New gun store in a rural area: things are going well

[Andy]

I wanted to post this here as encouragement to others in my situation, and as a public thanks to God for the blessings he has given us. Last year my wife and I bought a small, recently closed gun store in a rural area near our home. We bought the gunsmithing equipment and the remaining non-firearms inventory essentially turn-key last year and finally opened up after receiving all permits/licenses a few months ago.

This was the last gun store in our town and had just closed before we bought it. I don't think anyone we knew thought the endeavor could make any money but everyone hoped we could make it work and wished us well. I am happy to say that things are going great. I modernized/repriced the inventory to reflect people's tendency to compare prices online and turned it into an internet-friendly business. I welcome transfers equally vs purchases and make a point to let customers know I am happy if they get a lower price online and have me do the transfer. I like business any way it comes to me and this is the current market trend so I am going with it.

I don't have room for many guns in-stock so I focused my shop primarily on ammo and reloading components. It takes a lot of effort to shop around on every item but this focus has enabled me to keep my ammo prices below or equal to walmart and dick's. In the odd event I am higher priced I can nearly always price-match at a slight profit if a customer requests that. For anyone who orders ahead I keep my profit margins very slim as a loyalty thank-you.

I have had a lot of talking to do in the past few months to make people realize that a small shop can compete with the big guys but people are realizing it now due to my prices and business is increasing as a result. I am happy to say that I made enough in the first month to pay the (high) insurance for the year, and the second month has been better than the first so things are on a good trajectory.

I wanted to encourage anyone else who is on the fence to give this a try. If you are internet-savvy and have business knowledge you can make this work if your community actively supports you, even if you are in a very small town.

Andy

[wills]

Congratulations, and Best Wishes!

[PB234]

Congratulations and wishing you continued success and respect for having the guts to do it when many must have told you it would not work.

[Hamish]

Andy,

This afternoon I was having much the same conversation with a proprietor who works out of an 8'x20' portable building. He turns a lot of used guns, utilises Gunbroker a lot when it trends in his favor, (right now shotguns are moving well for some reason) and, as you say, tries to give his customers a reason to keep trading with him.

Good for you!

[country gent]

Always remember that to a lot knowledge and help keep us coming back to a shop. Being able to help the newer shooters with information or possibly a demonstration goes along ways. Ive helped one local shop give a reloading class a couple times over the years. A lot of those people are still coming back and are loyal customers. These were just a very basic class for beginners. Being able to show how to clean, field strip, and use the firearm goes along ways. Best of Luck and remember You determine the outcome.

[lylejb]

Congratulations on your success , it sounds as if you're off to a good start. It also sounds like you've got the right attitude, and that is key. I know, as a customer, I'll be happy to do business with a local shop that wants me as a customer, even if the price is a bit more than online.
Too often I've been places that have the attitude " it's MY place....take it or leave it" Almost always, I leave it.

[bullet maker 57]

Congratulations. There are only one or two LGS in this area. They don't even try to compete with the big box stores. There is not much support for a LGS here in NYistan.

[Spoonerism]

Congratulations! I always like to hear of a small business doing well, especially a gun shop.

[brass410]

I to am a small business owner for many years now. Its kinda nice to be able to see these more personal enterprises spring up ( I hate big box stores they treat you like your a gun dog ) point and say over there no time to kibitz about anything. best wishes for your venture and remember keep it fun and you will never work a day!!!

[Preacher Jim]

an old fellow here had the philosophy that it is better to made a dollar on 10 items and have return customers than make ten dollars on one item and never see that person again. Sounds like you are following his idea. By the way he died with 400,000.00 in the bank and a shop full of stock.

[jmort]

Nice
Praying for continued and greater success

[modified5]

Congratulations on you new venture and success.
It sounds like you have a good business plan going so far.
My wife and I have a small home based business going and it is tough, but rewarding.
I too, like others would rather go into a small shop and shoot the breeze for a few with a friendly, knowledgeable shop owner than a $10/hr employee who doesn't care about customer service but rather just a pay check.
Keep up the good work and may God pour His blessings upon you and yours.

[Andy]

Thanks for the nice comments and encouragement guys, good to hear of other success stories and I hope that people who are on the fence about opening a gun store read this and decide to take the plunge.

[rancher1913]

my local little and I do mean little gun shop the owner is not very internet experienced and his prices were way out in left field. I tried to buy local but when he was charging 3 times what I could get it for at the lgs it did not work. he discovered that there was a market for selling guns on consignment and does quite well doing that, no upfront cost to him and he gets a cut from the sale and the money for the background.

[Plate plinker]

Great glad for you and your wife.

[MaryB]

LGS near me uses the same philosophy. Those who buy a lot get deals, those who come in once a year not so much. He has matched internet ammo pricing for me more than once because I buy 1k rounds at a time.

[William Yanda]

An old farmer I used to work with quoted a butcher he used to work for. In a German accent, he said: "You don't have to make a dime on every sale, just a nickle......but make lots of nickles!"

[Idaho45guy]

I live in a town of 1100 and, of course, no gun shop. I work in a town 14 miles away with a population of around 30k that swells to over 50k when the college is in session. Not a single gun shop. Not even a single FFL. There are, of course, five marijuana shops in that town... The only FFL in the county is a sheriff's deputy in another little town who does business out of his basement.

I kicked around the idea of getting my FFL and opening a little shop, but talking to the only FFL, he said he does maybe five to ten transfers a week. And this is in a rural farming area on the Idaho border. I was shocked at the lack of demand.

