‘Philipsburg had to be the place’: A new pro shop hopes to get the community back on its feet
For more than half his life, Nate Sellers has viewed archery and education as his biggest passions. Now, through the opening of his own pro shop and range in downtown Philipsburg, he’s combining those interests right in the heart of central Pennsylvania.
Average Jack Archery, located at 21 N. Front St., officially opened its doors on Friday. Although traffic was expectedly slow throughout the shop’s inaugural weekend, Sellers says he’s eager to watch his business develop this summer.
“We received a lot of positive feedback,” he said with a smile. “Everybody who came in here was happy to see it here. Everybody’s excited to see the revitalization of Philipsburg in general, so we’re thrilled with the response.”
Average Jack Archery operates as a full-scale pro shop that sells bows, arrows, hunting equipment and more, all on top of equipment repairs. Sellers says the roughly 1,500-square-foot retail space should find a natural audience after similar shops closed or moved out of nearby Bellefonte and State College, among other areas.
The store’s long and narrow basement was converted into a 20-yard archery range — an industry standard. There, customers can take lessons and try out equipment in a safe and controlled environment. Average Jack Archery plans to host community events and league competitions in the future, too.
Sellers always dreamed of opening an archery pro shop, but he didn’t have the resources to move into retail until now. More than seven years ago, he launched Average Jack Archery’s YouTube channel, which boasts nearly 46,000 subscribers, to share his passion with like-minded hunters. With a store in downtown Philipsburg, he’s hoping to continue those efforts by offering products and services to everyday customers.
“I truly believe that archery is for everyone,” Sellers said. “You don’t need to be an expert to find something here for you. If archery is on your radar at all, this is the place to be.”
Following a dream, with community support
A middle school English teacher from Clearfield, Sellers says he always had a passion for teaching and helping others. On his YouTube channel, he regularly uploads videos that review archery products, offer hunting tips or provide information for at-home repairs.
Sellers is entirely self-taught and credits his love for archery and hunting to frequent trips to State College’s Schlow Centre Region Library, where he’d check out stacks of books and magazines that fueled his interests. His dabbling in archery content creation serves as a way to pay it forward for those hoping to learn more about the hobby, too. Now, Average Jack Archery’s store is the next step in his quest to combine archery and education.
“My wife got really tired of me trying to teach her at the dinner table, but now we can teach people around the world and right here in Philipsburg,” he said. “This was easily a natural extension — taking both my hobby and my passion, which is educating people. Here, we’re putting it all together.”
When the time came to bring Average Jack Archery to Philipsburg, Sellers and his wife, Breanna, established a GoFundMe campaign seeking contributions from the community. More than 300 people have pulled together to donate more than $8,000 toward the shop’s development. Most of those names are printed on a banner that now greets customers when they first enter the store.
Reflecting on a grueling few months of work on the store, Sellers said opening Average Jack Archery wouldn’t have been possible without plenty of help.
“That support is huge for us,” Sellers said. “Some of these people are local, but most are not. Most might never step foot in the store, but they wanted to support it and bring back something that’s been lost for a while. To see all these people saying, ‘You’ve been helping me for years with your YouTube content. Now, it’s my turn.’ … That really meant a lot, and it showed me that this is worth it. This is the journey I’m meant to be on.”
Bringing change to Philipsburg
Archery aside, Sellers views his new storefront as the latest sign that Philipsburg is trending in the right direction following years of stalled development and closures. He says the shop can meet a community need while repurposing a property that’s seen better days.
“Philipsburg had to be the place,” Sellers said. “I’ve seen some towns getting better and some getting worse. Seeing the industrial booms in these areas go away over the last 20 or 30 years… So many people drive through (Route 322) and Philipsburg every day but don’t even think about it. We knew it would be a good business model, but it’s also a revitalization of these older downtown areas that are rich in heritage.”
Average Jack Archery’s storefront stood vacant for years and remained in “tear-down” condition until development began over the past few months, according to Eric Rusnak, the president of the Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation. The nonprofit organization seeks to get the borough back on its feet by supporting local businesses like Sellers’.
“This is the type of business we need to draw people back downtown to historic Front Street,” said Rusnak, whose organization owns Average Jack Archery’s building. “Hopefully, it gives people something to do and creates an opportunity for additional businesses to come in, too. We’re really turning a corner. We’ve got a great team of people who contribute their skills and passions to help Philipsburg, and we’re starting to see some real change in a town that slowed down for a while.”
Average Jack Archery is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The shop is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Sellers said he’ll release modified store hours in the fall once he returns to teaching in the classroom.
To keep up with Average Jack Archery, follow its Facebook page or check in with its under-construction website.
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