Another AZ FFL dealer out of business

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KMBRTAC45

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Well there has been another casualty in the war on LEGAL Firearms dealers. This time it has been caused by LANDLORDS. A great FFL dealer in Youngtown, Az. has been put out of business by his landlord. He got his new lease agreement last week and they are raising his rent by 23% this year and another 26% next year:fire:. As if that wasn't bad enough Youngtown raised the sales tax to 9.3%(from 8.1%) as of Sept. 1st. Alot of businesses have already left Youngtown due to the tax increase.

Anyway, this just goes to show that it's not just the Feds(BATF) who will be the death:evil: of the gun industry(at least the dealer end of it).


P.S. Now where am I supposed to spend my Saturday mornings?;)
 
IIRC Youngstown used to be the "backwoods" of Maricopa county and prices (property, rent, etc) were cheap. Unfortunately Phoenix has been growing rapidly in that direction, so I imagine that property values, rent etc. have been going up. I wouldn't read too much conspiracy theory into the rent increase.
 
There are some small biz that cannot survive the upgrade of a community as they need reasonable rents. Besides gun stores, used book stores, antique stores, guitar shops and pawn shops tend to leave as an area gentrifies. Just an economic fact of life.
James
 
Well there has been another casualty in the war on LEGAL Firearms dealers. This time it has been caused by LANDLORDS. A great FFL dealer in Youngtown, Az. has been put out of business by his landlord.
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Landlords are not in business to be your friend or a friend of the RKBA. They rent property. They are free to charge what they want. It is a fundamental part of capitalism.

Perhaps you'd like the system they use down in Cuba?
 
Landlords are not in business to be your friend or a friend of the RKBA. They rent property. They are free to charge what they want. It is a fundamental part of capitalism.

Perhaps you'd like the system they use down in Cuba?
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I didn't say they COULDN'T raise rent but to raise the rent as drastically as that is crazy. The only reason to raise someones rent that amount(more than 150% over 2 years) is to remove them from your property. Plus, I just found out that HE will be responsible for repairs, A/C, heat, roof and other things that any other landlord would be responsible for. If that is not trying to get rid of somebody than what do you think they are doing?

And if I liked the way they ran things in Cuba or any other country I would move there instead of trying to change it here like the anti-gun crowd is trying to do to us.
 
I didn't say they COULDN'T raise rent but to raise the rent as drastically as that is crazy.
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Come back and say that when you're a landlord, and you're faced with rising property taxes, increases in insurance, etc.
 
I didn't say they COULDN'T raise rent but to raise the rent as drastically as that is crazy.
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Come back and say that when you're a landlord, and you're faced with rising property taxes, increases in insurance, etc.
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Or after the property sits vacant for the next few years...

Justin
 
I may not be a landlord but I do own property in Az(in a town more expensive than Youngtown). My property taxes have NOT gone up enough to raise my mortgage payments 150%.
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Property zoned residential is not the same as that of commercial. Also, no one knows if this is property tax and/or something else. Maybe the value of the land has gone up greatly and the owner is just getting around to asking for what is it worth?

But why is it every time something bad happens to a gun shop we immediately accuse it of being anti-gun? Its the same as minorities claiming "race" for every ill that comes upon them.
 
KMBR

You could always buy the strip mall and lease it to him yourself!

Most gunshops I have seen go out are usually due to the folks that run them not being super savy or not being able to compete with the big chains. If we want to keep shops in business we need to encourage youth to shoot and teach them that what Wal Mart sells isn't as cool as what Jimmy's Guns sells. Jimmy in turn will have to not rip off his customers and not be jerk.

There are many, many gun shop owners/workers who are more interested in overwhelming you with their superior gun Knowledge than they are about trying to be personable and help a shooter get the right gun and be happy with their purchase. I could go on about some of the gunstore A-Holes that I have encountered over the years but I will stop.

If you want to go to an honest reasonable and actually well informed shops one of the best I have ever encountered is Antique and Modern Firearms in Lexington, KY or Milgrim's Pawn shop in Joplin, MO. I used to travel full time and I have been to shops in 20 or more states these are two of the best I have encountered. Honorable mention would be Holland & Holland in NYC but I have never been to the store just dealt with them over the phone they are super helpful-- of course with their prices customer service should be top shelf.
 
Until about 18 months ago, I lived in Youngtown.

I AM a Realtor, business owner, and landloard.

The owner of this building just bought it a couple of years ago, thinking, I'm sure to capitalize on the insane boom that was going on here about that time. She's bought a building, paid more for it than it's worth, can't make the mortgage payments, and can't sell it without running the numbers up.

I am amazed at how many anti-gunshop owners there are on this blog. Especially from those who have never met or done business with him.

Just to clue those who don't know. Youngtown Arizona is probably the least desireable Real Estate in Phoenix, mostly due to the crooked City Council and past 2 or 3 Mayors, all of whom belong in jail.

