Planning on opening a gun shop...

[Rittmeister]

Rittmeister,

You said $50 transfers! Holy @#$%! Here in Rowan County, NC you can come across $15-$20 transfers. What are those gun shop owners thinking charging that much???

Enachos - I got into shooting only about 8-9 years ago, when I got out of college. I had done the boy scout thing (rifle and shotgun) and had fired pistols owned by adults of my acquaintance. Part of the issue is that I had no mentor really, or anyone to point me in the right directions as far as where to go for things.

So I bought my first gun (Kimber full-size 1911) at what I later learned is the most expensive store in the area. I knew of it because of their indoor range and large selection. Over the ensuing few years, due to being on a limited budget, I looked for good deals here and there, and tried to find more shops in my area to look over. It seemed that wherever I went I got reactions that ranged from a pronounced unwillingness to help, to downright hostility. This was over the course of maybe a year, and about six different gun shops.

So I looked into the new (then) internet and discovered that prices were often lower, and I could actually find the guns I wanted (budget stuff - FM Hi-power, EAA/Armscor MAP-1, etc). Before buying I checked into transfers and this is when I had the problem I mentioned before. Either they wouldn't do the transfer at all (especially on new guns) or they charged what I thought was an exorbitant fee. You can argue that if people are willing to pay it then it's not too high, but the fact is that I put the high transfer fees together with the general attitude and came to the conclusion that these folks wanted you to buy guns from them, and if you weren't interested in what they had in the case right that minute, you weren't worth any more time.

I've since found a shop only 10 minutes from my home, that will transfer anything I want for $25 in addition to being friendly, helpful folks. I just wish it hadn't taken so long. At one point I was honestly ready to say the hell with the whole idea, keep my Kimber and never buy another gun; I took one more chance and went directly to Southern Ohio Gun (they're less than an hour away) for an FM Hi-Power; they were a little surprised to see me, as they're more of a wholesaler than a direct-to-the-public outfit, but they were nice enough to point me to a shop right down the road that did the transfer on the pistol, and I went straight back to SOG and picked it up half an hour later. It sort of restored my faith in things.

Hope this wasn't too OT for the thread. My only further advice for the OP echoes what others have said - if you act helpful and make sure anyone else in the shop does the same (employees AND hangers-on) things should go well. I understand that a brick-and-mortar shop will need to charge more than an internet concern; the key (like with transfer fees) is to make sure the price is reasonable.

 

[Enachos]

adomd and The Meager,

You guys pretty much were dead-on on what I was talking about! Glad to see someone else can appreciate the same things I do.

 

[Enachos]

Customer service is key for local gun shops!

 

[GEM]

What does the OP know about running a small business besides playing with guns? That's sort of important.

Hobby shops fail on the business aspect. Take any course on running a business?

 

[oneounceload]

What does the OP know about running a small business besides playing with guns? That's sort of important.

Hobby shops fail on the business aspect. Take any course on running a business?

not sure how many sites this thread is on GEM, but your response, like on the last one, is correct. This is a business and it sounds like most here do not have the background necessary.

OP, in case you didn't see my response to this on the other thread, you'll need 6-12 months of operating capital to pay bills, buy inventory, cover wages, taxes, etc......let alone a profit so you can pay your mortgage

You'll find that most of these folks want something for basically nothing and do not care if you succeed or not as long as they get the deal THEY want at the moment - since you'll likely not be able to compete with the likes of Bud's or similar large businesses, what are YOU going to do to differentiate yourself enough to have customers come in and come back? Personally, catering to the Norinco crowd would be the last thing I would do - they'll gripe about wally world's lower prices or the XYS internet company, yet they'll want you to accept their purchase when you could have done the wholesale buy. Personally, I would look at high-end guns of all types and cater to a crowd that does not base their entire purchase merely on the initial price. I know several folks who cater to the high-end shotgun/rifle crowd and are doing well.

JMO, FWIW

 

[wilkersk]

A smile, willingness to listen and help. And above all NO CONDESCENDING ATTITUDES. The rest will take care of itself.

 

[aHFo3]

Good for you for openning a gun store. We can always use another!

I don't think this has been mentioned:

Do your best to nonpartisan politically. Even though we all know that liberals want to melt down all guns and recycle them into abortion tools you don't need to isolate yourself from the potentia customer who isl left leaning gun lover.

