"The ideal gun shop"

[MikeJ]

Hello everyone,

A friend and I were talking today about local gun stores comparing their good and bad points and discussing what we think would be the ideal gun shop. Here goes:

1. Professional and courteous sales people that understand the meaning of customer service; in other words really appreciating the fact that you are a customer.

2. Sales people that provide accurate and sensible information regarding choices in gun types, selection of ammo etc. We all have opinions, as so obviously and rightfully expressed on forums such as this, regarding these topics but in our opinion a sale person should be able to explain the differences and virtues of one gun vs. another without sounding like a gun guru or worse yet providing misleading information. I shudder at some of the things I've heard sales people say to gun novices in search of their first firearm. By the same token I know several good sales people that do exemplify these traits.

3. Competitive pricing; I guess this goes without saying.

4. A store that specializes in certain aspects of firearms so they can provide a wide array gun types and accessories for that niche. For example: with the increased use of concealed carry handguns, I would like to see a store that specialized in that aspect, providing the customer with off the shelf holsters and other rigs for this purpose so you could see how well they are actually going to work for you. It seems today that with the almost countless choices in handguns and other firearms related merchandise it is quite understandable why one shop can't be everything to everybody. When I began shooting about 20 years ago I remember walking into my neighborhood gun store and looking for my first centerfire semi-auto which at that time basically meant a .380, 9mm or .45 and the choices in makes and models was limited as well. Long story short, I walked out with a beautiful Browning Hi-Power which I still own today , but you get the picture.

Well, as Porky Pig use to say "that's all folks". What are your thoughts on this subject? Regards, Mike

 

[Parker Dean]

It's obviously impossible. If it weren't it would've been done already and duplicated ad nauseum.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

The perfect gun store would be staffed by members of the Swedish Bikini Team.

They'd have an excellent inventory of 38s, and 44s.

 

[TheOtherOne]

Along with the above points.... I'd like a store that has a huge variety of guns, with plenty in stock and one of each kind that they keep separate just for renting on their indoor range. If you end up buying the same kind of gun you rented, the rental price goes into your purchase.

Since there would have to be a massive investment for the shop to keep a gun of every kind on hand for rent, this will probably always be just a dream store.

 

[PawDaddy]

How about one with a "buy one, get one free" sale?

 

[Standing Wolf]

I like gun shops with gunsmiths in back rooms. They're few and far between.

 

[P95Carry]

I'm with Standing Wolf on this one ..... in the good ol days you could find places where either the owner, or an employee - was a smith ..... so all work was done on premises and you could discuss the finer points of engineering, on the spot!

It was less about ''sales'' per se .. it was all about giving a service ..... a great thing that is lacking too much.

 

[PawDaddy]

P95Carry,

I live about thirteen miles from a shop that a dad and son own and operate. Both are smiths. It is a good shop and both of these guys are knowledgeable and helpful. The sales tax there was 5% that last time that I made a purchase, too!

 

[Sean Smith]

Fewer idiots.

 

[George Hill]

1. People that know what they are talking about, but are not arrogant snots.
2. Huge selection of guns, including evil black types large and small.
3. Indoor range for pistol and rifle.
4. Good selection of accessories, supplies, and all the sundry goodies.
5. Onsite training classes for safety, CCW, and more advanced classes too.
6. Special events.
7. Good prices.

Now, to these above items.............

1. A well stocked discount bookstore that has rare and hard to find books.
2. A good cafe with real food. Not the foo foo food they have a B&N... but real food. Like venison stew, steaks, chili, burgers... all manner of red meat and game bird dishes. Nugent's Kitchen. Then have some good stuff with that... salads and baked stuff...
3. Lots of tables to sit and eat at. Between the books, food, and guns... Big overstuffed leather chairs. Burbon, coffee, cigars, etc... where you can just sit and talk and read a paper. Attendants there to refill your cup or what not. Old Gentlemen Club kinda place.
4. Open 24 hours.

 

[jade]

5. respect (for lack of a better word) for the female shooters.
when a woman walks up to the counter and asks for some ammunition, she should not get the response " YOU shoot guns? ". don't assign us names such as "Little Lady". don't point us directly to the revolvers because "Women are too weak to rack a slide" or "Semi-autos are too complicated for a woman".

:banghead:

jade

 

[H Romberg]

A US Army Company arms room. You walk up to the window, they hand you a rifle, machine gun, pistol, or grenade launcher. You sign, and walk away. Those were the days.

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

Ogre, you should open a chain of those shops ! I could appreciate that.

