Gunshop/range experience: Shooter's Paradise (VA)

[BrokenPaw]

I've seen a lot of negative posts about gun shop customer service recently, so I figured I'd post a positive experience.

Tuesday night I went with my wife and a couple of friends to Shooter's Paradise in Woodbridge, Virginia. My wife is just getting into shooting, so I brought my Savage .22WMR bolt-gun, and my friend brought his Walther P22 pistol and G22 rifle for her to play with.

She shot better than I did, of course[0]. She had fun, and the only downside on the range was the guy who was next to us shooting an AR-15 with a muzzle brake, and an AR-10. Pretty heavy concussion, given that the shooting lanes have cinder-block walls dividing them; sound just seems to focus.

Not blaming the other guy, of course; he was there first, and he wasn't doing anything wrong. He was even nice enough to let me have a look through his Trijicon ACOG. Very nice.

As we were leaving, the guys in the shop (who knew she was a shooting newbie) took the time to talk to her (directly, not through me) to see if she'd enjoyed herself. One of the guys asked whether she had her eye on any particular gun, and when she said no, and I said that I figured we'd let her try out a bunch of different stuff before buying anything for her, he mentioned that they had a bunch of handguns available for rental, and told us they'd be happy to have us back any time.

When my wife discovered (the next day) that she'd lost an earring, we figured the most likely place it could have come off was at the range or in the shop, when she was taking her earmuffs off. She called the shop, and the gentleman there went and physically searched the firing line and the shop floor, to see if he could find it. He didn't find it. But he tried.

That's the way gunshops are supposed to treat customers...we'll be going back there.

-BP

[0] women I take to the range always shoot better than I do

 

[crucible]

Isn't it a sad thought these days that when we as customers get the treatment we deserve and in fact are supposed to get, and it's considered unusual?

Good on Shooter's Paradise.

Cruc

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Extra special good. But I'm biased; if you're at Shooters Paradise and happen to see a guy behid the counter, about 5'10, 230, blond with glasses and he's dressed like he just came from a job interview or a funeral- walk up to him and congratulate him on getting married. (it was in June but it still counts.) I had the great honor to stand up for him on that occasion and wear the monkey suit tuxedo.

I'll suprise him and suprising the guy behind the counter at a gun store is alway fun!

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Extra special good. But I'm biased; if you're at Shooters Paradise and happen to see a guy behid the counter, about 5'10, 230, blond with glasses and he's dressed like he just came from a job interview or a funeral- walk up to him and congratulate him on getting married. (it was in June but it still counts.) I had the great honor to stand up for him on that occasion and wear the monkey suit tuxedo.

It'll suprise him and suprising the guy behind the counter at a gun store is alway fun!

 

[Smurfslayer]

everybody has a bad day I guess...

Usually, I find S/P to be a pretty well run joint. The range is pretty good, staff helpful, prices reasonable... They're my official 'closest to home' gunshop.

That said, I got some pretty p$$$ poor service there recently. I imagine that there may be a reason, but there were 5 people behind the counter, about half a dozen people in line in addition to me, and they seemed disinterested in selling me anything. Now I got asked if I wanted to see stuff earlier, and I actually looked at a couple guns, but when the time came for me to buy some other stuff, nobody would help me. I stood there for 5 minutes in line while the wife shopped there. One of them acknowledged my presence telling me 'just a minute'... He went away (mind you, there's still 4 more people behind the counter, jabberjawing). After a couple more minutes, I put my stuff down on the counter, card back in wallet, met up with wife, had her put her stuff back and we left.

Shooters will now be a guest on my do not patronize list for another 5 months, 2 weeks.

 

[i-SHOT2]

Sorry Smurfslayer

As a manager at Shooters Paradise I would like to apologize. We pride ourselves on presenting a professional and friendly environment and our failure to meet your needs as a customer has been addressed at the highest level.

I hope that you will give us the opportunity to make good on our companies mission and serve you better in the future.

As a note to any customer who frequents Shooters Paradise, we always appreciate feed back, good or bad. Please always feel free to contact us directly at 703-491-4867 or via the internet at [email protected] (Owner) , [email protected] (Operator) or [email protected] (Myself).

