What do you want to see in a gun store ?

[Humanhunter]

I'm considering opening a new gun shop in Keizer at first it will only be open Fridays, 2 Saturdays a month , and by appointment Wednesday and Thursday

As of right now I'm considering doing consignments that will be posted to armslist and gunbroker aswell as displayed in my shop and on my website , I refuse to carry junk brands to profit more ,that just doesn't sit right with me
I will stock quality handguns such as sig , glock, s&w , cz ,and only quality AR parts

To be 100% transparent I'm not going into this to make it rich , in reality I have a successful business that already pays my bills.

What I'm looking for :
What is important to you in a gun shop?

Would you consider shopping in my store and on my website with its current business outline ?

Would you rather pickup your online transfer in private by appointment or in a crowded store surrounded by unknown people ?

What kinds of firearm and accessory brands would you like to see On the shelves ?

Read More

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I wish more shops sold individual "replacement" parts. Sort of like how Ace Hardware sells individual fasteners.

"oops kits" and whatnot would be great too.
(Spring/detent kits)
Lots of guys upgrade their AK triggers.. I have a feeling selling affordable flat blade AK trigger kits would be a hit.

Varieties of AK and AR 10 and 15 muzzle devices would also be a hit. Not just the $100 ones but the $40-80 ones that are more likely to be purchased.

Those are just rough thoughts. Best of luck in your endeavor!

 

[JuglansRegia]

Primers!

 

[Humanhunter]

I wish more shops sold individual "replacement" parts. Sort of like how Ace Hardware sells individual fasteners.

"oops kits" and whatnot would be great too.
(Spring/detent kits)
Lots of guys upgrade their AK triggers.. I have a feeling selling affordable flat blade AK trigger kits would be a hit.

Varieties of AK and AR 10 and 15 muzzle devices would also be a hit. Not just the $100 ones but the $40-80 ones that are more likely to be purchased.

Those are just rough thoughts. Best of luck in your endeavor!

All great points, especially with muzzle devices , I appreciate your input

 

[arakboss]

NWFA vendor support. I always enjoy shopping at the gun stores more when I know they are a NWFA supporting vendor member.

Like @HighLine

 

[cameron25]

Reloading components lol

 

[Humanhunter]

NWFA vendor support. I always enjoy shopping at the gun stores more when I know they are a NWFA supporting vendor member.

I've been emailing back and forth with a moderator on vendor packages and options , definitely on my list of importance

 

[BAJ475]

Primers!

Yes, but at less than 2.5 cents each.

 

[TTSX]

More rifles with heavy barrels and more super light rifles, too. There's just so much of the same at many shops, it's hard to get excited about whats on the shelf

 

[bradsteen]

My number one recommendation would be AR alternatives. Don't get me wrong, I love ARs, but the market is really saturated. Sure, you'll need to carry ARs, but carry other stuff that fits the same home defense niche.

My number two recommendation (which in retrospect probably should have been number one instead) is to make sure you have good options in all major categories at various price points - nothing worse than walking into a gun shop for a specific type of firearm and seeing everything is over your budget. Someone should be able to walk into your shop with $300 and walk out with a weapon they are satisfied with just as much as someone walking in with $1,500. Same applies to accessories, optics, etc.

This probably goes without saying, but gotta say it anyway... don't just cater to us gun nuts. Much of a gun shop's job is to help the less informed customers understand what options are out there and what makes the most sense for their individual needs (not just the salesman's favorite products). Most of the time us "informed folks" already know what we want... we just want to touch it first, and make sure it's what we REALLY want. Conversely, a gigantic load of people are buying guns for the first time, and it's largely out of fear or uncertainty. They don't know what they don't know, and learned what little they do know from friends, family, or youtube. In other words they need all the help they can get. Be patient and understanding to those folks too, because their experience at your shop affects their perspective on the 2A community as a whole.

 

[Mark W.]

Something besides BLACK guns

 

[RedRover]

A positive welcoming helpful attitude.

It seems that we're so conditioned to be stand-offish about our passion for firearms these days in today's society... Justifiably hush hush around who with/where we discuss firearms in public. Coupled with the constant assault on our rights, it can often lead to a fairly poor disposition towards other people.

