What would your ideal gun store be!

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Finch

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Lo$t Wage$, Nevada
I hate working for the TSA, I hate it with all my heart and need to get out . Unfortunately for me (or fortunately, depending on how full the glass is) it works with my school. But my mother is due in for a nice settlement from a lawsuit pending and we have been mulling around with the idea of opening a store. I'm lucky enough to have parents who are both into guns themselves.

If anyone knows the Las Vegas gun scene, it's somewhat bleek. While we don't have a shortage of stores, we do have a shortage of decent ones. I can only say that there are two stores that I feel are worthy of business, and one of them is overpriced. So I am curious as to what you all think makes a good gun store. What sets a great gun store apart from a good gun store? Leave ranges out, because if we were to go through with this, we plan on shooting for an area near the new Clark County shooting park. It's going to be a world class shooting facility, and I think that a location near by would be a huge business booster without the overhead of having our own range to deal with.

One thing that I find lacking in most gun stores is community outreach. I would really like to provide free basic gun course to anyone as a way to promote safe and responsible firearm ownership, and to hopefully reach out to those who fear guns. Most guns stores are just stores, but I think that they should be more. I invision it almost like a gateway computer store. If you have ever seen these, they have their store, but they also have a whole training department. They offer classes from the very beginner to the advanced.
 
Since I found a good guy with an FFL that can get delievered just about anything I want, and a great range; I do not go to "gun stores" anymore.
The reason, sleeze and geeze.
Every gun store I have been in (albeit a small sampling overall) either had used car salesman for people behind the counter, or old geezers (and I am in my 50s) that had the personallity of a turnip. The used car salespeople would "strut and bluff," while the geezers acted like I was a major pain in their butts just by sucking air.
A successul gun store, it like any other successful store, is about the folks that work there.
Your idea about outreach is a great one; just remember, liability may bury you in the free department.
 
A good gun store would have friendly staff (it would help if at least some of them knew something about something). It should have stuff - I'm sick of going into some place and finding, "Oh, we carry that caliber but we're sold out. I'll have precisely one box of it in next week, though?"

Here's one: A gun store should have gun parts. Even the places that I go into that have on-site gunsmiths either don't have or won't sell me parts, even if I need something bog simple (I need a screw to go in this hole, don't care what it looks like. Oh, we'll have to order that. I can have it in three weeks...) but it would be even better if you had a supply of common gun parts on hand. Things that are prone to break on 1911's, Buckmarks, Glocks, 10/22's, and so forth. You don't have to be the next Numrich, just have a selection of a couple of things that will go a long way towards making somebody's day who was on the way to the range and discovered that their (fill in the blank) was busted or fell off, and you don't have to make 'em wait an age and a day to get the part.

Work on atmosphere. The place ought to have a place to sit down and for people (customers, emploees, whoever) to shoot the breeze. I've been in way too many gun stores that have that "trunk of the car 'round back of the pub" feel where the management seems to want to make you feel as uncomfortable as possible and kick you out post haste, even if you're spending a boatload of money there.

The place I frequent is good for this. They don't mind regulars hanging around and they even have the requisite Big Ol' Friendly Dog usually lounging on his bed next to the counter. He loves me: I usually have jerky.
 
If you want to open a store, think about the basics first. Good selection, good price, and good service.

I don't think people will care about a good selection if the prices are too high and keep in mind they can find out what you pay on the internet. I also don't think they care about ordering what they want if the service isn't good or employees aren't honest and helpfull. I also don't think they want to go to a gun shop that has almost no guns or accessories.

The safe gun handling course is a good idea and would also be good for public relations. You might want to check into printing a pamphlet [if your state dosen't already require one] on safe gun handling and give it out with every gun sold. I bet your lawyer [if you ever need one] would love this also.
 
The weapons equivalent of an Apple Store. Clean, sleek, with stainless-and-lucite cases holding dramatically lit new pistols and rifles. Professional, nicely dressed staff, (logo shirt, khakis) overhead flatpanels showing tasteful, quiet manufacturer's commercials and video loops, and touchscreen kiosks to help people decide what weapons and ammo are best for their defense, target or hunting needs.
 
Hmmm...I support the idea of a Store Dog.

A wide and varied selection of used firearms. A good, representative selection of new ones. Manufacturer catalogs (or something similar) with some sort of "if we don't have it and have to get it, this is what it will cost and how long it will take" info.

