Last Updated: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 4:24 PM CDT
Community : New sport and hobby shop features virtual archery, golf
by Melissa Theisen - Forest Republican Editor - mtheisen@rhinelanderdailynews.com
Smith Sport & Hobby, which officially opened Saturday, May 19, features something unique to residents and visitors to Forest County - virtual archery and golf.
"We wanted to have a place that people could come to do things instead of just buying stuff," said co-owner Lynn Smith.
Lynn and her husband, Mike, have been considering opening a place like this for the past ten years.
"It's been a dream of ours to have our own retail store," said Lynn. "We enjoy working with people and Mike has worked in sporting goods in the past and wanted to get back into it."
The virtual games featured in the store offer customers not only a fun activity that can be enjoyed by young and old, but gives them the opportunity to save some gas money. The closest businesses in the area that offer virtual games are outside the county.
"Anybody can come and swing. They can analyze their swing. They can use it as a driving range or for putting," said Lynn of the virtual golf. "They can also play a whole course."
According to Lynn, the virtual archery features thousands of different animals, including deer, turkey, small game, bear, ducks, wolves, wild bore, caribou and African animals among many others.
See Sport Shop/ Page 9A
It costs $6 for a half hour or $10 for an hour of virtual golf and $8 for a half hour or $12 for an hour of virtual archery.
For both the virtual golf and archery, you bring your own equipment, but according to Lynn, they will have equipment that people can use who walk in from off the street.
Lynn also said that they plan to have a virtual archery league in June, July and August and another session in January, February and March. A virtual golf league is also possible if enough interest is expressed.
However, the store features much more than just virtual games. A wide range of outdoor and athletic equipment can be found at the new business, including a full line of fishing, hunting and camping equipment; NFL and NASCAR merchandise; basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball and golfing equipment; and skateboards.
The store also has a variety of remote control cars, trucks and planes; Bowtech bows and other archery items; O'Brien water-skis, tubes, wakeboards and kneeboards; lifejackets; and paintball guns, soft air guns, pellet guns and BB guns. Smith Sport & Hobby is also an authorized Brass Eagle CO2 fill station.
"We have a lot of nice items that other businesses don't offer and if someone needs any equipment that we don't have in the store, we can order it for them," said Lynn.
The store is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. For more information about the store or virtual archery or golf leagues, call the store at 478-1455.
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Mike and Lynn Smith in their new store, Smith Sport and Hobby at 209 East Pioneer Street.
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