Commercial property there routinely runs with a less than 75% occupancy, in an area that should be at or near 100%, again, due to the unbelievably incompetent actions of the city council. Youngtown is one of the smallest cities in Maricopa County, both in area and in population, and yet has one of the highest per capita city budgets in the state. Amazing, given that there is NO fire department, NO ambulance service, and NO public schools. I could go on, but since this isn't really on topic....

This gun shop has been there since 1973, under the same owner. I hardly think his business practices are in question.
 
KMBRTAC45 you can always go to Guns plus on Dysart and Grand in the strip mall just north of the intersection.

Just a note there is an appleseed rifle clinic at Ben Avery on Oct. 21-22 cost is 70.00 for both days PM me if you have questions or go to www.appleseedinfo.org for more info.
 
Until about 18 months ago, I lived in Youngtown.

I AM a Realtor, business owner, and landloard.

The owner of this building just bought it a couple of years ago, thinking, I'm sure to capitalize on the insane boom that was going on here about that time. She's bought a building, paid more for it than it's worth, can't make the mortgage payments, and can't sell it without running the numbers up.

I am amazed at how many anti-gunshop owners there are on this blog. Especially from those who have never met or done business with him.

Just to clue those who don't know. Youngtown Arizona is probably the least desireable Real Estate in Phoenix, mostly due to the crooked City Council and past 2 or 3 Mayors, all of whom belong in jail.

Commercial property there routinely runs with a less than 75% occupancy, in an area that should be at or near 100%, again, due to the unbelievably incompetent actions of the city council. Youngtown is one of the smallest cities in Maricopa County, both in area and in population, and yet has one of the highest per capita city budgets in the state. Amazing, given that there is NO fire department, NO ambulance service, and NO public schools. I could go on, but since this isn't really on topic....

This gun shop has been there since 1973, under the same owner. I hardly think his business practices are in question.
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Why are we anti gun shop owners just because we don't fall for the "they want your guns" line every time it gets tossed out there?

Also, Youngtown has no schools because its a retirement community, and they don't need a separate fire department because the city is so small land wise and is completely surrounded by other larger cities they can just pay for the occasion first response.

But anyways, you show me some actual evidence of this being anti gun, and I will sympathize. Until then, its just another small business going under for one reason or another. Its nothing new, its happens all the time.
 
I feel your pain KMBRTAC45. There used to be a nice little gun shop here in Tucson called Centerfire, the ownwer Ron was one heck of a guy. I would spend about 3 to 4 hours there evry weekend. Sad to say his shop got closed down as well. He had the best prices, and he was great to military. We would buy things we didn't even need just to buy something from him. All the other gun shops here are way to over priced, and they all act like they got a stick up their butt.
 
you can always go to Guns plus
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I have been there many times. Every time I have ever been in there I have been ignored. Not a very friendly place.


Also, Youngtown has no schools because its a retirement community, and they don't need a separate fire department because the city is so small land wise and is completely surrounded by other larger cities they can just pay for the occasion first response.
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I don't think he was saying that they need to have schools, fire dept etc..He was just saying for a city that has no schools or first responers that the taxes are very high because the city council and mayor are CORRUPT.


BTW. for those who don't know Youngtown, Az is approx. 3/4 of a mile wide and 2 miles long.
 
Youngtown is not a retirement community.

Thanks to the shenanigans of a former mayor and his cronies in the city council, they lost their adults only status several years ago.
 
Kmbrtac- Thanks for sharing your loss with us. Sounds like that area used to be a swell place (to retire?).

I'm not looking forward to losing my local shop, with it's weird hours or characters and all.

I haven't seen rent raises that bad here in expensive SoCal and hope we don't for my LGS's sake.

Justin
 
The loss of a gun dealer in our community means less competition and probably higher prices. However, in the Valley of the Sun, there are many gun dealers.

As mentioned, Guns Plus and then there is Randalls, Lone Wolf, the new Cabelas, etc. etc. and, even Wal-Mart for a limited selection of ammunition.

The small business gun dealer is in the same boat as much small business today. They find it difficult to compete with the mega stores. Their one great advantage is in the knowledge and personality of the owner and small staff.

I prefer these small business because most of the mega stores are populated by sales people who know very little about guns in general and almost nothing about a specific firearm in particular.

Although there has been a post here about the seemingly indifference of those at Guns Plus, I have found the owner, his wife and members of his staff to provide me with undivided attention to my questions. I never feel rushed there nor brushed off because of my inexperience with a subject.

I am sorry about the dealer in Youngtown but attribute the demise of his shop to the so called progress and population explosion occurring in our valley.
 
As mentioned, Guns Plus and then there is Randalls, Lone Wolf, the new Cabelas, etc. etc. and, even Wal-Mart for a limited selection of ammunition.
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Have you seen the prices(particularly used firearms) at Cabela's:what:?




The small business gun dealer is in the same boat as much small business today. They find it difficult to compete with the mega stores. Their one great advantage is in the knowledge and personality of the owner and small staff.
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He is not going out of business due to the mega stores. He has a good business and makes what he needs to pay the bills and such. As was said earlier, he has been at the same location since 1973.
 
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