Pictured are some of the disc golf supplies sold at Chains on Main.
Shop welcomes longtime players and newcomers to the sport
Pictured are some of the disc golf supplies sold at Chains on Main.
Pictured is Chains on Main customer Mark Lowry.
Chains on Main store owner Donny Conrad is pictured in his store at 320 West Main St. in Williamsburg.
Chains On Main Disc Golf is now open in the village of Williamsburg.
The shop is located at 320 West Main St. and offers customers an array of unique and quality disc golf supplies.
Owner Donny Conrad opened Chains on Main in May.
The store is a compliment to the Williamsburg Community Park’s 24-hole, par 60 disc golf course at 150 East Main St.
People travel from all over to play the course and Conrad saw an opportunity to offer supplies to longtime players as well as newcomers to the sport.
Conrad, a Williamsburg resident, said that so far, “business is going great; it’s been really fun meeting people in the area.”
Conrad is originally from South Jersey and has been playing disc golf for more than 16 years. He moved to Williamsburg from Kentucky, with this wife, a Williamsburg native, about 13 years ago.
He was inspired to open Chains On Main Disc Golf after years of playing the Williamsburg Community Park’s disc golf course and after taking over a weekly league that meets at the park.
“I started working with park officials a little bit more, trying to help with maintenance and such,” Conrad said.
Eventually, he got more involved in the disc golf tournaments that are hosted at the park.
One night, Conrad and his business partner were brainstorming and playing video games and the idea of opening the disc golf supply store was born. The two looked at available storefronts in Williamsburg and landed at the current location.
Before opening his own store, Conrad would travel to Mt. Airy to get his supplies. There’s another disc golf store in Burlington, Kentucky.
He said, “I’m filling a gap for what I think is a very strong community of people on the eastside that play disc golf religiously; they were being neglected and I wanted to be able to provide at least a good environment, quality products, and more tournaments and events for the area and for our community, and subsequently helping out the village and all the small businesses in the area.”
He added, “Disc golfers come in to play disc golf, but they have to go do stuff like get gas and food and drinks; it all commingles together well; it’s a good environment.”
Conrad explained that tournaments bring in 50 or more players, and some tournaments serve as fundraisers for the park and other causes.
Conrad is excited about the growing interest in the disc golf sport.
He said, “We’re staying really busy and noticing a lot of newer players, a lot more families are coming in, or younger people who are new to the sport who are not super familiar with the rules or how things operate, so I’m doing a lot of teaching on form, how to throw the disc, the rules and how to play; it’s great.”
Conrad is putting together starter kits for newer players and for kids. He’s also working with the high school to partner on the installation of disc golf baskets.
“Overall, being in ‘Burg and selling disc golf apparel and more, and being linked with the park, it’s all kind of awesome, and very good,” Conrad shared.
He’s also a musician and artist, and he creates many of the graphic designs that are used on the store’s promotional materials and he creates some of the designs that are stamped on the discs themselves.
Looking ahead, Conrad said that he’s amenable to selling more sports supplies for added sports, such as pickleball, if the need presents itself.
Chains on Main is open Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
For more information, visit Chains on Main on Facebook.