Brightwater stupidity

[SteelyDan]

I am not worried about them outlawing interstate transfers of toasters and then having no local source for toasters. You can see the difference, right?

I remember when I had a four slice toaster. Now thanks to the Obama admin and Brady Bill I am limited to a two slice toaster. Sigh.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

I remember when I had a four slice toaster. Now thanks to the Obama admin and Brady Bill I am limited to a two slice toaster. Sigh.

Typical...blame Obama. I don't remember Bush and the republicans doing anything to get you a bigger toaster the whole time they had complete control of the government.

 

[MrNiceGuy]

Typical...blame Obama. I don't remember Bush and the republicans doing anything to get you a bigger toaster the whole time they had complete control of the government.

I can buy a nice Chinese toaster for the $600 that was borrowed from China on my behalf.

 

[SteelyDan]

C'mon, won't somebody give me a toaster? You guys have really nice toasters and I don't have anything! It's not FAIR!

 

[Lloyd Braun]

I think someone was wearing their whining bubblegum hat today and it wasn't me.

lol, yeah a little maybe...ill give you your whining crying bubblegum hat back

 

[stmcelroy]

lol, yeah a little maybe...ill give you your whining crying bubblegum hat back

 

[rockstardrnkr]

forgot to mention that my wife had a poor time there trying to buy a stripped ar 15 lower. she bought at C & C instead

How can you have trouble buying a stripped lower?

I went in on a whim and picked up one for 125, the parts kit I already had fits real nice and snug in it. The lower was a YHM but it seems to be well made.

 

[stmcelroy]

How can you have trouble buying a stripped lower?

I went in on a whim and picked up one for 125, the parts kit I already had fits real nice and snug in it. The lower was a YHM but it seems to be well made.

Probably said they wanted it logged/registered as a pistol......

 

[garripputo]

The best part about this county is that you have the right to make your own choices... Just make the choice to buy your stuff there, I am fine with that. You were dealing directly with my employee and I explained to him what I thought was the case... I can't be right every time and I explained that what I had was the illumination kit for mounting a flash light to the MOE fore end and that I didn't know of any other options at the moment. I am not a magpul dealer, I cant afford to be, I buy what my distributors have available. They by no means stock the entire catalog of magpul items.


As far as the "new ownership" B S goes, I am not Mike and I am damn proud to say that I am not. I worked for him for 3 years before I bought the shop and though he was good to his customers, he was bad for the gun business. Period! I am tired of people romanticizing "the good ole days". This industry is based on compliance with rules and laws... I am good at following those rules... Some people aren't. He had the bank account of a guy that owned a gun shop for 20 years... Needless to say, I don't. I am trying, I am a new business owner and am doing what I can to pull myself out of the $100,000+ hole with distributors and the IRS that someone chose to run from.

The problem with the internet is that anyone can post whatever they wish without knowing the facts. I spend 60-80 hours a week trying to make my store a better place and increase my inventory. The other day I received 28 guns... The problem is over the following 2 days I sold 32 guns. That makes it hard to restock my inventory. If you haven't noticed... The gun industry is going kind of crazy right now and I am trying to do my best.

If you have a problem with my store... Please, by all means, don't come back!

To all of you that continue to come in on a regular basis that support my business, my family, my employees... Thank You! You are the people that encourage me to keep going and to try to make my store better for you.


Nick Pratka
Owner
Brightwater Ventures

 

[stmcelroy]

Well said.

 

[flybynyt]

I live right down the street from Brightwater, and just love there store! I have purchased several guns there, and have always had good service. I would refer anyone to shop there. There have been times I have had to wait awhile because they were busy, but was always acknowledged while I was waiting.

 

[EMP9596]

Nick has always been fair and square with me, and I appreciate it. He has ordered parts and items that the other Vancouver stores don't carry and he seemed happy to do it. I do not look at Brightwater as a full service firearms supplier as it is a small shop that appears in transition to be a better business than what it previously was. Their firearm prices are hard to beat in my opinion and I have always got a quick no glitch sale. If you have ever worked with the public any length of time there is always the "customer from hell" and they really make your day sometimes, and I try to not be that customer.