So, leave Rush, Hannity & Beck off the radio, and leave the health care debate at home. Some people don't care; they're just interested in their hobby.

 

[wishin]

OP, in case you didn't see my response to this on the other thread, you'll need 6-12 months of operating capital to pay bills, buy inventory, cover wages, taxes, etc......let alone a profit so you can pay your mortgage

Very good point, but presumptuous on your part.

 

[NinjaFeint]

Good for you for openning a gun store. We can always use another!

I don't think this has been mentioned:

Do your best to nonpartisan politically. Even though we all know that liberals want to melt down all guns and recycle them into abortion tools you don't need to isolate yourself from the potentia customer who isl left leaning gun lover.

So, leave Rush, Hannity & Beck off the radio, and leave the health care debate at home. Some people don't care; they're just interested in their hobby.

This.

Also, there are plenty of conservatives who could do without Rush, Hannity and Beck.

 

[Sam1911]

On the question of music, talk radio, and other background noise, I'd say skip it.

Much as I'd love to hear (insert my favoirte band here) wailing out with the amps set at "11," and a lot of good 'ol boys would feel right at home trying to talk over whatever's playing on the country station, it all just detracts from the impression of professionalism and universal welcome that you want to exude.

Further, music playing over everyone's conversation is distracting, makes it hard for many folks to hear clearly, and is simply a kind of aural clutter.

The same goes double for any talk radio at all. Even allowing that I can't stand to listen to talk radio -- even when I agree with the perspective of the commentators -- NO one is in your store to listen to that drivel. Or, no-one should be, anyway. (See previous comments on gun-shop lounge-lizards.) Firearms are interesting and complex. The technical details about the guns themselves, and about the laws and forms that go along with them, are complex as well. Your customers deserve your full attention and the clearest possible communication, and you need theirs.

If you want to have a TV running training videos, that's fine, but put it in the "lounge" or side room. It shouldn't be either visible or audible from the sales area.

The whole experience should be clean, focused, and uncluttered -- in as many ways as possible.

-Sam

 

[twice barrel]

A place for gun nuts to gather and not necessarily spend a dime. But it should be a great place to hang out so that when you do want to spend one; you spend it there.

Knowledgeable employees....and not only on what is popular today.

Helpful but not imposing and never making an effort to sell yet very accomodating to a buyer.

Have it in stock and at a price WalMart finds difficult to match.

Service what you sell and service what everyone else sells or sold.

If you provide gunsmithing services be very clear about what you can do, can do well, what you might try to do, and what you absolutely are not skilled at and will not do because of your lack of proficiency. Be ready and willing to recommend someone that is.

Try not to stock much of all the general B/S that the sporting goods/department stores do and instead carry what knowledgeable and discriminating shooters use.........in other words, Be a Gun Shop.

My thoughts,

TB

 

[Lou McGopher]

Make sure to have a good website, keep it updated, and work the on-line auction sites constantly.

This.

Having a quality, updated website will draw business from people who are too busy or too far away to just come in for a look. I could even make one for ya (I accept ammo as a form of payment).

Also, consider some sort of partnership with an NRA-approved instructor for shooting and CHL classes.

Be friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. You may not be able to compete with the big box stores on prices. Offer what they don't: Top-notch customer service. A good selection of guns and ammo they may not carry. Gunsmithing. Sell ammo at cost to people who buy range time.

Cater to the CHL crowd. Make an effort to reach out to female customers. Advertise!

 

[oneounceload]

OP, in case you didn't see my response to this on the other thread, you'll need 6-12 months of operating capital to pay bills, buy inventory, cover wages, taxes, etc......let alone a profit so you can pay your mortgage
Very good point, but presumptuous on your part.

Not presumptuous at all - I had a small business at one point; working capital and cash flow is critical to survive the first year of operations, something most do not plan adequately for.

 

[Avtomat Kalashnikova]

What kind of pistol, shotguns, rifles?

Look online to see what most people are interested in, if you are in an area where hunting is very popular, carry some good hunting guns, but don't have the shelves completely filled with deer rifles and o/u shotguns, variety is good.

What accesories?

Quality optics, most of what i see in local shops are junk, also allow customers to examine an optic before they buy it. Also carry plenty of magazines for popular guns, quality magazines. i don't like to walk into a gun store and see the walls lined with promags.

Hunting Accessories?

Since it is a gun store, mostly carry gun related hunting accessories, some other hunting stuff is ok, but don't stalk all the shelves with cover scent, etc.

