personally I am looking forward to their grand openning.
IaCraig
IaCraig
Once the new Scheel's is completed in WDM, patronizing that store would be "buying local" for anybody in the DM area....
I have mixed emotions about buying local. I try to when there's not a substantial premium to be paid in doing so, and can get what I want rather than compromising just to support the local guy. However, not all local retailers reciprocate--the worst example was a printing job I took to a local printer, found out that he "farmed it out" to another "non-local" printer who did it for less money, and he marked up the job without having done anything--found the "real" printer's statement still with the order. And whatever I buy, I only have so much money--not sure what the little guy will necessarily do for me if I spend more money for less at his store. Isn't going to let me borrow his equipment to make up for it.
OTHO, I've seen "super stores" have higher prices than the little guys, especially after they've been open for a little while and established a reputation as being the cheapest. Some people just automatically think bigger means cheaper, don't bother to compare.
Ultimately, I guess it comes down to good service at a fair price. Hopefully that's a local guy, but didn't the "big guys" start that way too, and grow through good service/fair price? Seems like the "American way".
Not sure what my point is, other than that I won't stay away from Scheel's or any other just because they're bigger. But I definitely won't spend all my money there either.
I have mixed emotions about buying local. I try to when there's not a substantial premium to be paid in doing so, and can get what I want rather than compromising just to support the local guy. However, not all local retailers reciprocate--the worst example was a printing job I took to a local printer, found out that he "farmed it out" to another "non-local" printer who did it for less money, and he marked up the job without having done anything--found the "real" printer's statement still with the order. And whatever I buy, I only have so much money--not sure what the little guy will necessarily do for me if I spend more money for less at his store. Isn't going to let me borrow his equipment to make up for it.
OTHO, I've seen "super stores" have higher prices than the little guys, especially after they've been open for a little while and established a reputation as being the cheapest. Some people just automatically think bigger means cheaper, don't bother to compare.
Ultimately, I guess it comes down to good service at a fair price. Hopefully that's a local guy, but didn't the "big guys" start that way too, and grow through good service/fair price? Seems like the "American way".
Not sure what my point is, other than that I won't stay away from Scheel's or any other just because they're bigger. But I definitely won't spend all my money there either.
There is a very simple way to support the local shops and save money! When I buy something, I do a lot of comparison shopping prior to "pulling the trigger" on a purchase. With that said, there is alway some place that will sell it cheaper. What I do is find a printed add or print something off the internet and take it to the local guys and give them a chance to match it. With cash in hand, I have never been turned down. The tax/shipping issue is usually a wash and you have someone locally to service it should anything go wrong. My point is, the burden is on the consumer to compare prices.
I think I'm like a lot of people on this issue. I like to go into those big stores and look at everything. I get to the Scheels in Iowa City 4 or 5 times a year and it is great to look and feel. They are the only place in 100 miles that sell fly tying materials. I have been in 5 different Cabalas stores and love them, but I also live in a community which I think has been adversley affected by another giant Walmart.
This is a very small town and there is not a Walmart here but there are 2 within 20 miles either way. I know that lots of things have changed besides Walmart but 15 years ago our town square was full of active business which helped to support the community. There were several clothing stores, shoe stores, hardware stores, grocierey stores, and several gas stations. Now the only retail merchandize store is a Dollar General and 2 flower/gift shops. There are 3 resterants and a couple insurance offices and a video store. The town has one grocery store, three gas stations, one hardware store, and a Pamida.
I blame Walmart for a lot of this because people took their dollars out of town to shop. I can see the same thing happening in the sporting goods business. What happens to the prices once all the little guys are gone, and what happens to all that friendly service. When was the last time you got anyone who was both friendly and knowledgeable enough to actually help you in a Walmart?
Just my ramblings on a quiet morning.
This is a very small town and there is not a Walmart here but there are 2 within 20 miles either way. I know that lots of things have changed besides Walmart but 15 years ago our town square was full of active business which helped to support the community. There were several clothing stores, shoe stores, hardware stores, grocierey stores, and several gas stations. Now the only retail merchandize store is a Dollar General and 2 flower/gift shops. There are 3 resterants and a couple insurance offices and a video store. The town has one grocery store, three gas stations, one hardware store, and a Pamida.
I blame Walmart for a lot of this because people took their dollars out of town to shop. I can see the same thing happening in the sporting goods business. What happens to the prices once all the little guys are gone, and what happens to all that friendly service. When was the last time you got anyone who was both friendly and knowledgeable enough to actually help you in a Walmart?
Just my ramblings on a quiet morning.
D
DeerHunter
Guest
I have nothing but good things to say about Scheels. I bought just about the cheapest shotgun available from Scheels, 14 months later a weld on the slide broke. Scheels gave me a loaner to use while mine was sent back to Winchester. The deer on my wall was shot with their loaner.
Monsterbuck
Active Member
I'm excited as hell for Scheels to open. The sporting goods stores in Des Moines are absolutely pathetic! We probably have the worst selection of sporting goods for a population our size in the country.
Frontier outfitters is a complete joke. I think they have just rolled over and are playing dead after hearing that Scheel's is coming to town. The archery selection os worse than Wal-Mart. The last six months they've had about four bows in stock and they are no longer carrying Mathew's bows.
Scheel's can't get here soon enough!!
Frontier outfitters is a complete joke. I think they have just rolled over and are playing dead after hearing that Scheel's is coming to town. The archery selection os worse than Wal-Mart. The last six months they've had about four bows in stock and they are no longer carrying Mathew's bows.
Scheel's can't get here soon enough!!