US Guns. Barbour blvd Portland

[CitadelGrad08]

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to thank you all for being patient with me and my chaotic schedule the past few weeks. Like others posted before me, the reason why I did ask about contacting an admin in my previous post was to make sure I was within the community guidelines regarding posting about a gun shop where I work. I will gladly answer any questions that you may have here on this thread or in a PM.

Our store is privately owned and operated. We have been fully open since December 6th of last year and have been learning a lot about this industry. As some of you have seen in the SW Community News article, our owner comes from the mobile phone industry with little to no experience owning a gun shop.

We try our best to provide the best customer service that we can, we all know from experience that customer service can make or break the satisfaction of a potential customer. If possible we will make sure we chat with each customer on an individual basis to answer any questions they may have.

Our selection is constantly expanding. We try to get in a few new shipments a week depending on traffic. Our selection of used items is small, but we buy firearms as well as sell on consignment or trades.

Please come in and check us out. We want to work with you to keep you happy and coming back to us. Again feel free to PM me or post any questions you may have. Have a great day!

 

[Will_Power]

Apparently one of the neighbors is unhappy. Now, I'll just have to drop by and spend some $$.

“As a longtime local resident concerned about gun control and safety, I consider this a terrible addition to the neighborhood,” one citizen told The Connection via email. “I can't be the only one who consider them unwelcome."

Gun shop to open on Barbur Boulevard

 

[bohica]

Just adding in that, as the second guy who works at US Guns, our Colt contract has been approved and we are still waiting on Glock and Mossberg. As Citadel mentioned, we are working hard to be as competitive as possible and increase our selection. If you haven't already, we would love to see you in the shop. Even if you're not buying today, always fun to talk firearms...

 

[gaijinsamurai]

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a Benelli Nova at US Guns. I found the staff to be friendly and knowledgable, and the price was competitive. I would definitely recommend them.

 

[Callidus98]

I enjoy seeing new shops open up around the area. For all of us, that means more options. Glad to hear that the market is adjusting. I have tried to stop in to this shop a couple of times but have not been able to get there when they are open. I'll keep trying.

 

[HikerKat]

I really wanted to like this store, as it's in my neighborhood and I like to support the local businesses. However, I don't think I'll ever purchase anything from this place.

Things got really uncomfortable after I realized that the guy behind the counter was talking to me when he called me, 'Sir' in his welcome. After responding to his welcome (thus revealing my most unmanly voice), I tried to shake it off and browsed a little bit to try and relax before approaching the counter at which the guy was working with another couple, since he said that there was no line after his initial greeting. Again, he called me, 'Sir' when asking how he could help me. At this point, I was, admittedly, a bit flustered (how does one respond to this kind of situation?), but I still managed to ask if he had any .22LR in stock. Well, his price was astronomically more than I will pay for .22LR, and so I'll wait to find it at other stores.

I learned early on in my working career that it is dangerous to use gender specific greetings unless you are darn sure of the customer's gender. I'm glad my son wasn't with me, as I don't know how well he would have taken the interaction at this shop.

All of the reviews on Yelp are 5 star, so it could simply be my problem. It's just rare that I get this negative of a feeling in a place.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Well, you look like a lady.

Perhaps it was an ex-military guy? Everything is sir.

 

[HikerKat]

Well, thank you for saying that, F2CMaDMaXX.
He could be ex-military. Having never served, I'm not that familiar with military customs other than what little I have observed in my family members who have served. Guess I'm just disappointed to have been disappointed, and will move on.
I have heard good things about Frontline Arms. I'll try to get in there sometime soon.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Yes, those two are pretty friendly at Frontline, but i'm not sure if the main guy is back from Hospital yet. (Car accident)

 

[HikerKat]

That's what I saw on their website. Hope he is on the mend.

 

[bolus]

Frontline is still closed. Im having a hard time imagining a small gun shop will survive being closed for that long.

 

[WebRat]

Well, you look like a lady.

Perhaps it was an ex-military guy? Everything is sir.

Two of the guys that I have talked to in the past at USGuns had served in military.
For .22LR try the new Walmart in Tigard or Fishermans Marine in the old CompUSA building in Tigard.

 

[HikerKat]

Thanks for the tip on where to look for .22LR, WebRat. I hadn't thought to look at Fisherman's Marine.

 

[tacticalgunner]

Well, you look like a lady.

Perhaps it was an ex-military guy? Everything is sir.

No, I don't agree, I spent a lot of time in the military and i knew the difference between sir and ma'am. You deal with the public you learn that too, and if you own a business, you better know the difference. I was never taught in the military to call everyone sir.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

I was never in the military so I had to ask that as a question.

I very heard femalet officers being addressed as sir, so wondered if that was the case.

 

[308]

My wife works at Providence. No more can she assume the manly looking or the feminine looking are what they appear. Her dad the ER nurse is less compassionate...he asks if they were born with a uterus or not.

Welcome to Portland.

 

[Joe13]

Maybe he was distracted by helping the couple...

Not to deffend it but there is a lot of females in the portland area that would preffer to be addressed in the masculine. Its hard to tell sometimes...

If you only need .22 then I'll tell you now, the smaller the store the higher the price (generally).

If your not shopping there because of a mistake or misunderstanding of your gender or gender preference then that is your right but I wouldn't personally write them off just for that.

I didn't read the whole thread but I recently was distracted at a store and addressed a young (3-4) child as a she, only to find out that it was a he. I was super embarrassed and found another isle to be on.

I was raised to address all women as Mam, so it's been a real struggle for me to try and adapt to Portlands quirks.

 

[tacticalgunner]

I was never in the military so I had to ask that as a question.

I very heard femalet officers being addressed as sir, so wondered if that was the case.

I seen soldiers and sailors get there butts handed to them for not addressing correctly. If you don't know, and I am now in a business that I don't know sometime, I just stay away from gender specific titles, not good for business, its like asking a fat woman when the baby is due, just don't ask if your working for a company. I know a lot of folks its a one and done in the business world, meaning, you get one chance, and one only, there are other gun shops that will take your money, and it does not matter one way or the other what the reason is, that is it. Money not supporting you anymore

 

[HikerKat]

Just to clarify, I don't get all butt-hurt over someone making a mistake once. I don't wear makeup and I have short hair, so I don't usually get upset about it. When people look me in the face, they can tell I'm a female. This was a very strange and uncomfortable situation though (with the second time talking face-to-face), and I think I am not of the demographic that this particular store is marketing to. So, this incident is only a small part of why I probably won't go back, and more so simply because I can't afford and don't need very much of what they have to sell.

Joe13, I've never met a woman who prefers to be called, 'Sir', but to each their own I guess. I do agree that the small boutique type stores tend to have higher prices.

I feel that tacticalgunner has it right, in that, my chances of offending the least number of people is highest if I just stick with non-gender-specific language if I'm unsure. In my past experience, I found that business was much easier and pleasant when I changed my approach.

 

[Joe13]

Try saying, "And a good day to you mam", right back the first time - he probably wouldn't have said it a second time