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Author Topic: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?  (Read 18721 times)

surface_solutions

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Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« on: November 11, 2011, 10:25:39 PM »
Current owner and operators, I need your advise!  I have been approached by a local bowling about moving my stand alone shop into their center.  It's a 40 lane center that currently does NOT have a pro shop.
 
My concern is income.  As it is right now I have a regular full-time job and do the pro shop stuff on the side more like a hobby than anything.  I think operating my business for a living would be a great accomplishment but I need to financially support my family still.
 
If anybody out there is willing, can you clue me in on the range of incomes.  I understand the question is vague but I need to get some information.  At worst if anybody knows where I can find that type of information online that will work for me too.


Adam M Moreland
surface_solutions2008@yahoo.com
Phone: (616) 690-0590



 



 

 

bigearv14

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2011, 06:31:27 AM »
Not a pro shop owner, but very close to one. At a 44 lane bowling alley and with a clientele that he has had some of for about 20+ years, he claimed to profit $140K in one calender year. He was selling the shop (plus stock and equipment) and asked $140K, and he said at that price, I would make back my investment within one year.
 
Not sure if this helps. he also only had one employee on a very short work schedule, but the owner does most of the work himself.

He also has to pay for a franchise fee, so without that, the profits would've been even higher.
 
Edited by bigearv14 on 11/12/2011 at 7:32 AM

surface_solutions

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2011, 06:49:47 AM »
Location helps and not to mention 20+ plus years of clientele is awesome.  I am curious to know what his income was years 1-5.  That is where I am starting.  I have all the equipment, I am wondering if could make my minimum income just on the league bowling and open bowlers.
 
I am needing to clear about $45,000 to cover quitting my current job and going to the pro shop full time.


Adam M Moreland
surface_solutions2008@yahoo.com
Phone: (616) 690-0590



 



 

Bowl_Freak

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2011, 07:33:04 AM »
Im wanting to do the same thing as you. I prefer being inside the bowling alley for exposure and if you have survived being a stand-alone shop outside of a bowling alley, then you'll do better inside. Also depends on how good you are with people, drilling, price points, and getting something extra inside the alley that the league bowlers arent used to, like the DemoDays, etc. My buddy opened a shop inside an alley for 25k and the first 3 yrs i heard was clearing 45-50k profit. Also watch what they charge as far as rent and how it compares to what your paying now and find out what their league base is as amt of league bowlers cause that is what you should be targeting. Youll have your occasional open play people come in but from my experience if you take care of your league bowlers, they will stay loyal to you and keep your business afloat.

 

 


ITS NEVER THE BALL OR THE LANES FAULT, ITS OPERATOR ERROR.

JOE FALCO

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2011, 10:34:54 AM »

Suf Sol .. I have no knowledge of Pro Shop operations .. just wanted to wish you luck on your decision and future .. my neighborhood Pro Shop guy must be doing something right .. he owns three shops in three different bowling centers .. it seems to be a tough job but some do make it .. again good luck in your choice!!

RIP Thongprincess/Sawbones!

JohnP

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2011, 10:53:55 AM »
Why don't you start out keeping your regular job and doing the pro shop in the evenings and on weekends?  That would take most of your time, but at the end of the first year you'd know what to do.  --  JohmP 



Tball

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2011, 11:09:48 AM »
+1 with keeping ur current job.  Things to consider are other houses and shops in your area.  How many league bowlers are currently in the house you would be going into?  Does the house have any new beginning leagues where you can work with the house that each bowler recieves an entry level ball (Through U) for being in that league?  Can u change your schedule a little to be there a coupel hours before league starts?



completebowler

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2011, 03:51:49 PM »
How are you already a stand alone shop? Drilling out of basement/garage or are you in a strip mall or something as of now?

 

What improvements will you need to invest in the space the center is offering? We had start up expenses such as carpet/paint and especially retail display items that most might overlook. Think that part through carefully...it can be costly to make the shop look nice. And in my opinion this is an important part.

 

Do you have all the tools necessary to do a truly professional job? It is hard to make a real go at things unless your quality is top notch. Even then it isn't easy.

 

Most important is to go to the center and look at their records on leagues. How many leagues? What has been the attrition rate over the last 2-5 years? (individual bowlers as well as leagues) How many of them are sanctioned vs. recreational? Decent competitiveness and money vs. beer drinking types. Sanctioned competitive league bowling is going to be the majority of your sales....the rest is pretty much a one time sales.

