What does a good gun store need?

[Demitrios]

Recently I've been calling around asking for powders and primers only to be met with some the rudest, most unfriendly sales people who tell me they're out of whatever it is I'm asking for. Now I can understand being curt but when you have a, "what do you want" attitude that makes for bad business, I don't care what the excuse.

To the point if you could open up your own gun shop, what would you carry? I'd like to have a 100 ft. range, at least, a gunsmith on staff, reloading equipment (bullet heads, primers, powders, tools, etc.), ammo, pistols, long guns, hunting/ccw/cleaning equipment and of course a staff who's courteous and knows what they're talking about.

 

[Corporal K]

a bunch o' hot chicks working there

 

[Demitrios]

Bikini gun waxes, I like it.

 

[kingpin008]

I don't mean to be rude, but they're called bullets or projectiles, not "bullet heads". I think that people get confused in thinking that a finished cartridge is called a bullet, and as a result call the bullet themselves the "heads". Just wanted to correct that.

Anyway - if I owned a shop, I'd forego the range and focus on having a wide, extremely varied range of handguns and rifles, to include semi-autos, revolvers, mouseguns, large-caliber big boomers, shotguns, etc. This is the most important thing to me. My local shops tend to be fairly...specific on what they have for sale, even going so far as to not even ordering certain types or brands if asked to. That wouldn't be me. If I don't have it but I can get it, I'll do my best to do so.

I'd also have as wide a selection of accessories as possible, with the exception of anything that specifically had to to with hunting. No camo gear, calls, specialty hunting ammo, etc. Not saying that I wouldn't allow individuals who I knew were hunters from becoming customers, just that my personal ethical beliefs don't agree with it.

Reloading gear aplenty. Not just powder, projos, and brass, but presses, manuals, videos, etc.

And that's about it, I think.

 

[wyohome]

A dog by the wood stove.

 

[Blakenzy]

Prices that don't exploit the consumer.

 

[RP88]

nice salespeople, competitive pricing, a good transfer fee, just about all commonplace gun makes and models, mags, spare parts, reloading equipment, cleaning gear, receivers, etc. I'd also see if I could build at a decent 25-yard range and hire a gunsmith that can work on mainstream jobs (accurrizing bolt guns, tuning ARs and 1911s, etc.). Getting a title II or better to allow the sale and transfer of NFA items would be good, too.

 

[THE DARK KNIGHT]

Non %*&^ing $^&*^er %#)$hole employees who treat every customer as if they are a nuisance, a moron, and taking up their precious time.

I do not get why most gun sellers, dealers, range masters, employees, etc. are the most miserable, nasty, unhappy people I have ever come across in my life. Not only in Jersey, I've met a fair share of bleeps in NC and PA too...I just don't get it.

 

[MIgunguy]

Employees that aren't total jerks and customers that aren't total idiots... they often both need to learn what they're talking about, and some basic people skills. It's a viscous cycle.

 

[oneounceload]

I do not get why most gun sellers, dealers, range masters, employees, etc. are the most miserable, nasty, unhappy people I have ever come across in my life. Not only in Jersey, I've met a fair share of bleeps in NC and PA too...I just don't get it.

Maybe they get sick and tired of dealing with people who want a custom gun for a RG price, and then want free ammo, free holster, free range time, free, free, free.............

No one does it in a restaurant, car service center, grocery store or anywhere else

 

[rogertc1]

I like the babes ideal. Kinda like a Gun Hooters would be neat.

 

[CoRoMo]

I care less and less about the customer service I receive, regarding courtesy/politeness. I place little to no value on how courteous the guy behind the counter is. If he has what I'm looking for and prices it better than his competition, all I ask is that he let me take a look at it. He's there to sell guns and I'm there to buy them. I don't need to be treated like we're best friends; I don't even really need him to ask me how I'm doing. I'd lie anyway. Just have it, get it, or find it and price it right. That's all I ask.

 

[TonyDedo]

Reassuring to see this isn't just a Massachusetts phenomenon... I can think of more gun shops I hate to frequent than shops I like because of bad customer service.

Everyone has mentioned the basics - customer service, selection, pricing - but one of my biggest pet peeves regarding gun shops is a lack of an online presence. So many gun shops in my area don't have a website, or it looks like it was designed circa 1995.

I really appreciate the shops with a modern website and an up to date inventory of used/consignment fireams.

 

[Demitrios]

oneounceload says:

No one does it in a restaurant, car service center, grocery store or anywhere else

I work as a bartender and I have to say that is completely false, at least in the restaurant industry. That said, I completely agree with you, some people do try and nickle and dime places and it only takes one of them to ruin your day.

 

[21bubba]

It needs to be called "bud's" and be in central Ky. Oh wait, there's already one of those.

 

[huntsman]

To the point if you could open up your own gun shop, what would you carry?

interesting guns.

 

[Nicodemus38]

the first things id like to find are clerks who can:
- differentiate between pump, semi auto, bolt action, break open
- " " rifle, shotgun, carbine, handgun
-" " calibers, ie i ask for 45 auto, they dont hand me 12 ga slug

second,
-fair prices, ie dont charge me an extra 3-500 over MSRP for a firearm simply because you want to pay off the monthly light bill with a single gun sale.
-selection, more then pumps and break opens exist,
-advertisea product in stock, it better be on the shelf and not just 1 item.
-dont try to make me beg you 30 minutes to let me look at a weapon from the big glass display case 5 feet behind the counter. and dont impose a limit of "1 firearm inspection per visit unless its your first visit to the store ever."

 

[mustang_steve]

The staff will be the bigest point. They should be knowledgable, but willing to admit when they don't know. Few things suck as bad as being fed a bunch of bovine cake and finding out later.

Being gentlemanly (or ladylike) helps too. One shop I go to here (mostly for the indoor range, I never buy stuff from them as it's all overpriced and the selection isn't very comprehensive), has some rather irritating individuals....lots of borderline racist talk, which isn't making me want to buy there. Honestly after todays incident with that, I'm looking for a new range. So at least make sure your folks, if they do have such feeling can keep that mess bottled up until after work. I really don't care if racists exist (people will always find something to dislike about others), I just don't like hearing that crap from the staff when waiting for a range slot to open up.

 

[Ian Sean]

Everyone nailed some great points.....one thing that has ticked me off in several shops I will NEVER return to is bad service and attitude.

Sure it is a pain getting asked the same or similar questions day in day out....but to browbeat or denigrate a customer is terrible. I walked out on a purchase as I was reaching for my wallet because of a real obnoxious attitude from a counter guy to a young guy obviously new to shooting based on his questions.

So....be friendly and knowledgable, you never know how many customers you lost because you made just ONE customer mad or embarassed.

Then again, some customers are terrible also.....comes with being in the retail business. You could give guns away and sooner or later someone would complain about it.

 

[hogshead]

Alcohol Tobacco Firearms

 

[Magoo]

"Alcohol Tobacco Firearms"

Hot chicks would be nice too...

 

[hogshead]

Got to agree.

 

[mustang_steve]

Heh, that was a joke idea I was passing around to friends for a while...make a store called "the ATF emporium" "all your regulated needs under one roof".

Have the "One Bourbon, One Stogie, One Baer" special

 

[hogshead]

Served by chicks in to small clothes.

 

[Big Bill]

I don't need to open a gunstore. I've got Midway USA. There're no rude salespeople there.