What things do you not like to see?

Grumpy employees who think they know everything, especially people who make up information to try and make a sale

 

[Sgt.45]

#1 Don't hire A-Holes. Only have friendly, knowledgable people who genuinely want to help others. I hate it when clerks act like am ruining their day by asking questions.I am willing to pay more for something if I feel good about the purchase. (Although nothing makes me feel better than when someone pressures me to buy something less expensive because it is actually better.)

#2 Because you have a range attached... DON'T JACK UP AMMO PRICES. And if you can't resist, at least let your customers shoot their own ammo. I hate it when my only option is to by reloaded hardball from the store at almost a dollar a round.

#3 Don't tell customers that a used gun has "never been fired"....ever. Even if you are ninety percent sure.

#4 Don't feel the need to double your money on used guns. And if you do, be honest. Tell them that you are paying less for their guns so you can make a big profit. I had a buddy get told his gun was basically worthless but the manager was in a good mood so he would give him a hundred dollars towards a trade. He later saw his gun with a $600 dollar price tag on it. He never went back.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

1. Dont hire clerks, hire salespeople.
2. Rotate inventory and move dogs by aggresively sale tagging them and getting them out of the door.
3. Try to keep a maximum 8 weeks supply of hunting/shooting accesories.
4. Make sure to have a system in place to monitor inventory levels and adjust accordingly.
5. It would also be good to set a priority level for each SKU/product number you have on inventory. 1,2,3 etc to make sure you always have your top rated items (in terms of sales) in stock.
6. Keep a notebook handy for taking notes about what you learned a various times of the year that will help with keeping inventories where they should be. Example. When I was running a hunting department we ran out of 12 gauge turkey loads right before season opened. It was my first year ordering this ammo and not wanting to be over stocked on turkey ammo (super slow mover off season) I went too light on orders. Make sure to keep a history with notes like --We sure could have sold 400 more boxes of 12 ga 3" 2 oz. 6's if we had them ion stock.
7. Have frequent training sessions for your professional salespeople to keep their sales skills and product knowledge cutting edge.
8. Have a shop atmosphere that recognizes the changing face of the shooting world. The atmosphere needs to be female friendly for sure.


Best Wishes.

 

[gym]

Unless you can get firearms for less than stores like Buds, and other online stores, it's an exercise in futility, IMO. The amount of sq. ft, air conditioning, electricity, licensees, etc, will we enough to put you out of business in a short amount of time. You will end up with a $20 grand a month overhead, "in order to get in enough lanes", and you will have to be packed all of the time in order to make anything. That's minus the hundred grand or two, that you will need to start out, without inventory. My advice speaking from experience, never let your hobbies become your work.

 

[Sam1911]

The amount of sq. ft, air conditioning, electricity, licensees, etc, will we enough to put you out of business in a short amount of time. You will end up with a $20 grand a month overhead...

We have to assume that the OP has a business model developed that covers his initial capital outlay, all his set monthly costs, includes reasonable projections of his monthly variable costs, required number of customers through the door each month at a certain anticipated average sale per visit and so forth. Probably even has a rough estimate on how many months out he plans for the shop to begin to turn a profit.

Since he didn't ask us our thoughts on his HVAC costs, property taxes, insurance, advertising, security system, license fees, etc., I'm going to assume that he's smart enough to have those items already modeled out.

At least, I hope so.

-Sam

 

[gym]

With all due respect, I never assume anything. I sold a business to a gentleman in his 60's who had been in business all his life. We gave him every piece of documentation showing 5 years costs and expenses. He managed to degrade a 4000 member gym into nothing in 2 years. He assumed he knew what he plugged into his business model also. It doesn’t work that way anymore Sam, sometimes it's better to be a little more cautious with opening a new business now. Costs quickly get out of control and increases in electric and built in escalations get out of hand quick. I wish him well if he goes into it in this economy, but practically speaking, it doesn't make good sense to me.

 

[hammerklavier]

Besides all the usual "junk" you have to have because it is popular, get a line of high quality firearms you don't see at every shop. Benelli shotguns, Savage rifles, FN handguns (perhaps). Which brand doesn't matter just so long as it is not the usual stuff and high quality (yet still affordable).

