Gun Store Question

A

AZ_Mike

New member
I have been a long time lurker here and I really enjoy these forums. The weather here in AZ is finally starting to cool down enough to where I can dust off the 223's and have some fun.

I am doing some market research about gun stores and figured you guys would have some good advice for me.

I am in the very early stages of opening a gun store. I don't have a monster budget and I wanted to get some ideas from gun guys as to what they would like to see in their "neighborhood" gun store.

Any help/advice you guys could pass along to me would be greatly appreciated.
 
I am gearing up to open in the West Valley in January. I got fed up with all the big box retailers and agree that we need a back to the basics gun shop. I have been selling on gunbroker and at the shows. People seem to want to do business with a place that is fair and where the prices are still negotialble. I think that a good shop will cater to the customer. If you dont stock it order it for them at a 5% to 10% mark-up so they know it's always worth it to visit you first. Service and price are the mainstays of any retail venture. Most gun buyers are loyal and respectful, give them the same treatment and they will be lifelong friends. A good selection of used firearms is a must. I would suggest doing a lot of trading in the early stages. As you know there is not alot of room on new guns. You can offer a great price on a trade in or sell a used gun at a good price to secure future business. High end ammo is also something to stock up on. Dont try to compete with Wal-Mart focus on upscale supplies to secure a more serious consumer base.
 
Go for it. I have never bought a firearm at a "box store". All my purchases have been from a "Mom and Pop" sporting goods store locally. Considering time and gas, they are a lot less expensive than the big stores.
 
From the standpoint of a longtime customer/buyer:

1) You need to have the atmosphere where people feel welcome as individuals and feel free to ask "Silly" questions.

2) Know what products are available and be willing to find/order them on special request (with deposit) as you will not be able to carry an inventory for 'everything'.

3) Keep a coffee pot on so customers will feel at home while they are in the place, even if they don't drink coffee, it's considered a 'welcome sign' around here. Have a couple if "sitting chairs" available.

4) While your purpose is to sell, friendly conversation among customers helps create the old 'cracker barrel' feeling and will promote a lot of 'word of mouth' advertising..

5) If a customer comes back in with a complaint or problem about a purchase, be willing to make them satisfied. You can't with the unreasonable person, but most people are reasonable with an valid explanation.

6) Be willing to promote the 2nd Amendment in a logical manner with the Liberal media and know enough current information to talk down most of their attitudes.

We recently had a local gunshop general manager leave and relocate to Savannah, GA. He had been at the shop for 17 years and there were a lot (15-20) of us that considered it a 'second home' and each of us over that time had spent from $9k-20k at that shop and we used to have friendly competitions that he promoted, as well as attending numerous local competitions as components of various teams.

He was the 'Hub' of a lot of social activity (including holiday get-togethers), impromptu dinners, and since he's moved, it's left a big hole in the social atmosphere.

From what I've seen around the country and in the shooting community, those are items that most complain about missing in today's "big business" atmosphere...

Good Luck with your endeavor,,, I wish you success.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Good advise from the Turtle... What he describes is quickly going the way of the dinasuar. I grew up visiting a little country General Store that had about everything in it, farm supplies, groceries, hunting and fishing gear, and even the local Post Office. They handmade sandwiches to order and there were several tables and chairs near the front windows and more out in the front. Coffee was always fresh and free. Dad, Grandpa, and I would visit there often and sit around shooting the bull with the old gang. We stopped by there at noon when squirrel or rabbit hunting in the area and had a sandwich, bottle of pop, dill pickle, and some chips. Sure tasted special after a cold day chasing beagles and bunnies. Dad and Grandpa bought and traded guns there and my first three guns came from that store. A Winchester M37 .20 gauge for the bunnies, a Marlin M39A for squirrels, and a Marlin M336C for deer hunting. Great memories... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
The "General Store" feel is what I am after. One of the very first things I incorporated into my plan was a sitting area for the old timers and regulars. We have a few contacts with the local law enforcement (city & county) and we want to encourage them to hang out as well.

Of course this is a "for profit" business and as such I want to make money, but my real motivation is just a love for the sport and filling a void in my area. I couldn't think of a better way to be in business than doing something I enjoy.

I have been in sales for a very long time and I understand well that people buy from people they like/trust. That is my number 1 priority with this store. I want people to feel like they can come in and get a fair shake from me.

Thanks for the comments so far, keep them coming. I am glad to see that what I want to do is pretty much in line with what most people want.
 
