What does a good gun store need?

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Wow! You guys must really have some crappy gun shops around you. I can say as a business owner that one guy mentioned this.
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
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There probably is not a gunshop owner in the country that wouldn't like to have all these things. Powder and primers just can't be had right now. A huge selection of guns, ammo, accesories, reloading stuff, hunting stuff, all that costs TONS of money, and is many times more money than you can afford as a small gunshop owner. I know that my big thing is, if the customer wants it, I will get it. I will NOT put up with staff that is rude or arrogant to customers. Not going to happen. Ever thought about how difficult it is to find someone very knowledgable in guns, ammo, reloading, and hunting with a great personality that doesn't have a full time job and will work for $10 or less an hour and come to work everyday when you depend on him? Pretty tough. It is not an easy business to be in, but can be rewarding at times.
 
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A "Safe Spot" or multiples of them every 6-10 ft. behind the counter for pointing guns you are looking at.

Ok now this one comes because of a few incidents I've witnessed in the past 3 months. First one being a kid pointing an air rifle, and second were two particular individuals who appeared to have no legitimate business at the particular establishment I was entering.

A sign on the front door to the effect of the following:

-Hats must be worn properly, and customers completely clothed.
-No Cases or Equipment are to be brought in-store without prior authorization.
-Customers must know and exercise the 4 rules, you get 0 warnings.
-No Backpacks
-Kids 0-10 are ok and get a discount. Kids 10-18 must be on a leash, this is not a toy store.
**Please excuse our strict policies, they are required because we regularly deal with highly dangerous equipment. These policies keep our customers safe and our environment friendly.
 
a sign on the front door to the effect of the following:

-hats must be worn properly, and customers completely clothed.
-no cases or equipment are to be brought in-store without prior authorization.
-customers must know and exercise the 4 rules, you get 0 warnings.
-no backpacks
-kids 0-10 are ok and get a discount. Kids 10-18 must be on a leash, this is not a toy store.
**please excuse our strict policies, they are required because we regularly deal with highly dangerous equipment. These policies keep our customers safe and our environment friendly.
Click to expand...


love it!!!!!:D i if i ever open a gun shop i will absolutly have that on the front door!
 
good knowledge of firearms.
customer service first and foremost. 99% of gun shops in my area couldn't care less if you walk through their doors. Most barely acknowledge you when you walk in and seem that they can't wait for you to leave.

I recently dropped $600 and some change on a new pistol and they didn't even thank me for the purchase (yes i had thanked them for their help in getting the gun to me). Once they put my money in the till, I wasn't a customer anymore.
And I'm not now , nor will be in the future.

NVCZ
 
People who know what they're talking about, I have yet to encounter any...
 
Catfish25p2000 says:
There probably is not a gunshop owner in the country that wouldn't like to have all these things.
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The Bullet Hole, in of all places NJ, has primers, powder, reloading dies/equipment and a 75 foot range, plus some. However their staff act like I'm a burden rather than a customer. But for $25 per 1000 CCI small pistol primers I'll shut my mouth for the time being.
 
I've been buying guns for a long time, and have shopped many, many gun stores. I've run across every type of salesman. A few nice and knowledgable persons, but the majority of them should be working somewhere else.

I worked for a retail gun store/indoor range a while back, more as a favor to the owner and a fun experience for me. I have always been a gun guy, what better place to get paid to spend time there.

I learned a lot about what people want in guns. The amount of misinformation being spread is crazy. Selling guns to the general public takes a person with a lot of patience, a good personality, and good product knowledge.



And an owner with deep pockets.
 
Employees that do not work on comission.

The store should have no agenda like selling only the stuff their distributors and the manufacturers want them too.

No sales contests among employees.
 
It's real simple, non-judgmental employees who actually want to help you. I walk into some gun shops and it's all good ole boy crap. They can't take 5 minutes from talking to their friends to show you anything. Also, being willing to order/sell the customer what they decide they want. I hate the shops that try to sell me a Sig/Glock instead of what I want. I own a Glock and am a huge fan but when I want a single stack 9mm to carry, I don't need to see a Glock. I have no problem with advice but I don't need the hard sell on something that doesn't even fill my needs.

A big plus is shops who actually will barter on used guns. In this I mean barter lower off the "book value" not off of their overinflated price down to "book value".
 
