View Full Version : Owning a gun store
G&R Tactical's store has been open about 2 weeks now. I will first admit that I am generally NOT a people person so this has been an adventure for me. I also treat my store like my home. So to see people just walk in, makes me nervous and I find myself with my hand on my .45 a lot. :D Ok, I am kidding, but I am still a bit uneasy when dealing with strangers.
My favorite question so far is "what does Tactical mean?" :D
The last couple days have been the best for "interesting customers." The first one walks in with an old fishing reel that had a pin broken off in it. He wanted to know if I could drill the pin out. When I told him that I couldn't help him, he advised me that the previous owner used to do this kind of stuff. :rolleyes:
Then yesterday, at about 0900 a older lady comes in with a bag of 12ga shotgun hulls. She asks me if I can close the ends of them for her as she wants to install Christmads lights in them. :eek: I advised that I couldn't help her. I thought that was the end of the conversation, but she decides that she want's to "chit chat" about her ex-husband. After about 30 minutes of this, I start playing with the pin on the CS grenade. I have no problem lighting off tear gas in my own shop if it will save me.
Luckily, some M4C members pop in and restore my faith as to why I opened up a retail shop. To them, I say thank you for making the drive and hanging out. :)
C4
LukeMacGillie
12-10-06, 10:12
Well if Schoennbrunn & Ft Laurens gets its act together I will make it a point to drop in.
Nathan_Bell
12-10-06, 10:34
I would have hung out longer, but if I had that ACOG would have gone home with me. :D
On the drive home Chad kept calling me an overgrown kid and a jerk for showing him where your shop is. All I had to say to him was.
MUAHAHAHA
I would have hung out longer, but if I had that ACOG would have gone home with me. :D
On the drive home Chad kept calling me an overgrown kid and a jerk for showing him where your shop is. All I had to say to him was.
MUAHAHAHA
That 3X30 Compact ACOG is hard to beat!
Do you ever want to call your buddy "The Chad?" :D
C4
Ah, the joys of gunstore ownership. You are going to have days like that Grant...many of them. But you are also going to have the guy who walks in with a beautiful Colt or Winchester he doesn't want anymore. It balances out.
I don't know the neighborhood you are in but safety first all the time.
The one thing you may get to see and hear are conversations that will just make you shake your head. Gunstores are second only to bars as places where people say the dumbest shit you have ever heard. At least the bars have alcohol.
I have personally heard the harmless (I shot that squirrel right off that branch with my Marlin 39A. Had to be 300 yards) to the troubling (This will go right through body armor) to the illegal (I can make it full auto for you). Its best to have them move on although I had the State Police have a little chat with number three.
Tremendous amount of patience involved in retail. You'll always have to sort through the plain dumb questions and people vs. the intelligent and/or reasonable ignorant ones. Remember we are all ignorant, just on different issues.
Watch out for the ones who come in and act dumb/ignorant just to see what you know.:eek:
Tremendous amount of patience involved in retail. You'll always have to sort through the plain dumb questions and people vs. the intelligent and/or reasonable ignorant ones. Remember we are all ignorant, just on different issues.
Watch out for the ones who come in and act dumb/ignorant just to see what you know.:eek:
I consider myself a pretty good all around shooter (hunt, trap/skeet, target shoot and of course tactical weapons) so I am looking forward to getting the "how much do you know questions." I am also much younger than 90% of the customers that come into the store so they most likely think that I know nothing. :D
C4
See that's good having a good all around base of knowledge since you mentioned there's alot of hunters there and the local BR ones. I wish more shops around here would actually carry more AR stuff in the store. This is good for the people that don't know about the accessories and don't like special ordering to find out.
Dave Berryhill
12-10-06, 13:22
My favorite question so far is "what does Tactical mean?" :D
It means "Matte black with a 25% upcharge!"
... I thought that was the end of the conversation, but she decides that she want's to "chit chat" about her ex-husband. After about 30 minutes of this, I start playing with the pin on the CS grenade....
You've got to have a signal with other employees for this. When you give them the signal, the walk up to you and say "You've got a phone call in the office" or something similar so you can politely excuse yourself.