Keep at least two choices for the varied interests of everyone who will walk through your door. Rifles for deer hunters, shotguns for duck, turkey, home defense and clays. Long range rifles for sniper wannabees. Pocket pistols, REVOLVERS of various sizes, 9mm, .40, .45 in various sizes. A few AR-15s and AK-47s. Etc, etc.

Don't compete with Walmart. Don't carry the same brands of ammo. Find some other brand to be your cheap stuff, like Prvi Partisan, Wolf or Brown/Silver Bear for instance. It's easy to beat Walmart in selection, but try not to go up against them with what they do carry.

How to handle holsters? Have in stock holsters that fit for all the guns you carry (even a few vehicle/ATV mounts for long guns). Several models for the big sellers for conceal carry. You can make a quick sale especially if your state requires a holster for CC.

Run a weekly special, make a big deal of it. You'll want regulars coming in to check out the special of the week.

Some people may come in not so sure "if they can do it" whether it be operating a pistol for self defense, hunting, reloading, shooting skeet, etc. Find the simplest guides and dvds on these and other subjects and make them available for as low cost as possible, or dirt cheap with any sale of related equipment.

Have you and your employees write down every request that you can't fill. "Do you have such and such?" One time is not such a big deal. But if you miss ten potential sales for that item in a month suddenly you're foolish to not be on top of it.

 

[hammerklavier]

If you do gunsmithing, don't neglect your trade ins. Run them through the service and sell as "All our used guns have been 14-point inspected/serviced/reconditioned by our signature gunsmith service." or some such, as they do for used cars. Be prepared to match them with a holster as well.

 

[Kimber45acp]

Everyone is welcome there will be fresh coffee, a few places to sit for regulars and a some t.v. demos going on.

What about some music going on through the store? dull back ground noise?

Make sure to charge for the coffee because you don't want to encourage CAMPERS. Campers camp, they don't spend $$$. The music idea sounds annoying already.

Everybody wants a gunsmith, but gunsmithing is VERRRRRY time consuming (taking IN guns for repair is fast, but they pile up), so unless you plan to have a separate gunsmith operate in your store, don't go there.

Everybody essentially wants you to stock everything (surprise surprise). I just hope you keep AFFORDABLE ARs and AKs on hand (i.e. Olympic ARs and WASR AKs). A lot of gun stores act like I just asked for their sister's phone number when I ask if they carry Olympic ARs and WASRs. This elitism gets irritating and it doesn't make sense because AFFORDABLE GUNS SELL.

The secret is trust. You want your customers to TRUST your pricing methods. When they trust you, they'll SPEND. Don't be afraid to set a CONSISTENT pricing method (such as 10% markup) and tell people what YOU paid for a gun. Many dealers try to essentially scam people with secretive and inconsistent and greedy markups. This will make a good profit on a few guns in the short term, but if word gets around, you're screwed. The key to building loyal customers is honesty, openness, and consistency (and NOT attempting to stock every damn gun and model on the market).

 

[BADSBSNF81]

More to the point, I would like to see you in business for at least 5 years. Start out small, build a base, expand after that.

 

[thorazine]

I am planning to open a gun shop and I figured I would ask the customers/consumers what YOU would like to see/expect when you walked in to a gun store.
What kind of pistol, shotguns, rifles?
What accesories?
Hunting Accessories?
What things do you not like to see?
etc...

This shope already had a 4 lane indoor pistol range.

Your opinions are appreciated.

Thanks

A sales staff consisting only of hot young college girls.

Who are knowledgeable in firearms of course.

 

[freakshow10mm]

I would pick your theme or niche first. Determine your customer base.

My company only deals with ARs, NFA weapons, and other "evil" guns. We don't sell O/U shotguns, bolt action rifles, lever guns, or handguns. We will transfer them no problem but we do not stock them or advise about them. We don't do cowboy action shooting or hunting. ARs, AKs, Uzis, MAC 10s, silencers, machine guns, that's all.

That's what I'm talking about. A customer walks in the door.

What does he look like?
What is his income level?
How many guns does he buy per year?
How much ammunition does he buy?
Does he reload?
Metallic or shotgun or both?
What calibers/gauges?
Does he have friends that shoot too?
Does he hunt?
What game animals?

Answer those questions truthfully and it will open your eyes.

You might only want to sell handguns and handgun ammunition with a vast array of holsters for most popular guns.

Perhaps only target benchrest rifles you build in the back (having an 07 FFL of course).

Gunsmith on staff? Employed or subcontracted (his own FFL and insurance, rents space from you)?