celem
Member
My small town of 7,000 in Western North Carolina has two gun stores. One affiliated with an indoor range that sells high-end firearms and another that sells mainstream firearms. They both are doing well.
How are your local gun stores doing?
- Thread starter gspn
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Nanook
Member
The one I patronize most has been doing really well. He does slow down every summer he says, so he expected that.
He did really well during the insanity too. He also sells on Gunbroker, so he's covered no matter which way the wind blows.
He does transfers for a reasonable price, sells on consignment if you like, and will list for anybody who doesn't want to list themselves on Gunbroker.
He did really well during the insanity too. He also sells on Gunbroker, so he's covered no matter which way the wind blows.
He does transfers for a reasonable price, sells on consignment if you like, and will list for anybody who doesn't want to list themselves on Gunbroker.
Red Wind
Member
My LGS in Key Largo, Kiffney's Firearms, has quadrupled in size since I started patronizing them in 2001. They have gobbled up most of the strip mall at Mile Marker 106 on the Overseas Highway..
Business is down a bit the last 6 months but they are still doing well. They also have the big advantage of not having a serious competitor for almost 30 miles in any direction, being isolated on US 1.
They provide fine service and have very competitive prices and low transfer fees.
Business is down a bit the last 6 months but they are still doing well. They also have the big advantage of not having a serious competitor for almost 30 miles in any direction, being isolated on US 1.
They provide fine service and have very competitive prices and low transfer fees.
Sauer Grapes
Member
We had a 10yr run where all the long time LGS's closed up. I know one other that is getting ready to retire and move south. Whether the store gets bought or just closes is unclear.
We had a new one open about 4 years ago. They cast pistol bullets and sell reloading supplies along with ammo and firearms. They are doing well. I finally bought a handgun from them, even though I probably could have saved some bucks online.
Their prices on accessories and bullets and powder are in line with other shops. They also had the good sense NOT to up prices during the shortage.
We had a new one open about 4 years ago. They cast pistol bullets and sell reloading supplies along with ammo and firearms. They are doing well. I finally bought a handgun from them, even though I probably could have saved some bucks online.
Their prices on accessories and bullets and powder are in line with other shops. They also had the good sense NOT to up prices during the shortage.
Stevejp
Member
Hello, I'm a long time lurker of this forum and decided to join. I live by Toledo, so a local gun dealer doesn't really exists here. Just Bass Pro and Gander mountain. But there is a guy 130miles south of me who just opened a shop and he's doing very well. (Don't want to sound like a noob) he just got the license that allows him to sell suppressors, automatics and all the "more fun stuff".
Red Wind
Member
Welcome to THR, Steve! I hope you enjoy your stay. 
BootBuckle
Member
I have 4 local gun shops--3 north of Baltimore, and 1 south of Baltimore. 1 of those north of the city just went under, another north of the city is going under in early August (says the owner). These are the only 2 of the 4 that don't offer other services. The 3rd "north" store is also an indoor range w/ rentals, and they seem to be doing fine. The "south" store offers many courses, such as the Maryland HQL, the Utah permit, NRA courses, etc., and they are doing better than fine.
Welcome to THR, Steve! I live about 40 miles south of you. You have Clelands in Swanton on Airport Hwy. I don't think the ones around here advertise much. Maybe that is why you haven't heard of them.
http://www.clelands.com/
http://www.clelands.com/
thefamcnaj
Member
Palmettostate armory opened up a retail spot in upstate South Carolina. Then cabellas opened up across the street from them. Psa handgun prices are unbelievably low, and cabellas brings in all the local hunters. Local gun shops are, now closing around here.
One lgs less than a mile from me just closed down. The next closest gunshot is pricing itself right out of business.
Lastly was my local pawn shop. They had great deals until a big corporate group bought them. Their guns now have silly prices on them. Used glock 19 gen 3 is now 505$
Psa has them nib for 499$. Mom n pop shops just can't compete anymore.
Academy hurts them as well when they run sales on certain models.
I can't justify paying mom n pop prices around here anymore.
I wanted to keep buying local but my wallet tells me I need to get the: ammo, accessories, guns etc, where it's cheapest.
One lgs less than a mile from me just closed down. The next closest gunshot is pricing itself right out of business.
Lastly was my local pawn shop. They had great deals until a big corporate group bought them. Their guns now have silly prices on them. Used glock 19 gen 3 is now 505$
Psa has them nib for 499$. Mom n pop shops just can't compete anymore.
Academy hurts them as well when they run sales on certain models.
I can't justify paying mom n pop prices around here anymore.
I wanted to keep buying local but my wallet tells me I need to get the: ammo, accessories, guns etc, where it's cheapest.
Reloadron
Contributing Member
When I had my shop the money wasn't in new guns, today with the addition of the Internet I can't see it as having changed. The money was in used guns. If I could snag an occasional estate and snag maybe 20 or 30 guns in a single buy that is where the money was. So it really mattered not what the S&W, Ruger, Remington, Glock, Sig or any other manufacturers forecast looked like. Even with that said guns alone do not a gun shop make. I had a good niche with reloading supplies and carried a wide range of reloading components and equipment, that helped pay the bills and overhead.