 

[Marko Kloos]

I've been planning my own shop for years now: it will be called "The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms".

It will be a bar combined with a full range and a cigar store/walk-in humidor. Smoking will be permitted everywhere. The bar will be made of solid tropical wood. The bar stools will be covered with baby seal fur, and the peanut buckets will be elephant feet. The rental guns will all have genuine elephant ivory grip panels. The bar will have a lunch menu consisting of nothing but endangered and/or exotic species. The walk-in humidor will be stocked with illegally imported Cuban cigars.

The range will feature indoor and outdoor stations from 7 to 1,000 yards. Full-auto fire and tracers will be expressly permitted.

It will be the most Politically Incorrect establishment in the country, and shooters from four states away will flock to it. Liberals will hate it, tree huggers will picket it, and PETA types will have heart attacks when they see it.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Jade and StandingWolf:

Try Denver .45 in Aurora (I hope their still open). The husband is a smith and usually works in the back. The wife works the counter. She keeps a separate part of the store for her candles and cards and such, also a settee and TV for the wives that don't want to shop for guns.

Nice store, nice people, but pretty new. I hope they make it.

 

[coldshot03/04]

I'm with PawDaddy on this one.

 

[BowStreetRunner]

i like george hills idea myself!

 

[sm]

I like Marko's idea...the more unPC the better...like the name too.

 

[jade]

hey larry,
i've actually been out to Denver .45. i remember getting lost on the way there. it's really, really far from where i live. although my favorite gun store isn't exactly close to me either. it is close to my parents though. convenient that.

jade

 

[joeislove]

Try Franklin's of Athens. Great selection, and they will order anything you like, if you can't find just the one you're looking for. The staff is very knowledgeable, but if you do manage to stump one of them, they don't just make something up...they go ask someone else, which I think is the true measure of intelligence -- knowing when you don't know. Once a year, they have a "Customer Appreciation" sale, where they sell any gun in the store at their cost. If you need any repairs or modifications, there is a gun smith in the back.

The only thing they don't have is an indoor range. You have to drive around the corner to the Firing Lane for that.

 

[bogie]

My former favorite gun shop (now closed due to death of the owner) had a coupla chairs, etc., for comfy relaxing and chatting. And an ash tray next to 'em. Which the guy's kids would occasionally spike with a small amount of powder. You could tell the regulars - they wouldn't even twitch.

 

[George Hill]

Marko's idea is great. The more it pisses people off the better.

I'd love to see the business liscense application. Write it all out in detail and see if your local city officials will sign off on it.

 

[pax]

I always wanted to shop at the Weapon Shop of Isher. Great guns, great customer service, and help righting the wrongs of the world. What more could you want?

pax

The right to own weapons is the right to be free. -- A. E. Van Vogt

 

[willyjixx]

hey ogre if you start that can my VA business loan get me a partnership

me id like a gun store with an Unbiased opinion...........

me: say im looking for a CCW weapon in .40......
GS: how bout this Colt Commander in .45
me: no im not into .45s or 1911....more of a S&W DA kinda guy.....
GS: ohhhhhh well why dont you check the pawn shops there probably more you price.

or another time.

me: hey can you get me a keltec sub rifle in a .40!!!
GS: ???WHY??? its a POS. try this Ruger Carbine in 9mm an 40.
me: pos huh......well im looking for the collapsable port around kinda rifle.....
GS: oh well i dont stock the Kel-tecs cuz there crap. now this lever action in 44mag.......yada yada yada
me: well theres a gun show next week have a good day.




what i would like to see! (hang on a Willyjixx fantasy comin on)

is a Mall. like your large deparment store/walk around for hours size mall. 2 levels a food court an instead of Macys an JC pennys there are ranges. each of the little stores in the mall is every maker of weapons, knives, holsters, cases, gadgets gidgets an widgets. a central computer system for background checks an no mall ninjas cuz open carry is enouraged!
hunting stuff, tactical stuff, cowboy action. all of it. an special guest every sunday. be it an NRA preaching, the latest hottest Shooter sportin his tips an tricks, or even Manufacture Presidents or CEOs there to ask the public what they want! an i want 4 in each state! also a consignment store an a state to state transfer store!

hows that sound

 

[Thumper]

Try Franklin's of Athens. Great selection, and they will order anything you like, if you can't find just the one you're looking for.

I worked the gun counter there for five years (extended college plan). My home away from home. Don't have to order anything; anything you could possibly want is somewhere in the building.