Same as it ought to be at a shooting range, a gun shop ought to be a so-called 'safe-space'; friendly territory. Having a grumpy pissed-off-at-the-world attitude behind the counter is a surefire way to ensure that one's business flounders.

If it's not all about making a buck. Have a few loss-leaders.

Do a special day where you offer up some $9.99 boxes of Blazer Brass 9mm(1 per customer/per day) to get people in the door.
Or perhaps a punch card. Do 5 FFL transfers and your 6th one is free.

 

[tac]

These days there seems to be a sure-fire of making a small amount of money running a gun store.

First, start off with a LARGE amount of money.

 

[Burpboxhero]

Anything Kel Tec. Just make sure to have "not in stock" signs, lol.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

A variety of firearms...

I understand that wood and blued steel firearms are not as popular they once were...
But damn I get tried of seeing row after row of more or less the same plastic stocked firearm on the shelves.

Also a variety of firearms for different purposes....again I get tired of seeing row after row of firearms geared towards self / home defense...again I know that is hot item right now....but there are other uses for firearms.

Also a good mix of firearms at different price points and decent used firearm section.

A good staff , that won't belittle your choice of firearm...or think that the only the newest in firearms are worth considering.
Andy

 

[Member 3687]

The biggest thing I like to see is a positive attitude and a good knowledge base, you do not need to know everything but a lest a bit of most.

The problem is the ever-changing market, I currently work at a shop in Idaho and let me say in the last 2 years popularity has shifted from product to product depending on the YouTube reviews and the hottest new guns in the magazines. It started with Springfield Hellcats, now its Sig 365s and sig 320s, sort of the flavor of the day products.

A good thing to stock is small part kits for ARs as folks seem to lose springs and detents at the most inopportune times, basic charging handles to upper end ones as many folks are doing their own builds. We sell a lot of AR lowers at the moment and the number one seller is Anderson at a rate of 10 to 1 compared to others, then Aero and then Seekins we carry others but these are the most popular in our area.

We have a lot of folks building their own Sig 320s so we carry the trigger housings and a verity of grip frames and try to stock slides and barrel kits when we can get them. It may not be a thing in your area so may not be worth your time.

We stopped carrying AK parts as there where too many fitment issues between Gun brands on stocks and for ends and we got tired of all the returns. Many AK parts need some hand fitting and a lot of folks are not skilled enough to do this. Not a Dig on AK folks as I own a few it's just what we have had to deal with.

Well, I wish you luck in your business project and hope you find the niche that keeps you going.

 

[spookshack]

Beanie Babies and beef jerky!

 

[OldTengu]

Small replacement parts
Ammunition and components
A reasonable used firearms section
Consignment sales

 

[BBQ Guy]

I wont name the store but i am sure many are familiar with it. There is a shop in Vancouver that i thoroughly enjoy.
The staff are super friendly and knowledgeable.
It is well stocked.
It is welcoming and they will answer all questions, repeatedly if necessary.
They are also welcoming of my kids when they go with me.
I really like their business model and how they run the shop.

When i was a kid and went to gunshop's with my old man, i sometimes had to sit in the car because kids werent welcome.

I might shop online, but i will ultimately come in to do business face to face.

Transfers should be picked up in whatever manner a person is comfortable with. Offering the option to do it privately or openly would be a nice touch.

 

[aasbra]

I like your plan about carrying quality inventory. Knowledgeable, friendly staff is #1 for me. Even if you are an experienced gun owner, talking to someone good at their profession is always appreciated. And for those customers with less experience, trying to learn or select an item they may be less familiar with, even more important that the staff is knowledgeable, patient, and friendly.

For me, a shop that chooses to stock some reloading components is a plus, but I realize demand for these items probably ebbs and flows.

The FFL I mainly use for transfers is very flexible, and does transfers by appt at his home business, which is my preference rather than a crowded store, where you never know how busy the staff will be.

As for gun inventory, I like and own many of the brands you highlighted. I actually like shopping for older, used guns in shops more than new firearms. In recent years, it's very easy to order a new firearm online for a price that is difficult to match when you have the overhead of a retail shop. This works if you already know what you want, but less so if you need help selecting, or want to actually handle it first.

I personally like stuff that is a bit unusual, and am not as much into ARs, AKs, and plastic stuff. I like nice wood and blued steel.