Employees who are SILENT until you ask for something, then helpful and knowledgabe. Geezers are FINE - but not grumpy geezers, and none of those hey-little-lady-what-you-need-is-a-.25 geezers.

And EVERYTHING ELSE, too. I want to be able to buy a new firearm. And some cheap pratice ammo for it as well as couple boxes of premium rounds. And a cheap guncase (read, selection beyond the airline approved containers) for it. And some targets. And maybe a couple of magazines, or a holster.

And the dog should be large and furry.

That's not too much to ask, right? :rolleyes:
 
I have thought this out

There is an Albertson's grocery store down the street from me that just closed up, the kind with the attached liquor store.
The bakery/deli area is kind of separated from the main body of the store and would be a great place to put in a very large walk in humidor.
Anybody see where I'm going.

The main area of the store could be separated into different sections catering to the different disciplines of the shooting sports
CAS section featuring cowboy guns and SASS type accessories, C&R and militaria collectibles section and so on
Each section would be staffed by people educated in that discipline and CCW classes would be free.



As soon as that lottery pay off comes in I'll be opening the Ocoee ATF
 
It should have a wide variety of firearms, other kinds of weapons, less-lethal weapons, BDUs, MREs, and weapons media. In addition, this should all be fairly priced. Also, they should have accessories for all kinds of guns.
 
Don't need the BDUs and MREs myself. If I want that, I can go to a surplus store...being sure there's some other customer in there to be the target of the owner's inevitable "When I was in 'nam..." stories that change every time. :D
 
I hate it when I go to a gun store and the guy at the counter says, "I can get that part shipped here."

Really? I can get the freakin' part shipped thanks to a new-fangled invention called the internet. Why have a store w/no inventory?

Now I know that you can't stock everything, but I'm talking basics. If you don't have stock, the only thing that distinguishes you from the 1000's of internet sites is your surly staff, your high mark-up, your crappy atmosphere, and your bad location.
 
The best gunstore was the one I worked in during the early '80s. It had most of what people talked about here - knowedgable staff (couple of the guys did reloading, several of us had been to national shooting schols, one other was an avid hunter, and the owner was a guy who would talk your ears off), large supply of product (we had, on average, about 300 guns in the store at any time - including new and used), lots of holsters, ammo, gun parts, hunting and police gear, and we were a class 3 (select fire) dealer.
All this is good, but atmosphere is the most important. Think about what you've liked/disliked about the stores you have visited. Use that to build on.
Remember, a good reputation takes years to build, but can be destroyed in less than a minute.

And definately - big & furry dog!
 
HONEST.
Transfers for $10-15.
Knowledgeable about the things they friggin' sell.
Non-preachy.
Don't treat you like crap.
Fair prices.
New and used guns.
Milsurps.
Order stuff for you for dealer + 10%.

You said ideal, so hey.

Is it too much to ask that a gunshop know a thing or two about guns, not act like Jehovahs for .45ACP, and not try to convince you that because you're a woman, you need a steel-framed .22 revolver so the recoil won't knock you on your ass, or that you want to buy a Makarov for a reason (despite them being commie potmetal junk guns, of course), or that even though you're a young'un, you know what you're talking about?
 
A good indoor range.

An outdoor range, complete with 1000 yd berm.

Knowledgeable, no B.S. workers.

Onsite gunsmith.

Class III in states that allow that sort of thing.

Well stocked for the reloader, muzzleloader, hunter, birder, CCW and plain 'ol plinker.

Gun classes of all sorts, from rookie shooter through CCW and all the way up to long range rifle work.

The willingness to expend ammo and range time to offer people, every now and then, a chance to come in and shoot if they have never done it before. They would also have youth groups in and teach them right . They would also have a standing invite for any anti-gun folks to come in and shoot. Of course the people would have to be legally able to handle firearms.

A little snack bar/beverage counter would be nice.

An area away from the range set aside for cleaning guns. This is so that people can continue to socialize without having to wear ear protection.

And.....solid gold toilets!
 
Y'know what?

It'd be pretty cool if somebody would just build a hangout for gun-type guys, with the actual 'gunshop' part as a (well-stocked) afterthought. It'd be great to have a place to go after work, have some (nonalcoholic) drinks, maybe some food, play the shooting-type arcade game cabinets...