Cohiba was right about the guns that walk in the door. I worked at a gun store and little old ladies would walk in all the time with their deceased husband's gun collection that they'd want to get rid of for practically nothing. We'd almost get in fist-fights over some of the stuff!
baffle Stack
12-10-06, 13:35
Just to reiterate some of the stuff already said, yes, people in the gun stores here think they know it all. I’ve only been a customer and I have overheard the patrons speaking exactly how you said Cohiba. Sadly my 2 local gun stores cater to these people. I guess selling a ton of high points and kel-tecs is profitable.
Grant, I too look young when I go into the gun stores. In fact I still get carded when I ask to see a gun :D That’s not what bothers me though. What gets to me is when the clerks at the store would rather help some 50 year old, beef jerky eating dumbass or some obvious lowlife thug then me just because they don’t look like they’re in high school. (Yes I still look that young). I mean damn, half these people in my local gun stores are lowlifes who speak horrendous English and they’re obviously just there to buy a “throw away” as I heard one patron call it:rolleyes:. My favorite (read absolutely most retarded) gun store quote has to be, “ My wife’s gonna buy it fo’ me ‘cus she ain’t gots no felonies.” Ugh! Maybe it’s a New Mexico thing.
Ok rant off. I just wanted to tell you not to be a dick to people that look young. Sure my clothes might be a bit baggy, and I still can’t grow a full beard but it’s not like I go in there with WestSide tattooed on my neck, and a blue bandana hanging out of my back pocket. Those are the people I would refuse service to. Try not to shoot any of these dumbasses. I’m sure glad they don’t make it in here (M4C).
Good luck Grant,
Ants
See that's good having a good all around base of knowledge since you mentioned there's alot of hunters there and the local BR ones. I wish more shops around here would actually carry more AR stuff in the store. This is good for the people that don't know about the accessories and don't like special ordering to find out.
I bet the locals think that I will never survive with selling those high priced AR's. :D They are most likely a litte pissed that I don't have single shot H&R's or beef jerky.
C4
It means "Matte black with a 25% upcharge!"
You've got to have a signal with other employees for this. When you give them the signal, the walk up to you and say "You've got a phone call in the office" or something similar so you can politely excuse yourself.
Cohiba was right about the guns that walk in the door. I worked at a gun store and little old ladies would walk in all the time with their deceased husband's gun collection that they'd want to get rid of for practically nothing. We'd almost get in fist-fights over some of the stuff!
Its just me and two dogs in the shop. I will just give the dogs a quick command to get in the back and pull the pin. :D
I had a guy yesterday tell me that he has NEVER spent more than $200 for ANY weapon. So the chances of me seeing some really nice weapon to buy is slim to known I think.
C4
Welcome to retail Grant.
Spent 18 years behind a gun counter......good luck. :D
This adventure is gonna be the source of many great stories here.
:)
Best of luck Grant!
Its just me and two dogs in the shop. I will just give the dogs a quick command to get in the back and pull the pin. :D
C4
You need your shop's phone on speed dial on your cell phone. When they are talking and talking you dial the shop from your cell phone surreptitiously. When the shop phone rings, you excuse yourself.
baffle Stack
12-10-06, 16:46
Another thing that really pisses me off is when the people behind the counter don't know squat.(yet they think they do) Make sure to hire gun people who like learning new things and aren't afraid to admitt they don't know all the answers.
Some of the best and worst times were in my own gunshop. You definately need to relax when around the customers. The old saying of "Be kind to everyone you meet and have a plan to kill them" applies here. Being a cop in conjunction with my store made me much more comfortable with dealing with the bottom of the gene pool as they were most of my "clients" at the day job. The guy who worked for me was always a little paranoid and standoffish. It cost sales. You will be cured the first time some total dirtbag buys half your store out or becomes a great customer because you didn't treat the 20 year undercover narc like crap.
Good luck, it can also be fun.......................remember, a long time ago Colt SAA and 1911's used to cost less than $200:D .
Pah-Lease, 2 weeks isnt long enough to see anything, not to say you dont get any interesting folks in 2 weeks.
Last week I was informed the standard A2 configured AR15 is a "Mans Rifle". A real man dont need no flashlights, red dots and rails on his rifle.
For the folks who ask about "Tactical" and "What will someone do with that", I now look them in the eye and tell them, "Kill People".
Wait until the "What will you give me for this" people start coming in. I get a lot of them in December. Customer walked in with a SW 686 in the box and askes what I'd give him for it.
me - $200.
him - Its worth more than that
me - not to me its not.
him - storms out the door
And dont forget the "What trade in will you give me for this". - and its usually something you dont want.
