The story below is from our January/February 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Salem’s latest entertainment venue offers a unique blend of archery, outdoor gear and a welcoming café and sports bar—all in one dynamic space.
Aaron Spicer
Damon Company Vice President Laven Newsom launched Shrewd Outdoors (see more on Newsom on page 31 of our Jan/Feb 2025 issue).
There is a new entertainment venue in Salem, and it is on target. Shrewd Outdoors opened in September at 201 East Main Street next to Awful Arthur’s. The business is a haven for archery enthusiasts, but offers much more than that.
The 12,000-square-foot space holds a retail area, sports bar and café, provides service on bows and offers a shooting range for target shooters and bow hunters.
The store’s employees — Dustin Cline, Assistant Manager; Josiah Sewell, Range Manager; Jake Colvin, Lead Bow Tech; and Josh Pope, Archery Manager at (parent company) Damon Company — are all experienced archers. They agree that, aside from working in archery, the best part of the job is the friendly environment and the people they meet. “It’s not even [like] work,” states Cline.
Georgianne Vecellio
Archery manager Josh Pope takes aim.
Cline oversees the retail section and the café; the shop sells accessories like stabilizers, scopes and weights, as well as “ready to shoot” bows. In addition to archery-related items, they stock running and hiking gear. The café has sandwiches, appetizers and baked goods while the sports bar serves as a gathering spot for enjoying televised games.
If you have issues with your equipment or specifications for your ideal bow, Colvin is on hand to assist you. Design options are also available on the business website.
Lisa and Randy Bowman (pun not intended) came into the store with Lisa’s son, an avid bowhunter, and decided to gift him with a bow of his own design. Mr. Bowman added that it was easy, because his stepson “built what he wanted online.”
Downstairs, Sewell is in charge of the shooting range. It can legally hold 30 shooters at a time; shooters can reserve a lane for $12/hour using their own equipment, or $22/hour using Shrewd’s equipment (primarily compound bows with a few recurve bows). Memberships are available with additional benefits. The range area will also be the location for coaching and lessons, and Shrewd is scheduling competition nights and events sponsored by USA Archery.
All of the employees at Shrewd Outdoors are happy to share their love for and wealth of knowledge about archery. “A lot of people think that archery is simple,” claims Colvin, “but there’s a lot that goes into it.”
Shrewd Outdoors has a private parking lot behind the building, an extra perk. Visit shrewdoutdoors.com for more information or to reserve a lane.
See more about Shrewd Outdoors as we highlight owner Laven Newsom in our 40 Under 40 feature starting on page 22 of our January/February 2025 issue!
The story above is from our January/February 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!