help with a pro shop

[TX_Kevin]

Heavens to betsie..........ANYONE BUT Viking!!!!!!! There are so many good shops in the area without having to go THERE........
Dena posted above a very good list of reputable shops. My personal favorite for new archers would be the Bow Zone for good service and help measure a new archer for the proper fit for a bow. These guys have a good selection of bows for your friend to shoot too, both new and used. The guys at Gander Mtn. on I-45 are also pretty good.

PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE DO NOT send your friend to Viking!!!!!!!!!

People either love Viking or they hate them. I love them. I've never gotten bad information, they provide a quality product at a better than reasonable price.

The folks that don't like them tend to have a problem with the old man. He thinks he knows it all. I don't know, but when I saw the picture of the old man having dinner with Fred Bear and Tom Jennings, I kind of changed my attitude - I shut my mouth and started listening.

[Tommyh]

If you go to Viking, make sure you go on a weekday and deal with anyone other than the "old man". The rest will do you right and are a pleasant gang to be around. If the old man is there, turn around and run away as fast as possible! The bad thing for me is I am 10 minutes away from Viking and don't know of any other shop on the SW side of town.


Bow Zone is the other place I go to and it is on the north side of the world from me . excellent guy, Richard is, and very very knowledgable. won't steer you wrong and not just after your money. He will tell you straight up if the product you are insterested in is worth it or will or wont be a good addition to your bow, even if he sells the product.

[Tommyh]

People either love Viking or they hate them. I love them. I've never gotten bad information, they provide a quality product at a better than reasonable price.

The folks that don't like them tend to have a problem with the old man. He thinks he knows it all. I don't know, but when I saw the picture of the old man having dinner with Fred Bear and Tom Jennings, I kind of changed my attitude - I shut my mouth and started listening.

He may have a ton of knowledge, but if you aren't in his circle of good buddies. He's an arrogant SOB who has no business in the retail industry with his crap *** attitude towards people who don't know as much as he does.


His son is an awesome person to deal with and the total opposite of his father! I don't mind dealing with him .

[SaltwaterSlick]

Yea Kevin, I used to be the same way, but just like thousands of other people from all over the area, I got slammed by Tim... You are right too in what you do. as long as you shut up and listen to him, you'll be fine, but just question him on something or catch him in the morning before his "happy pill" kicks in, and he'll rip your head right off...

I know his two sons Kevin and Scott as well as his wife Lannie, and they are fine folks, but the last thing in the world a person who is thinking about getting into archery needs is to go there alone and be slammed by that jerk. It is just not worth risking sending a friend there when you have so many other better choices. I personally have spent literally thousands of dollars in Viking, but I'll never go there again... and there are thousands of others just like me... in the local and even other areas where you go where archers are gathered and just say something like, "what is your Whiteford story or what is your Viking story..." there always seems to be someone who can fill you in with some absurd account of how he screwed, blued, and tatooed them... naw, I sure wouldn't send any friend of mine there.

[TX_Kevin]

He may have a ton of knowledge, but if you aren't in his circle of good buddies. He's an arrogant SOB who has no business in the retail industry with his crap *** attitude towards people who don't know as much as he does.


His son is an awesome person to deal with and the total opposite of his father! I don't mind dealing with him .

Man, I have heard that about the old man for nearly 20 years, but he's always treated me like solid gold. He just needs to be right. After I shut up long enough, I figured out he was pretty much right. It just wasn't always what I wanted to hear at the time.

The cat has some awesome stories about the old days. He's actually a mechanical engineer.

You're right about the boys. Both of them are great to deal with, and will go above and beyond the call of duty. I've had them open the shop back up for me when I got there too late and everyone was going home - just to pick up some arrows.

[TX_Kevin]

Yea Kevin, I used to be the same way, but just like thousands of other people from all over the area, I got slammed by Tim... You are right too in what you do. as long as you shut up and listen to him, you'll be fine, but just question him on something or catch him in the morning before his "happy pill" kicks in, and he'll rip your head right off...

I know his two sons Kevin and Scott as well as his wife Lannie, and they are fine folks, but the last thing in the world a person who is thinking about getting into archery needs is to go there alone and be slammed by that jerk. It is just not worth risking sending a friend there when you have so many other better choices. I personally have spent literally thousands of dollars in Viking, but I'll never go there again... and there are thousands of others just like me... in the local and even other areas where you go where archers are gathered and just say something like, "what is your Whiteford story or what is your Viking story..." there always seems to be someone who can fill you in with some absurd account of how he screwed, blued, and tatooed them... naw, I sure wouldn't send any friend of mine there.

Wow. I guess I've just been lucky. Tim has always been very good to me. I hadn't thought about Tim "going off" on a new archer. I would absolutely take exception to that as well.