 

You are looking at getting into a very tight market in pretty tight times. If the center is in Saginaw I was working up there this summer and noticed that the two centers I saw were giving games out at 99 cents. Even in the summer that tells me business is slow. The owners of my center have 4 others and are constantly looking at ones going out of business...there are quite a few even down here in Metro Detroit that are just bleeding bowlers and revenue.

 

Hit me up in a pm if you want more info Adam. Theres alot more stuff I could give you some hints on that I would rather not share in an open forum. I will help you out as much as possible.

 

On edit: definitely keep your day job for the first year if you can swing it. My brother and I have done this and split the shop duties and it has worked out ok so far. We have one guy that helps us out when overtime hits or we get real busy.



ALL STAR BOWLING & TROPHY
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WALLED LAKE MI
 
Edited by completebowler on 11/12/2011 at 4:57 PM

surface_solutions

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #8 on: November 12, 2011, 09:39:39 PM »
The best thing that I have for me is the current center has no shop what so ever.  With that said this center is very up on have a ball leagues with which they have to send their customers to another shop in the city.
 
They actually have a sister center on the other side of town which is doing the same thing.  Both houses have 40+ lanes filling 75% 5 nights a week.  Only a couple high average leagues however.  As for equipment I have everything that I need to do a fine job.  My press is old but more than adequate.  My work is fine I just need to know the amount of traffic I might expect.  I can't make a living on drilling Have a Ball league balls that turn over every 4-6.
 
It looks like I'm going to have to figure out how to manage doing  both.  I guess my bottom line is my family is more important than anything right now and WILL NOT throw that away.  Even if it means waiting on the shop idea.  I will see what I can do to get my foot in the door.


Adam M Moreland
surface_solutions2008@yahoo.com
Phone: (616) 690-0590



 



 

John D Davis

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #9 on: November 12, 2011, 11:28:38 PM »
What I would do is pursue this business decision, and have a friend of some sort work it for you so you can maintain your full time job for a while... The question is. Is there a contract of some sort? Or can you try it and pull out if you need to???

 

 You may not have anybody willing to work in this line of work so forth. But drilling balls is very easy and it just takes someone willing to learn to become very good at it. I would not however quit your fulltime job because you dont know what to expect so forth.

 

One great thing about this business is the amount of ball work you will be doing for a while(refitting people and redrilling balls in general where the last person has not matched them up correctly,etc) This income will be very very profittable as there is no stocking equipment, and this and that. Its just mainly time consuming for a while.

 

If I were you, I would go ahead and work something out with the bowling center while you can, because this spot may not be available if you hold off and wait until the moment is right etc. There is very little money rick in a business like this, especially if the bowling center is wanting you in there rent fee so forth. I would say 15-20k would have you booming in no time. let me know if you like anything I have said. Thanks, John

txbowler

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2011, 10:32:07 AM »
Also remember, you have to be open when the center is busy.  This normally means open for business on evenings and a little on weekends.  Maybe a few hours one day during the week if they have a big seniors league.  Something to consider when family is involved as a pro shop is a not typical 8-5 hours.  Some pro shops will open at 5:30 in the evening and close at 8:30-9 pm.  This allows them to handle most of the league business for the night and still maintain a day job.  It also can allow you to hire part time help to give yourself nights off.  As others have suggested, This approach can allow you test the environment for maybe 6 months to a year and see what kind of income the business will generate.
 
Edited by txbowler on 11/14/2011 at 11:33 AM

LuckyLefty

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2011, 12:47:46 PM »
I have a friend who runs a packed pro shop and I don't think he nets that much!!  AT all.

 

I also have friends in ones where the centers are dying and they are soon going to be out of work with all other centers with proshop guys filled.

 

As an outsider I can't imagine a much worse business in MANY towns!  Often rents, heat, small margins.  Lots of work.  Often an employee needed to do all of the plugging and prep before drilling to keep up with the volume and the center ball damage(often a requirement of the shop rent).

 

Especially if you like to bowl tournaments and work on your own game.....

 

Regards,

 

Luckylefty


It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana
It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana

bass

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Re: Pro shop ownership, Good or Bad career choice?
« Reply #12 on: November 15, 2011, 08:00:35 PM »
Do you have health insurance at your current place of employment?

If you have to take it out for your family when you quit to run a pro shop that will be a added cost.

 

Good luck no matter what.

 


Almost all things are better when they come from Texas.Except maybe the USBC. LOL
 
Edited by bass on 11/15/2011 at 9:01 PM
free agency it is until i get a better offer.   LMAO