Quote:
Good advise from the Turtle... What he describes is quickly going the way of the dinasuar. I grew up visiting a little country General Store that had about everything in it, farm supplies, groceries, hunting and fishing gear, and even the local Post Office. They handmade sandwiches to order and there were several tables and chairs near the front windows and more out in the front. Coffee was always fresh and free. Dad, Grandpa, and I would visit there often and sit around shooting the bull with the old gang. We stopped by there at noon when squirrel or rabbit hunting in the area and had a sandwich, bottle of pop, dill pickle, and some chips. Sure tasted special after a cold day chasing beagles and bunnies. Dad and Grandpa bought and traded guns there and my first three guns came from that store. A Winchester M37 .20 gauge for the bunnies, a Marlin M39A for squirrels, and a Marlin M336C for deer hunting. Great memories... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif



This sure brings memories to me GC. Same kind of store down the road from where I grew up. After hunting we would go in there and over some kind of lunch, usually a sandwich and some homemade soup, and talk of the days hunt. The old fella who owned the place, Charlie Riley, would tell a different tale each time and they were always bigger and better. Out in the '42 Chev truck my Dad had was my Winchester Model 37 12 gauge. Wish I still that gun. How sad those days are pretty much gone for most young people.
 
Great advice above. Treat your customers as you would a friend. Learn and remember their names and call them by name. Your "friends" are always more loyal than a "customer".
 
One thing that I dislike about many gun shops is that many of the guns are too far behind the counter. You can't even see them. Put them on display where they can bee seen. If you don't want them to be handled put them behind glass but close enough so a customer can get a good look at them. I'm not a retail expert, maybe there is a reason for this, but, I would think that it could get a buyer off the fence and make an "impulse" buy. You may already know that what a customer wants and what is good for business are not always the same thing.
Good luck.
PC
 
Keep good records on your sales, stay on top of your gun sales and paperwork. ATF will be looking into your books. Don't over price your items.
And as everyone has stated above is a lot of good advice. I am looking at re-opening my gun room when I move back to Texas in a few years. Once I get done playing around here in Bermuda.
 
Boy what a tough ball of wax. Around here in Lewiston Idaho there is exactly one store left like your describing. I don't know what keeps it in business. They just can't compete with the discount sporting goods stores. As much as most folks would like to keep those older stores in business got to say most folks shop for price.

A new place that has a range and rents guns and sells too seems to be doing ok, but time will tell. A couple of the gunsmith business around here seem to be doing OK also. My friend whom has the pawn shop seems to have weathered all the years and is still making durn good money and he always has a good stock of new and used guns.

While I was going to college I put in a gunsmith shop in one of the local pawn shops and that worked out well for both me and the shop owner. Insurance costs eventually made me sell out to a new gunsmith and he only lasted a couple of years, but that was better than 20 years ago. An in shop gunsmith can really be a draw, you might consider working in a partner.

That said I'm all for you and though I ran a small part time gunsmith shop for the "love of guns" reasons I could have made much more money doing machine work instead. It's a tough road to hoe and I sure hope you make it work.
 
What a tough thing to start with all the big guys expanding so rapidly. A friend closed a very busy shop about a year ago. Selling about 40,000 guns. We helped them move about 500 guns the last week.
First you can't be a store unless you look like one. A used gun rack will draw. When you trade a pistol in with a holster, throw the holster in a used box way in the back. Then obviously that is first on the list to a new buyer. Same with rifle-scope trades and accessories. Try to carry as many calibers of ammo as possible. Never take a gun home no matter how much you like it, Sell It. Ammo at cost or minimum cost plus to cops goes a long ways. The talking crowd is fun but sometimes cheap like me. You need the disposable income crowd now. Internet listing can increase your audience tremendously. Detail, details on the paperwork. One innocent mistake can turn into a criminal offense. The ATF shows up unannounced and undercover, so you have to be careful talking,on guard at all times. You are required to keep all paperwork forever unless you go out of business. They will also call you for traces on firearms you may or may not have sold with the requirement of a prompt search. Anyway Good Luck
 
I have a local shop that get 90% of my business for many reasons but one of the biggest is his " Buy a gun Get a box" sign. If you buy any gun from him, new or used, you get a box of standard ( Remington core lokt or Winchester power points)ammo for it thrown in. He is always saying to folks... "With out the ammo to feed it, its just wood/plastic and metal parts". Granted doing this does cut into his overall profits but it does keep folks coming back over and over again. The repeat customers even it all out in the end according to him.
 
as a lot of people here have already said, the old time general store is nice to have.

the one in my avatar is about 8 miles from me, and my wife is always making fun of me, saying I go there for bread, butter and bullets. but it's true. I can go there for the old fashion type hardware store where I can go in not knowing what it is I need and have the person pull it from a dusty bin.

hardware / electrical/ plumbing in the basement
groceries / deli, lunch stuff on the main floor
guns, camping and clothing on the 2nd floor.

all dept's have the same knowledgeable people working
who know their stuff front and back

and all at very reasonable prices.
sure I can get it cheaper at home depot or wal-mart, but even getting someone's attention there is all but impossible, even with out being able to explain to someone what I want to do and have them know what I need.

if they don't have it, they'll either order it, or tell me where they do have it in stock.

want to make me a repeat customer for life?
tell me a different store to get something you don't stock.
I might go there for the part, but come right back to you.
 
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