 

[Roc_Kor]

I love Shooters Paradise!!! Hey, all, if you see a 15 year-old tomorrow totin a WASR-10 AK-47 and shootin it at the range... it might be me. If you say anything to me I probably won't be able to hear you because I will be wearing double ear protection (muffs AND plugs) because the AK is LOUD inside the range. We've got a memebership to Shooters, too.






EDIT: Darn, I won't be taking the AK. But we'll be bringing the Makarov! I love that pistol.

 

[Cascade Hunter]

Hey there. I served with the retired Marine who owns that shop!!!!

If you Manassas boys are interested in an Active membership to Fairfax Rod and Gun Club (in Manassas) I have one for sale. I can't see using it since I moved to the Cascades. That would be a 3000 mile shot!! Just PM me if interested.

 

[A45acp1911]

Everytime I start to like Shooter's Paradise, they do something to irritate me, and I take a 6 to 12 month break between visits.

The first was their refusal to ring up a credit card purchase for under 10 dollars. This is, of course, contrary to the credit card companies policies to which Shooter's Paradise agreed. Because Shooter's Paradise wouldn't accept my credit card for a $9.15 purchase, the next 50+ trips were spent at the NRA range, instead of Shooter's Paradise, and the next four gun purchases were at Dawson's and Virginia Arms.

Most recently there was a Saturday morning three or four months ago - first time in over 6 years that we (I and wife) had the opportunity to go together. Guy behind the counter starts complaining because apparently the clock in the car wasn't synchronized with his, and I was standing at the counter waiting before the store was officially open (why do they unlock the door apparently 10 minutes before opening time?). Perhaps if four peope hadn't entered before me, I wouldn't have been under the impression that the store was open.

That same occassion, after leaving the range and entering the store. That central counter is a *very* idea, as the counter location begs for potential purchasers to cover store patrons with their prospective pistol purchases. Further, the employees seem so afraid to lose a sale, I'm never heard a reprimand on the basic rules of gun safety. This particular morning, I served as a target for a clueless buffoon looking through the sights of a Kimber. Clueless buffoon laughed and continued to point with the muzzle notwithstanding my annoyed look and and ducking out of the way. I suppressed my instinct to pull out my Trojan 1911, thumb back the hammer and pull the trigger as quickly as possible half a dozen times. Even when I complained to the wife about the buffoon's conduct, the salesperson said nothing. Needless to say, I'm well into the 12 months of no business for Shooter's Paradise.

Just my experiences. Hopefully yours are better.

 

[gmshtr]

First, let me thank all of you who have visited Shooters Paradise. When I bought the store 2 years ago, I wanted to make it one of the premier gun stores/indoor ranges in Virginia. Even though we have made significant improvments, it seems like I still have my work cut out for me. I apologize for any unprofessional or negative treatment anyone has received.

With the new terrorist threats, my dept. has me working 13 hr days, 6 days/week, so I'm not able to be at the store as much as I would like. That being the case, sometimes I never hear about these experiences, and if I do, it's usually a month later, and the damage has been done.

I try to hire the most curtious, helpful, and professional employees money can buy....well at least what $7.00/hr can buy. However, I can't fix the problem if I don't know what's broken. If anyone ever has any unpleasant experience at Shooters, please let me know SPECIFICALLY what and who was involved, and I'll take care of it. Please understand that I will not be able to make everyone happy all of the time (John), but I will do my best to make your experience at Shooters Paradise an enjoyable one.

I look forward to your visits.

Phil Strader

[email protected]

 

[Dannyboy]

A friend of mine lives in Woodbridge so I had an opportunity to shoot at SP. All in all a good experience. Made even better by the cute little half-Asian girl with the blue eyes.

 

[A45acp1911]

Mr. Strader:

I wish you the best of luck - overall, Shooter's Paradise has improved over the last couple of years. I've been an off and on patron of SP for 6 years (I know, before your purchase). I can describe the entire layout of your store, that's how often I've visited and purchased from. I *want* to like Shooter's Paradise, but maybe it's hit and miss with the service. Sometimes the staff does a good job. Safety should be paramount, though, in my opinion, and I'd like to see the staff committed to safety over sales.

That being said, I was very impressed with your fundraising efforts to help out the family of your gunsmith. I am happy that I didn't win your pistol, because, unfortunatlely, it might have never occured to me to donate the pistol back to the family (as was done by the winner).