What is the perfect Gun Store?

U

USMCBill

Inactive
Semper Fi to my fellow Marines! A hearty "oorah" to everyone else who's served! And, to those who simply love to shoot - I'll see you down range! It's an honor to be able to address all of you who value our freedoms enough to participate in one of our greatest rights - the right to keep and bear arms.

My hope is to tap the immense resource of the cumulative experience and knowledge represented here. I'm trying to turn one of my passions into an opportunity and would appreciate feedback from those in the know. I've been investigating the possibilities of opening an indoor shooting range with a retail space and training classes, and would love to hear from y'all what you wish your local gun store would do. What kind of service, program, or product do you wish they would provide, but don't? What makes a great store stand apart from the rest?

Thanks in advance for your valued input,
Bill (88-92)
 
What makes a great store stand apart from the rest?
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Knowledgable staff and honest deals.

Having a good selection of guns on hand helps a lot because people want and need to handle them

Having a range on premises would be a huge advantgage but most dealers don't have them due to restrictive regulations and expense.
 
I frequent an indoor range near me mostly because there are a few months of the year where outdoor shooting is either impossible or not at all enjoyable. So as an extremely avid shooter, any indoor range is always going to be my 2nd, 3rd or 4th choice when it comes to shooting.

There are certainly things that I like and enjoy about an indoor range and if it were going to be outfitted specifically to make . me . happy then I want a range that charges me a flat fee for an unlimited session of shooting... or at the very least, offers me such pricing manner as a separate option for the typical hourly or half-hourly rate for shooters.

I almost always set up for 3-4 hours on an indoor range and in that amount of time (and as often as I have done it) I certainly see a pattern of typical customers and there are extremely few who bring all the gear and ammo that I do, it seems that most will shoot from 1-2 boxes of ammo, with the occasional guy that shoots more. I suppose I offer that simply to dispel the possible thought that charging flat fee/unlimited would lead to a range -PACKED- with guys like me who spend a pittance and block up a whole lane for an entire weekend day. In my experience, it simply never happens.

The range I frequent doesn't make a lot of money off me in range fees, no doubt. But ammo sales, target sales, and the guns that we tend to buy on the way out have made their unlimited/flat fee structure pay off for them. It's a symbiotic relationship. $14 gets me on the range and I am there for four hours.

A new range opened up just 3-4 months ago here in town... it's $20 an hour or $13 for half an hour. If you simply add another shooter to your lane (only one extra max allowed) then you can add $11 more to the price. I simply have zero plans to shoot there. And they have an extra little insult that I find particularly obnoxious: they sell all of the "usual suspects" in handgun ammo which includes many of the cheap steel-case discount ammo products. The Wolf, the Tula, the Herters, RWS, etc. It's usually a buck or two per box cheaper, but each pile of it carries a large sign that says "this ammo is not allowable for use on our range." Not talking about steel jacket or steel core ammo -- simply the steel case stuff so when you lose your brass forward of the line that they keep and sell, they don't have to pick all the unwanted stuff out of it I suppose. Whatever.

So, my dream indoor range? Flat fee, tight safety rules that are monitored and a large selection of USED guns on sale to check out after shooting. Last time I went there... I bought a gun on the way out. And what's funny is the time before -- my buddy bought a gun on the way out. Funnier STILL? My gun purchase didn't outspend my buddy -- because he bought four thousand rounds of ammo and spent more than I did.

We never would have been there to leave with one used pistol and 4,000 rds of 9mm if they charged us $20 an hour to shoot. We wouldn't visit the place at all.
 
Enough 22lr and components stockpiled to keep customers happy in the panics.

Consignment sales and lots of milsurps. Fair prices, and no gouging, ever.

Staff that is trained and can say 'I don't know' instead of gassing.

No ninjas, snipers, or know-it-alls on staff.

A store your wife, daughter, or young son can walk into and ask lots of questions without being condescended to, lied to, ignored, or pushed to buy the clerk's choice.
 
Before investing your time or money into a gun range, take a year or two and work behind the counter of another persons store. Learn the business inside and out on another their dime before taking a risk with your own.
 
I agree with much of what has been said, but will add that good customer service, which includes an educated and friendly sales staff and a welcoming attitude even toward the customer who knows NOTHING about guns will make you a success.

Some other services, beyond what has been mentioned, should include: a willingness to special order firearms which you do not have in stock; and, a gunsmith on site or where your store handles the transaction. Customers who are not skilled at doing things themselves might be more likely to buy accessories like scopes, different sights, lasers, etc. if you have a gunsmith or other staff who will do the installation or changes. Worry about where to go if there is a problem can be greatly alleviated if there is gunsmith services available through the store.
 
An indoor range has to be clean, well ventilated and well lit. Courteous customer service with informed staff who can help experienced and novice shooters. Range officers who are there to keep it safe, correct and remove problem or unsafe customers immediately. Safety has to be #1 in all respects.

