Support your local pro shop

[Mudpuppy]

I received the Brunswick Melee I won yesterday so I took a trip to my normal pro shop that I go to - not the closest but I tried a bunch of others and this guy is aces. So I had sent him a message on fb earlier in the week I would be coming and that I had won a ball. He was sitting there waiting for a shipment to come in so he could drill some balls so he was slow. He checked the ball out and immediately drilled it on the spot. 15 minutes later I had the ball drilled exactly how I wanted it. He knows my arsenal and how I throw the ball and what lanes, etc. So he drilled it a little different than my first blood so I have a ball that will work when the lanes are dry or breakdown. Also I told him I have thrown 12 games with the first blood and love the way it rolls but struggling to really zone in on taking advantage of the flip block, etc. So he gave me some tips on how to throw it, etc. It's great to have a go to guy that is available when you need them.

[tccstudent]

I dont know about Michigan but around here this is the busiest time of the year for the pro shops. Right now they are swamped around here everyone getting the ball they got for Christmas and people starting to get their tax refunds.

[Pauley]

When I started to get serious about 5 months ago I bought my first ball and the proshop I used put me in a span that come to find out (after messing up my hand for a couple weeks) was close to 1/2" too long. Went to see another shop and was not impressed with the guys interest in getting my business. Come to find out the shop inside a center 1 mile from my house now has all my business and he is a heck of a guy. I didnt even know they had a proshop at the time because I had been there but had never seen a proshop, it is tucked wwwaaayyy back in the corner.
Since finding him I have bought 5 balls from him and everything I have has come from him. I don't mind paying a slight premium on accessories to support him. He matches online prices for balls and has very reasonable drilling prices. The only thing I did not buy from him were my shoes, I bought a pair of Dexter SST Tanks from an online store my wife got me a gift card to.
Lets just say he seems to smile when I walk in the door, might be because I end up buying something everytime I walk in the door :-)

[swingset]

There are a half dozen shops within driving distance to me, but only one who's worth a crap at anything but just punching generic layouts and selling you stuff without knowing anything about your game. And, of course, the guy who's good and actually watches you bowl and knows how to tailor your ball to your game is always too busy, hard to get ahold of, and not the cheapest.

Supporting someone because they're local is great, unless they stink...then what good does it do to support them? Better they go out of business so someone competent might have their market, IMHO.

I get some of my stuff done online because no one local is willing to earn my business.

[Pauley]

There are a half dozen shops within driving distance to me, but only one who's worth a crap at anything but just punching generic layouts and selling you stuff without knowing anything about your game. And, of course, the guy who's good and actually watches you bowl and knows how to tailor your ball to your game is always too busy, hard to get ahold of, and not the cheapest.

Supporting someone because they're local is great, unless they stink...then what good does it do to support them? Better they go out of business so someone competent might have their market, IMHO.

I get some of my stuff done online because no one local is willing to earn my business.

There seem to be far too many bad shops compared to good ones. As a new bowler I had to find a good shop to get me started, if I didnt find my current one I would have had to keep searching. Got lucky though to find someone close.

[YODA]

My local shops are all about 1 hour away. I have heard some good things about one of them though, going to try and go check it out this monday. Maybe bowl a couple games while I am there

[Mudpuppy]

There are a half dozen shops within driving distance to me, but only one who's worth a crap at anything but just punching generic layouts and selling you stuff without knowing anything about your game. And, of course, the guy who's good and actually watches you bowl and knows how to tailor your ball to your game is always too busy, hard to get ahold of, and not the cheapest.

Supporting someone because they're local is great, unless they stink...then what good does it do to support them? Better they go out of business so someone competent might have their market, IMHO.

I get some of my stuff done online because no one local is willing to earn my business.

Well my point was if you have a local pro at a proshop who is good you should support them. Plenty of bottom feeders out there and I agree let them go out of business. My Saturday league is at a different alley with a different pro and she is horrible. She is just kind of there hanging out not caring much. She would NEVER watch you roll a ball before she drilled it because it is too much effort. Occasionally she stumbles down the lanes to see someone who bought a ball to see how they like it AFTER it is drilled - fat lot of good that does. When I first started bowling there I went in there and asked her something and right then I could tell she was useless.

The guy I go to doesn't even care if you buy online - he understands sometimes it is a money thing. I bought my bag online. I have bought cleaners, etc. online - sometimes easier than driving 20 minutes 1 way to get a $10 bottle of cleaner.