Thanks Nick,

*I do wish you would get a pot bellied stove, coffee pot and some comfy chairs for the shop... (<:}-

 

[Nightshade]

Nick I'm glad you have the cahones to speak up,I'll always shop at brightwater as i have for years

+ 1 on coffee and stove

 

[PuddleMonkey]

I do wish you would get a pot bellied stove, coffee pot and some comfy chairs for the shop... (<:}-

I'd like a recliner to nap in while I ponder my next purchase. Maybe a bench or two outside where I can feed the birds.

 

[jonesdar]

ok so listen. I never do this but I saw a reply indicating that Mike played dumb. Mike was a GUNSMITH. A great resource and an honest one. He knew when there was a problem with a design and he would tell you when you picked it up. He assumed the truth, that you wouldn't listen to him anyway. I loved the shop in those days. It is still a great shop. The prices have gone up since but the selection is great. Still WAY lower than sportsmans!!! I agree with another above statement. As long as we have people who are willing to risk their livelyhood to supply enthusiasts with firearms or information about firearms we are benefiting for it. So thanks. It is not my favorite at this time but I will stop in every so often and give them a chance. If they have something I have been looking for and the price is desireable, I will buy it.

 

[garripputo]

Not trying to argue, but the price of gas has gone up in that time, and last I looked the cost of guns had gone up too... The best part is that mike had an exact pricing stucture, all guns under 650 got an exact amount added to them and all guns over that got 10% added to them... take a close look in the shop and you might see the same if it ain't broke...

As for Mike, I didn't indicate that he was "playing dumb"... I indicated he made some serious mistakes both with federal paperwork and with bills... If he hadn't have made them you would still be dealing with him today and I would be on a beach somewhere tropical.

Want to know how to end up with a gun shop and $1,000,000?????

Start with $2,000,000

 

[deen_ad]

I am trying, I am a new business owner and am doing what I can to pull myself out of the $100,000+ hole with distributors and the IRS that someone chose to run from.

Nick Pratka
Owner
Brightwater Ventures

Don't get me wrong but, why did you buy the shop if you knew it was $100,000 in the hole and then claim that "someone" ran from it?

 

[garripputo]

If you ask the OP, the answer is because I am stupid. Honestly, I signed a contract to buy the business on 9/3/10... He had a hard time letting go and I tried to be a nice guy and not take the deal to court. So it took until 4/15/11 for me to gain financial control. In that time he ran up quite a debt. One day I came in and all his stuff was gone and the business account which had a ton of money in it was closed and all that was left in the store was a $10,000 cashiers check made out to me... Not much of a help when the IRS wanted $36,000 and the store was over $70,000 in debt to distributors... Because of this I almost closed the doors twice in 2011. The debt and the stress was way too much at times, but I pray for a better 2012. I learned a lot about bad choices because of this. For once I was the nice guy and I seriously got hurt. It was a bad business decision, but I love the industry and I love all of my customers. It is truly a very fun thing to do.

As I type this I continue to ask myself why I am telling you all this, but I have nothing to hide from. I have been to the point of closing and have come back. It is my small success story and I am trying to make the story even better.

Nick Pratka
Owner
Brightwater Ventures

 

[Tangent123123]

We appreciate you sharing this Nick. As a once small business owner myself I know how much it can suck and the stress involved with a business when it's doing moderately well, much less when you're working out of a hole.

Us local guys appreciate you sticking with it and being there for us to swing by and harass you or in my case to bringing my wife in so she can ask you silly questions.

So please keep coming back. We need the little shops like yours. It's what has made this country great.

 

[datguy]

I have been very happy with my experiences at Brightwater Ventures. I'll continue to shop there..