Anyway, in my opinion when manufacturers of guns come out with a weak forecast I don't see it as having much effect on a small, well run and established gun shop. Just my take based on my own personal experiences.
Ron
Anyway, in my opinion when manufacturers of guns come out with a weak forecast I don't see it as having much effect on a small, well run and established gun shop. Just my take based on my own personal experiences.
Ron
Willie Sutton
Member
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My local one is doing great. Large selection, great range, always has .22 for range clients, fair prices, cheerful transfers, friendly counter guys, and is always busy but not "too busy". Many suppressors in stock, and a great place to visit weekly.
Willie
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Willie
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TRX
Member
Gunbroker has a nice little search page to find FFLs in your area who are willing to do transfers. They list them by location and price.
There's an FFL in the next town to me who'll do an transfer for $8. It gets customers into his store, where he has a chance to sell them accessories and ammunition.
Captcurt
Member
Got to agree with you 100% The price of guns online make it really difficult to make anything on new guns. You are lucky to make 10%, especially if you are small and don't have good sale reps. Accessories, reloading supplies, and used guns.are your bread and butter. There are 3 good shops here and I leave the local sales to them. I try to find good quality used guns and put them online or hit a couple of local gunshows.
To tell the truth, the gunshows are really a waste of time. The new generation will look at your price, pull out their phone and compare your price to one on GunBroker or Bud's. They don't take in to account the extra fees like shipping and dealer transfer fees.
Well I recently had an employee of the LGS start working for me part-time, and he was telling me and a few co-workers that sales over the last 18 months had averaged 1 million a month so I guess you could say that store is doing fine. Others around here don't move quite the inventory he does but none of them are hurting from the looks of it, and price wise they are usually better than online. I was just able to buy a S&W M&P 9mm for $399+tax. Bud's has the same one listed at $441. In fact the three bigger ones have all expanded, moved to bigger locations, or in the biggest one's case are opening up an additional store.
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1John1:9
Member
I have so many pawn shop / gun shops near me, that I really couldn't begin to name them all. They all tend to stock about 30 to 60 handguns. There is one Gander Mountain in town. There are 2 places in town that are large dedicated gun shops. There are a few small dedicated gun shops. Two of them sell reloading supplies.
I think they are all doing well, but I'm not privy to their books.
Kind of off subject, but I am gaining a new appreciation for the used gun market. It is really fun to find good values.
I think they are all doing well, but I'm not privy to their books.
Kind of off subject, but I am gaining a new appreciation for the used gun market. It is really fun to find good values.
loose noose
Member
Here in southern Nevada, there are a lot of gun stores, not to mention right across the river in Arizona. That's how come I have dual citizenship, ya never know when a gun is going to just beg me to take him/her: home, and who am I to refuse.
Baron66
Member
I have to say that I have no sympathy for any gun stores that go out of business because the market slowed down. They made plenty of money off of us the last few years and if they didn't save it then it's their own fault.
jrhyne
Member
The one that I frequent has moved to larger locations or expanded on-site 3 times in the last 5 years. They're doing pretty well.
Stevejp
Member
Thanks for the welcome. Clelands is a nice shop. They burned down a few years ago (day before I was going to buy a SPAS 12 that I had been saving a lot for). Their new building is nicer, but it seems like their smiths are never there.
UpperAtmosphere
Member
The one I visit is doing okay, but I don't buy much from them as they don't have a large selection and I usually have a pretty good idea of what's next on the acquisition list.
SC Shooter
Member
In my area, the ones that are well funded are doing OK, but the competition has become fierce. Seems like these days, there's a LGS on every corner. The demand is still good, but we may be suffering from over supply.
Of course they consider those costs. They are not stupid.
I only go into two here in DFW because they are the only two that have any idea how to treat customers. Both are doing very well. They also understand how to make a profit, two traits often missing in this industry.
Any gun shop with a decent population around it that understands how to treat people and can change business with market trends they should be very profitable right now.
Any gun shop with a decent population around it that understands how to treat people and can change business with market trends they should be very profitable right now.
dirtyjim
Member
couldn't say how the lgs's are doing cause I don't buy generic off the shelf guns and they don't like doing transfers. ammo comes ups, guns get shipped to a pawn shop across town, i probably drive past 20 gunshops to get there.
the last time i picked up a rifle from the lgs, a rifle that they do not stock, their distributors do not stock and they didn't want to look for, i passed on a used pre64 Winchester simply because of their updated transfer policy basically stated that if your doing a transfer your cheap scum and we don't want your buisuness
the last time i picked up a rifle from the lgs, a rifle that they do not stock, their distributors do not stock and they didn't want to look for, i passed on a used pre64 Winchester simply because of their updated transfer policy basically stated that if your doing a transfer your cheap scum and we don't want your buisuness
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