It should have modern stalls with modern targets. Built in shot timers would be a nice touch but honestly most shooters would not use them. Targets should all be retrievable via easy to operated control panels. Yardage markers should be clear and visible. 25 yard min distance for pistol 50 yards would be better. I personally prefer it when indoor ranges are restricted to pistol calibers. Long guns shooting pistol calibers are ok.

It should offer a wide variety of gun which can be rented. I would love to see a flat fee for a single gun and then discounts or unlimited rental for say 1 hour. This would really help new shooters or prospective buyers make informed purchases. Too many range rental rates are cost prohibitive for people who are shopping for a gun. Choosing between 5 guns and shooting each one can end up costing you $100 at some ranges. Maybe even a refund of rental fees with the same day purchase of a new gun or free range time with any purchase.

Full Auto rentals are a big draw IMHO. Even avid shooters like myself do not have full auto guns and the ability to rent one for a fee is a great attraction. It will bring people in the door. If you are the only game in town for full auto rentals it might be worth the investment. I used to shoot at an indoor range that offered full auto rentals and people loved it.

Sell quality ammo for a fair price. You don't have to be as cheap as Walmart of bulk online but do not stick it to people. Charge them a bit more for convenience but not so much that they feel cheated. Allow shooters to bring their own ammo. I hate places that make you buy their ammo in order to shoot. The only exception is with gun rentals. I think it is ok to require ammo purchases with gun rentals. Allow people to collect their own brass. I hate it when ranges don't let reloaders pick up their own.

Training should be offered. It does not have to be super tactical kick the doors in training but at least basic handgun training. Group and individual training would be nice. Training needs to me reasonable so that people view it as accessible.

Some form of competition shooting... Bullseye, IDPA, Glock Sports shooting etc... This again gets people in the door. The more people you can get in the door the more people you can convert into regular customers. Leagues get people there at regular intervals. Competitions and the desire to do well increase peoples need for range time. It is a win win for the customer and the business.

As for the gun shop you have to have great customer service knowledgeable staff who are there to help. If they don't know something be willing to admit it and find the answer. Sell at fair prices. You don't have to be the cheapest but do not sell Glocks for $600. You don't have to be the same price as Buds but be in the ballpark and give me enough service and value add that I am willing to pay a little more.

Have a decent stock but not so much that nothing seems to move. I hate going into a shop and looking at the case and seeing 90% of the case is the same as the last time. Know your market stock what moves. Know your market. Do you want to be a tactical shop or sporting shop. It is hard to do both well. Offer and be able to order anything and everything. If you don't have it be willing to get it and sell it at a fair price.

Quality used guns is something that all good shops should have. Not pawn shop fodder but quality used guns that are harder to find. Take trade ins at fair prices but don't kill people on them. Mark them up a fair price and move the metal. Look at the surplus market and bring in quality imports like the Beretta 92s recently, HK P7s and Sig P6s of the past.

DO TRANSFERS from other FFLs and individuals at a fair price. No more than $20. In todays world not doing transfers from outside your area is foolish. Too many see transfers as a threat. Most of the stuff I buy my local FFL cannot get me out of the local market. I buy a lot of used stuff from individuals that are not something a mainstream shop can afford to carry. If he does my transfers he can get other business. If he does not do my transfers I find someone else who can and he get nothing.

Offering basic gunsmithing is great but it adds to your overhead. Instead have a relationship with a local shop or even known national smiths to accommodate your customers needs. I personally would not add a gunsmith in house because you are added a third business to the mix. I do not expect my gun shop to service my guns. I would also add a quality refinisher to your relationship list.

In the end running a shop and a range will be tough in todays market. With regulations and local codes for the range and thin margins on the gun shop side without a lot of capital and a great business plan and an under served market it will be hard to make a living IMHO.
 
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Besides guns 'n ammo, have accessories like CCW gear, hearing & eye protection. Have your staff trained as NRA Range Safety Officers and a few guys (yourself and wife) trained as NRA instructors. This will be especially helpful for folks who want to CCW. Pick up Cornered Cat's (TFL member PAX aka Kathy Jackson www.corneredcat.com/About_the_Author) books and get a woman's perspective so you know how to work with women clients. I took a seminar taught by a woman on teaching woman. It's more than smaller hands and lesser upper body strength (though I've met women who are very capable with full sized guns).
 
I don't think there is a perfect gun store. There are to many different interests by people. I think you first need to decide the kind of customer you want to cater to. The hunter wants different things than the ladies, concealed carriers or those that want to shoot for sport. Decide on who you want to please and buy and stock for that kind of customer. You can make one segment happy but be OK with the others.
 
Thanx to all for the comments and links - I appreciate the input.

Sharkbite - we're looking at a rural area between two medium-sized cities in northeast Alabama, where I live. The sales tax in the county is lower than in the city, and so are land and/or leases.