A sign on the front door to the effect of the following:

-Hats must be worn properly, and customers completely clothed.
-No Cases or Equipment are to be brought in-store without prior authorization.
-Customers must know and exercise the 4 rules, you get 0 warnings.
-No Backpacks
-Kids 12 and under free--no choice; you must take one when you leave.
-Kids 12-18 must be on a leash, this is not a toy store.
**Please excuse our strict policies, they are required because we regularly deal with highly dangerous equipment. These policies keep our customers safe and our environment friendly.

slight change:D
 
Just don't be one of those snoot nose elitist A-hole "gun shop" types, you know the guy. I have a pretty decent gun shop near by me, but won't do business there because of the attitude I get.
 
CMP-like service and knowledge. Decent prices, I'd pay a little more to support a small shop over some big store. An okay selection, like 30ish handguns in stock, 60ish long guns. A good variety of options. Like only one example in stock of each size Glock. I like the smaller shop if you can't tell. A few shelves of ammo, good selection of calibers and price range. reloading supplies for more than shotguns (that's all my local shop has mostly). A shelf of cleaning supplies, once again focus on variety, not having 100 gallons of Hoppe's. A selection of holsters, even some to try on. other random products.
 
A sign on the front door to the effect of the following:

-Hats and pants must be worn properly, and customers completely clothed.
-No Cases or Equipment are to be brought in-store without prior authorization.
-Customers must know and exercise the 4 rules, you get 0 warnings.
-No Backpacks
-Kids 12 and under free--no choice; you must take one when you leave.
-Kids 12-18 must be on a leash, this is not a toy store.
**Please excuse our strict policies, they are required because we regularly deal with highly dangerous equipment. These policies keep our customers safe and our environment friendly.
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revision 2.... :D

People willing to say "I don't know the answer, but let me find out or get someone who does" instead of trying to lay a load of you-know-what on me

Merchandise nicely displayed and organized - not just haphazardly stacked here and there
 
good staff. Quality persons working a shop can make or break it. That doesn't mean they have to know all the answers, but they have to have an interest in what they do and the motivation to help you to the best of their abilities. That and reasonable pricing. I don't expect deals like I find online- I know shops have to make a profit and rent isn't cheap- but keep it as competitive as possible.

A distant third is having items in stock. If its on the shelves, it sells. If you have to order everything, a shop won't do as much business
 
To Tony from Massachusetts, Kittery Trading Post is right over the line in Maine and they are fantastic. They also have a strong online presence at ktp.com and you can score some great stuff. They will hold a gun for three days on a phonecall so you can go up there. It is my favorite gun shop in the whole country and I have been in a lot.
 
Never had a good experience AT Kittery Trading Post.
However, I have had MANY good experiences with their online/phone staff.
The guys in their store are normally NOT cool.
 
I have never found a gun store I actually liked. All I want in a store is: run it like a business, not a hobby. I don't want your salemen to be my best friend or know more than I do, just treat me well.
 
You've hit on one of my pet peeves from years ago that has stayed near the top of the list of things that bug me most-

Picture my prototype gun store that:

1.) Has some stock on hand, maybe even the presently popular models and calibers.
2.) Has friendly folks working that actually knew what they had in stock.
3.) Has polite and friendly staff that were aware of and could explain the positive and negative qualities of the products that were sold and in stock., or were willing to find out in short order.
4.) Has a polite and friendly voice answering the phone without making callers stay on hold for 30 minutes that could at least answer questions regarding stock on hand so that potential customers could decide to make that 1 hour or more drive to maybe buy.
5.) Has a good stock of firearm accessories, like ammo in a couple of styles, maybe some good gun belts and holsters to fit the $1000 Kimber I am interested in buying, extra magazines (who buys a pistol with only one mag ?) scope bases for the $1000 rifle I'm interested in buying and some decent glass for said rifle. I'm talking about the accessories that automatically go hand in hand with guns.

6.) I saved this one for last, because of these 6 things that would be nice for a store to have, this one, within reason of course, is to me the least important given the other 5 are present-fair pricing on their merchandise. And no, not the cheapest prices that can be found anywhere, just reasonable, competitive prices. Of course, because of the nature of the gun business your store is going to have plenty of cheap skate dirtballs that will never be loyal customers no matter what you give them, so the quicker those losers can be identified and pushed off to the side, the more time you can spend with the rest of us. If you are at all like me, customer service is king, before and after the sale.

Now some of you are ready to start whining about how customer service is down the crapper no matter what type of merchandise is sold, cars, TV's, whatever. That's absolutely true. But how many other stores have customers standing in line, taking numbers to be waited on so they can spend their cash ? Talk about a license to steal.....And even then they can't do it right. Amazing is all I can say.
 
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