Va. For Baker, hunting has provided a modest income. But to support himself and his family, he still needed a full-time job in addition to the archery store. Opened 31 years ago, the part-time business eventually outgrew his garage and several additions. So five years ago, he gave up other work and built a new, larger shop on Peters Mountain Road. Antlered heads overlook Baker's main retail area, whose shelves hold a range of bow-hunting paraphernalia, from bows to boots, stocking caps to tree stands.
Hunters shoot at targets on a movie screen, which records the hits.
The shop and the shooting areas are separated by a rectangular room with two tables, nine folding chairs and an RC Cola soda machine. In one corner, separated by a counter, is a small kitchen, with a fridge and coffee maker. Animals killed by Baker and his two sons stand behind a wooden fence in the opposite corner. The display includes an eight-point buck, a pheasant, two bears and a mountain lion. Fees from the target range and video system keep the business afloat, Baker said, declining to reveal the store's total revenue.