Thanx again,
Bill
 
Be aware that an indoor range requires a VERY expensive air handling system, so that if you have the property in a rural area, maybe an outdoor range would be better to start with - that will save you money for more inventory, etc.
I have a new (about 1-2 years) indoor range near me and they told me during orientation that it cost them over $1,000,000 to buy and install and a hefty monthly amount for changing and handling the filters, the power bill, etc.
 
Perfect gun store? My criteria are:

1. Competitive Price.
2. variety of higher end pistols and revolvers.

The bottom line: Your inventory aught to make me "weak in the knees" and product priced where I simply can't walk out of your store without buying something I don't need but really want.
 
I know I am different from just about everyone else, but my perfect shop would be able to match the prices I can get online. You can have a valley girl with no gun knowledge whatsoever behind the counter for all I care as long as the prices are right and she can run the sale for me. Hell, if you can beat online prices she can call me a hate-monger for buying a gun and I won't care. Yes I am very cheap plus when I go to a gunshop I already know what I want, so the only knowledge the clerk really needs is to know how to sell me the gun. I am not saying this would be a good business model since most people aren't like me, but it would be the perfect gunshop for me.
 
I store that is well lit, family friendly, with friendly, but not pushy, sales staff.

I want a store where I can take my girlfriend or sisters too without them feeling uncomfortable nor pushed to buy a purple LC380.

I'll gladly pay extra for that kind of ambiance.
 
I've been investigating the possibilities of opening an indoor shooting range
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I'd look at the health concerns of an indoor range first. There was a thread here some time back where someone had lead poisoning. Prompted some others to get tested. Results and activities were listed. Reloaders, casters, smelters, outdoor shooters, etc, etc. The trend I saw was people who shot at indoor ranges with any sort of frequency seemed to have high lead and no one else did. Stopped all my considerations to open an indoor range. I can't find the thread right now.
Here is a thread where the issues are touched upon.

know I am different from just about everyone else, but my perfect shop would be able to match the prices I can get online. You can have a valley girl with no gun knowledge whatsoever behind the counter for all I care as long as the prices are right and she can run the sale for me.
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I agree for me. The perfect shop for me is one that specializes in transfers.

Having a good selection of guns on hand helps a lot because people want and need to handle them
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Huge expense and damage to the display guns is costly. I think used guns for rental would be much more productive.

An indoor range has to be clean, well ventilated and well lit.
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As does the retail area. Too many gun stores have poorly lit, cluttered, disorganized messes all around.

There should be some sort of discount for longer range sessions and if you want to try more than one gun. I called one place and told them I had two new female shooters who just got their CCW. They wanted to try a bunch of 9mm compacts the range had available to rent. Something like 8-10 guns. Just a magazine or so a piece out of each gun. If we tried a bunch AND at least one of them bought a gun, could they give me a break on the rental price. 'well, $10 off the gun purchase if you rented the gun they buy'. They wanted about $10 a pistol to rent, even if the ladies only shot one round out of it. It was going to be over $100 to rent the lane and pistols for one hour without me shooting or ammunition. Seemed like non-sense to me. They ended up with none of our business.
 
A gun store of gun stores . . . .

If you want to see the gun store of gun stores come to Mishawaka Indiana and check out Midwest Gun Exchange. Thousands of guns, every kind of ammo, knowledgable staff, a truly amazing place. I'm going to miss it when I retire and move back to IL.

In terms of a range, the one thing I'd like to see is a lane that keeps all my brass in my lane. I reload and having my brass jump two or three lanes over can be problematic.

Live well, be safe
Prof Young
 
There should be some sort of discount for longer range sessions and if you want to try more than one gun. I called one place and told them I had two new female shooters who just got their CCW. They wanted to try a bunch of 9mm compacts the range had available to rent. Something like 8-10 guns. Just a magazine or so a piece out of each gun. If we tried a bunch AND at least one of them bought a gun, could they give me a break on the rental price. 'well, $10 off the gun purchase if you rented the gun they buy'. They wanted about $10 a pistol to rent, even if the ladies only shot one round out of it. It was going to be over $100 to rent the lane and pistols for one hour without me shooting or ammunition. Seemed like non-sense to me. They ended up with none of our business.
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So, kickin' tires just to see versus where they could be renting to full-paying customers and you expect a break?
 
So, kickin' tires just to see
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I specified "if at least one of them bought a gun." If we didn't buy one I had no expectation they would give us a break and I made that clear. Both in my previous post and when I contacted them. How exactly is that kicking tires? This store has about 150 guns listed for rent and more unlisted. It wasn't like people were going to be unable to rent guns. I'll take my business to gunbroker. At least they don't expect me to pay for their lack of service.

$10 a piece is ridiculous anyway. $10 an hour or even half hour and a few dollars to change which pistol is reasonable.
 
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