Last year a guy brought in some lever action odd ball caliber rifle and wanted to trade it in for a revolver I had in stock. I told him it wasnt worht more than $50 because I didnt want it. He kept asking, and pleading, until another customer in the shop turned to him and said "Dude, look around at the ****ing walls, you dont see any of that cowboy shit in here, he dont want it.
That was priceless.
Forgot to mention, I'd love a location like yours. I'm in a little strip mall, in down town Sylvania. I get a steady flow of passers by who stop just to see what I have. They are usually the "What do you need this for?" people. Theres a reason the store is only open to the public 6 hours a day, 4 days a week.
I feel sorry for anyone working in retail...especially if you have customers like me. :D
Alpha Sierra
12-10-06, 19:28
Last year a guy brought in some lever action odd ball caliber rifle and wanted to trade it in for a revolver I had in stock. I told him it wasnt worht more than $50 because I didnt want it. He kept asking, and pleading, until another customer in the shop turned to him and said "Dude, look around at the ****ing walls, you dont see any of that cowboy shit in here, he dont want it.
LOL! :D
Robb Jensen
12-10-06, 19:42
Got this phone call last week. :(
caller: "Do you sell bullets?" (meaning loaded ammo I guess)
me: "Yes, what caliber are you looking for?"
caller: "I don't know."
me: "Okay, so you don't know what ammo you need, Do you now how much you need?"
caller: "I don't know."
me: "MMMMmmkay........................"
caller: "what do I have to do to buy them?"
me: "Pay for them at the store here." :confused:
HAMMERDROP
12-10-06, 20:05
Grant - glad your up and running best wishes, I wish I could make the drive.
I have been dealing with customers over 25 years...
Three things to remember:
#1 You cant fix stupid
#2 You cant polish a turd
#3 Your customer will always want you to.
Michael
K.L. Davis
12-10-06, 22:00
I feel sorry for anyone working in retail...especially if you have customers like me. :D
And there it is. :p
http://www.viewaskew.com/clerks/images/pics/danteran.gif
underdog75
12-11-06, 07:52
Ah young Jedi....
In our shop I've been muzzle swept so many times if someone were to rob me at gunpoint I ask them if they needed a hoslter for that. Speaking of holsters, wait until some banger type comes in and says, " you got a holster for this"... and pulls a mexican carried Lorcin from his pantline.
I feel sorry for anyone working in retail...especially if you have customers like me. :D
I would love to have ANY assault rifle fan as a customer! Then I don't have to spend 30 minutes telling them what they are used for.
C4
Ah young Jedi....
In our shop I've been muzzle swept so many times if someone were to rob me at gunpoint I ask them if they needed a hoslter for that. Speaking of holsters, wait until some banger type comes in and says, " you got a holster for this"... and pulls a mexican carried Lorcin from his pantline.
I have been swept a couple times so am used to it now.
I am located in white bread, dairy farming country. So the only way I am going to see anyone other than white is if the Govt brings them in.
C4
Glockster35
12-11-06, 08:34
Grant,
Glad to hear you have opened a gunshop, while many across the nation have closed their doors.
I honestly hope you do well. You have always been kind enough to answer my questions quickly.
I have a suggestion for you to try. Try to find a program on the internet (freeware is always good) that will allow you to click an icon on your desktop computer (assumming it is on the counter where you work) that will automatically call your store phone, and then you can excuse yourself to take the call, from a customer making a large $$$ purchase. Most of the walk-in low life's and little old ladies will soon find out you are not interested in their BS. I used to have somethign similar, although that was many years ago.
This could keep you from getting involved in these long drawn out conversations, that do not interest you.
As others have said, always be on the look out for those little old ladies looking to get rid of the deceased husbands warez. I have heard of amazing deals, as I am sure everyone has.
Grant,
Glad to hear you have opened a gunshop, while many across the nation have closed their doors.
I honestly hope you do well. You have always been kind enough to answer my questions quickly.
I have a suggestion for you to try. Try to find a program on the internet (freeware is always good) that will allow you to click an icon on your desktop computer (assumming it is on the counter where you work) that will automatically call your store phone, and then you can excuse yourself to take the call, from a customer making a large $$$ purchase. Most of the walk-in low life's and little old ladies will soon find out you are not interested in their BS. I used to have somethign similar, although that was many years ago.
