I have two LGS here, and they seem to fill different niches:
The first one I used when I started out had a very modern, open, and welcoming atmosphere. It's set up much like a jewelery store, with a U-shaped counter down the middle with the pistols, and rifles/accessories on the walls. The inventory is about 1/3 Glocks, 1/6 revolvers, 1/3 Glock-equivalents, and 1/6 mouse-guns. Rilfes is about 1/3 ARs, 1/3 AKs, and 1/3 everything else. I liked this place since they had plenty of all the basic platforms, and the staff was very willing to walk you through the options available in each. If I were a clueless newb, I'd be steered toward a "safe" buying decision like a Glock, Remington 700, or AR. The guys here expect the customers to have questions and require explanation. Their prices tend to be significantly higher, but that is less of an issue for a new-to-guns person who needs help getting everything set up. Transfer fees are fairly high. Ammunition is quite expensiive, but very diverse. Eventually, I tired of browsing the predictable inventory, and learned that new guns and rare ammo were cheaper online. I got into reloading, and found myself buying less and less assembled ammuntion. The guns I was interested in acquiring were never to be found, and had to be special ordered. I was comfortable around guns now, so I decided to check out a place I had previously thought "too inside" for a new guy...
The other place is an old, dusty, poorly lit building in the sticks that smells of cosmoline. Populated by guys wearing sleeveless flannel shirts, hats with messages, scowls, and unintelligible accents. I always feel like a tool coming in theiir in my Business Casual after work, and my Washington St. accent (this is Texas, BTW), but at least I'm an informed buyer who's comfortable around guns. I was uncomfortable buying my first gun at the other store (hadn't around guns much before that), I would have been downright intimidated in this place. The clerks are mostly knowledgeable, but are not very forthcoming. They tend to be very stern when asked anything, and would prefer to be left alone (if you're an unfamiliar customer) so they can keep an eye out for shoplifters. They know most folks don't buy anything, and they would rather not waste energy engaging customers who just want to browse in peace. The selection is much more diverse, more than half is an ever-chaning assortment of used guns on racks down the center of the room. The pistols are in a glass counter located against one wall, with the new inventory on wall racks above. Though there are ARs and AKs, they are of several varieties, as well as various milsurps, leverguns, bolt actions, and black powder guns. Unmarked foriegn ammo crates abound, and only a few dusty 20round boxes are on the shelves for common calibers. There are few reloading supplies aside from powder and primers. It would be very confusing for someone new to the arena, but a boon to the experienced Gunnie. This store seems to accept that its customers are experienced shooters and reloaders who buy what they can online. Brass and small-box ammo is cheap to ship, and a better selction available online, as are more common firearms. But primers and powder are expensive to ship in reasonable quantities, as are large ammo crates, and buying sight-unseen milsurps or used guns is a crap-shoot. By offering more of what experienced gunowners prefer to buy in person, the store avoids competition with online sellers, and even makes easy profit transferring firearms.
You have to decide what "vibe" or market you want the store to serve. Since big-box stores like Cabela's and the like are perfectly set up for unloading overpriced guns on naiive buyers new to the shooting sports, I'd think a better strategy would be to supply bulk-bought accessories, and to a lesser extent firearms (of a diverse variety), to experienced shooters. If people learn you have good stuff they can't get elsewhere, and sell at a price they can't get without massive bulk purchases, you'll have legions of loyal customers for years to come. I'll go out on a limb and suggest you skip the gunshows, since I have found they are mostly junk, and a savvy customer would look elsewhere for deals. I also do most of my shopping on weekends, and I'd be irked to find my LGS had closed on my day off to go set up shop on the other side of the city. Be sure to offer (at least) basic gunsmithing services like tapping recievers and checking headspace. Make sure he's actually available, too. I'd pay good money to have a used milsurp's headspace checked before shooting it (especially if it was bought online), but my LGS's smith is too backed up with rechambering and muzzle-device projects.
TCB