[toallmy]

A new shop opened up in Cheriton Va. Recently that moved over from the town of Capecharles for a larger space so I suppose business is doing well . The owner is a friendly helpful fellow that will try to get you what you are looking for at a good price . Andy I wish you a fruitful and pleasant business .

[Bookworm]

an old fellow here had the philosophy that it is better to made a dollar on 10 items and have return customers than make ten dollars on one item and never see that person again. Sounds like you are following his idea. By the way he died with 400,000.00 in the bank and a shop full of stock.

My late g-father, self employed his entire life (save when he was a doughboy - wounded in France in 1918), said it this way -

"A sheep can be sheared 10 times, but skinned only once."

[aephilli822]

We have a shop here that is the same way. I asked him if he could make more profit ordering a gun for me and he said "no, you order it and send it here and i'll do the transfer (for 25.00) and that will be cheaper for you"
so last week I needed a chamber reamed (new 2 groove barrel I installed on 1903) he quoted a price, and when I came back (less than 2 hours later) to pick it up I told him "I don't think the price you quoted me was fair, so i'll pay you (10 dollars more than he had quoted me) and not a penny less"
he said he normally doesn't dicker on price, but this time he'd make an exception.

8-)

[smoked turkey]

Andy, so glad that your new business has started off with a bang (pun intended). The smaller LGS just has a better feel when you go in. I think it is important for it to be inviting where other gun minded folks can come together and chew the fat ever so often. I believe that given good pricing and friendly atmosphere, those customers will be willing and happy to do business locally. Good customer service goes a long way in promoting a business. Word of mouth can be your best or your worse advertisement. Which way it comes to you depends on you. The ball is in your court.

[clum553946]

Bravo! Wish there was a lgs in my area with your philosophy!

[Blackwater]

Congratulations and kudos to you! A really good LGS is supposedly going the way of the dodo, but I believe much of that sentiment is based on the theory that business is ALL about the money. Surely, money is NECESSARY, but if that's a person's ONLY goal, most businesses will wind up being disappointing. My son opened a convenience store at the age of 25, and did a really booming business - much more than he'd anticipated. And he did it all by just getting to know his customers by name and caring about them, genuinely. Even those who gave him bad checks, he treated gently, but firmly, letting them know they had to cover their old bad check before he could take another. When they complained or whatever, he just stood firm, in a very low-key way. They understood, and when he became their primary go-to store for sundries, even they kind'a straightened up enough to tell him they didn't have the money right now, but would Friday, and if he'd hold a check until then, they'd really, really appreciate it. He did this often, and it did take a wee bit of extra time, but wow! Did it ever more pay off! He now leases out his store, and nobody has done anything like the business he did when he ran it himself. Folks loved his place because he didn't carry the lottery, and folks coming in and in a hurry just to get gas didn't have to wait in line while folks scratched off their tickets or whatever. Lottery players are NOT among the most considerate people in convenience stores! Everyone knew him by name and he knew almost all his customers, who amounted to several thousand. He knew who was related to who, and they'd often exchange short little revelations about themselves - just simple pleasantries among friends.

There's a lot more to business than JUST the money! Service is something that gives folks confidence in you, and lets you charge a tad more than if they'd ordered in. And don't forget the shipping on orders in! That alone lets you charge a little more, and businesses get taxed heavily enough now, that you probably need every little thing you can get, money-wise. Be bold, but not TOO bold. Folks love dealing with folks who are "like them," and are genial and pleasant to talk with. They don't teach this at Harvard Business School, but I've seen it over the years many, many times. People eventually shop with folks they just LIKE, and I suspect, always will.

[725]

Soooooooooooo, ..................... Where is your store? I go out of my way to support the right people.

[MaryB]

Best part of the small local LGS is the group that hangs out on the stools drinking coffee or pop. Lots of stories, lots of knowledge if you sit and listen.

[Down South]

Congrats on your endeavor.
I have two LGS's that I support. One here just out of Houston and one back home in La.

[Thin Man]

Andy, congratulations on your success. It sounds like you have the very best asset to continue your business and that is your attitude toward your customers. Be fair and respectful and this will work out for you. For the past 8 years I have worked at the same LGS and over that the store has had 4 (yes, 4) different owners. The first 3 owners either diverted the profits from sales, or failed to give the store enough of their time and attention, or treated the store more like a hobby than a business, or had a grouchy-mean-ego based personality, or operated purely on their personal preferences without consideration of the customers interests or market trends. Every single work day was a different experience with no consistency. Many customers left angry or disappointed and have not returned. The house had a bad name in the shooting community.

The current owner (#4) is an experienced businessman and a gentleman. He understands business ethics and customer appreciation and personnel management. Suddenly we are seeing greatly improved customer flow, sales are jumping, employees are much happier and life is good. Your statements signal to me that you are the kind of person who can be trusted and appreciated. Keep your positive attitude and you will do well. Congratulations.

[shoot-n-lead]

Congrats on taking the risk and doing what is necessary to make it work.

[RayinNH]

Soooooooooooo, ..................... Where is your store? I go out of my way to support the right people.

My thoughts too. Andy lists his location in the northeast. I'm in the northeast and quite a few other members are as as well.

[w5pv]

I always support the local shops,I would rather give my dime to a local than a big box store even if I have to pay a little more for it at times

[Bzcraig]

By the continued Grace of God, your outstanding attitude and commitment to customer service your business will flourish beyond all expectations.