This could keep you from getting involved in these long drawn out conversations, that do not interest you.
As others have said, always be on the look out for those little old ladies looking to get rid of the deceased husbands warez. I have heard of amazing deals, as I am sure everyone has.
It hasn't gotten that bad (yet) and may just employee my cousin to be the counter monkey if it does get that bad.
Speaking on gun stores closing, if I didn't have my internet business, there would be no way to survive on my store front sales (currently). I can see how they go out of business.
C4
G&R Tactical's store has been open about 2 weeks now. I will first admit that I am generally NOT a people person so...
For some reason I can't stop laughing about that :D
olds442tyguy
12-11-06, 17:07
I can honestly say I hate gun stores. If you're doing the opposite of a regular gun store, I'm confident you will be successful.
Rayrevolver
12-16-06, 23:18
Congrats on the store opening, Grant!
And no I didn't join this forum so I could get a discount on my order!:D
I did find out about this site from your posts in the Black Rifle forum on GT. Lots of good info in here...I am off to browse.
Back on topic:
I asked for 10mm ammo and the clerk says, "You mean 9mm, no? Oh 10mm, wow, is that for a musket?" Its my fault for buying the centimeter...
Alpha Sierra
12-16-06, 23:25
Back on topic:
I asked for 10mm ammo and the clerk says, "You mean 9mm, no? Oh 10mm, wow, is that for a musket?" Its my fault for buying the centimeter...
+1 :rolleyes:
I got a $20 gift card to Walmart from work. I decided to spend in on.....you guessed it....ammo.
It was painful to watch the guy behind the counter spend nearly a full minute trying to find "223 Remington". I think he read the label on every single box.
DBLTAP!556
12-18-06, 04:32
Being in retail for 15yrs. I had come across sooooo many stupid customers, you can ever think of. with 5yrs. running my family General Merchandise store.. I felt like grabbing them from the throat, and showing the out thru the back door.:D I can't believe the actually have these people roaming this plant. guess, there like cockroaches.. there put here on this world for a reason...LOL
congrads to your new store:) Goooose fraaba:D
DT1
technobill
12-18-06, 11:26
I was sentenced to a few months behind the firearms counter at Cabela's this past summer and fall. I met some very nice people. Then there were all the others. While I've heard it's still legal in some states to shoot obnoxious customers on sight, I was told the company's motto was taken from Ben Hur. "You are kept alive to serve this ship. Row well and live." So, I was polite and helpful.
The best question I received, while intently trying to deceipher an item's availability in their Rorschach blots that pass for a database, was 'Do you have fifty millimeter assault rifles?"
Lost in my needle in a haystack data query, it didn't hit me right at first. I looked up to see a young gentlemen with just the slightest wisp of fuzz on his uppper lip, a ring through the left side of his lip counterbalanced by an enormous zit on the right side of his lip, holding his fast food big gulp, and staring at me like I was the Oracle at Delphi.
I calmly looked him dead in the eye and slowly repeated f i f t y ~ m i l l i m e t e r ~ semi-automatic rifle right? "Uh huh" came his unblinking response.
Nope.
Submariner
12-18-06, 17:29
Grant:
Napoleon Hill wrote Think and Grow Rich. I don't believe in its goal or its recommended technique.
He also wrote The Habit of Going the Extra Mile. I believe almost every word of it.
He is famous for his first book. His booklet is little known. This is unfortunate.
The phrase, "going the extra mile," comes from the New Testament. Jesus was speaking to Jews who were under the tyranny of Rome. Some people had connections with the Roman authorities. They had power. With such people, Jesus said, you should go the extra mile. Do more than they ask. This buys their favor. It also buys you time.
Napoleon Hill applied this strategy in a different setting: the business world. As an employee, you should go the extra mile. Deliver more than you and your employer agreed to. Do this consistently.
Men rise in terms of their value to others. Deliver more than was expected, and you will stand out in a crowd. Hill presents real-world cases of how this principle operates.
The strategy of exceptional service opens locked doors. These open doors offer more opportunities for service.
It seems so simple. It is simple . . . to describe. But few people discipline their habits to conform to this principle. That's why you can stand out in a crowd.
Jim Cook's Investment Rarities coin sales firm offers the booklet for free. Even though you must give your mailing address to get a copy, I recommend that you do it.
http://www.investmentrarities.com/freesuccess.html
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