What we need is Gun World. :D
 
Sounds like what you're describing is a couple million capital investment. And to make almost no profit on guns, since competition is absolutely fierce. Especially with the internet.

Someone else said (Dfariswheel?) that you can make a small fortune selling guns, but only if you start out with a big fortune.
 
Yeah, it's impractical, but I'm sure it could work - stranger things have happened.

Imagine a Turner's Outdoorsman or Cabela's or whatever breeding with your favorite bar or other dude hangout; that's what I'm thinking.

If I ever win the lottery I'll make it work somehow. If not... at least people will be talking about it decades after I go bankrupt. ;)
 
If you are deciding to invest in a business first take the time to learn how to operate one. Go to a community college and take some courses. Get a mentor. Talk to people who started a business. By some estimates as many as 90% of small business fail. It would be a shame to invest time and money into a venture only to see it fail due to lack of planning and knowledge.

Having said all that a good gun store has more than just guns. It has hunting
supplies. Camping supplies. Survival gear. Spare parts and if at all possible
repair type services. Consider running a pawn shop concurrent to your gun shop. Or a bike shop/sporting goods store with a large gun section.

Diversity will help you survive. You may have the coolest gun store in the area but you will still need to meet a minimum sales level each month to survive. It would be nice if those were from guns but easier if you could balance it out. Sportsmans Warehouse and Cabelas are cool, not just because they sell guns but because they sell guns and a lot of other items.

One local armory near where I live had a restaurant in the back of the building. Lots of people would pass through the shop on the way to grab lunch. Use your imagination and try to make it unique and have a
broad appeal. You need lots of traffic to survive.
 
The local shops out here feel kind of sleazy. A grumpy old guy who acts like he's doing you a huge favor by allowing you to frequent his shop, often wearing a dirty wife-beater. I'd like for a clean, well lit shop staffed by friendly, enthusiastic, sociable people of a range of ages. If you think customers are hell to deal with, have poor social skills, or just don't like people in general, that's fine. But please staff your shop with people who do. Have a relaxed atmosphere, like a normal store. If you go shopping at a nice clothing or other store of more mainstream products, you get the feeling from the staff and shop that they want you to enjoy your experience whether you're going to buy or not. Even lower end stores like walmart or such are at least indifferent. Gun shops are the only place I've know of where the owners want you to just give them your money and leave, and feel upset if you meander or deliberate a purchase too long. When people are looking over merchandise, don't give them the evil eye or tell them to either hurry up or leave. Good prices are next, because that's what the bottom line comes to. Finally would be knowledgeable employees. But only about the operations of the store, they do not need to be knowledgeable about guns or firearms stuff beyond the basics. With the advent of the internet and easy access to information, the days of consulting salesmen for information about the products are long past. When you make a major purchase, I'd think about 95% of people already have done their homework and know what they want. You alone need to be knowledgeable, and should be enough manpower to handle the small percentage of remaining clueless shoppers.
 
Does anyone remember small town or neighborhood barbershops? I think that's the feel many of us would like to feel in a gunstore. The old feedstore in my home town had the same feel. People would gather around a wood burning stove in the winter where peanuts would roast.

Guns in a gun store have very slim profit margins. Accessories will be your bread and butter. That said, I'd use the store to encourage communication and gun culture. Have a bulletin board set up. Charge a few bucks to post.

I never seem to find reloading supplies at my gun stores, and the gun selection always seems anemic. I suspect this is because a large gun inventory is prohibitively expensive.
Best of luck if you decide to open one up!
 
Slightly off topic, Finch, you work for "the TSA"? is that what I think it is
Click to expand...

If what your thinking is an agency within the Department of Homeland Security with the highest injury and attrition rate of any federal agency, then yeah.
 
The most successful gun store in Florida (that I know of) is located in Orlando. They chose a fairly good location, built a large store with good lighting and tasteful decoration (as well as dozens of mounted game animals), an indoor range for pistol and rifle (and full auto) with rentals, and then stocked it with a large selection of firearms, and a large staff of decently knowledgeable salespeople. Beyond a doubt it's the best store I've ever seen.
 
Free coffee is always a good idea. If I had a gun shop that had an area to sit a spell and BS with others I'd most likely drop in more often and get what I need.
 
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