Gun City: Opinions?

[Guest Jason]

What's the general consensus? I've only dealt with them twice, once well enough, the 2nd time didn't turn out so well. Was this a one time anomaly that shouldn't stop me from using a resource right in my back-yard, or a "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice..." situation?

[Guest Hornet Handler]

I tried to get a price from the gunsmith on installing sites on the XD. The old guy with the mustache just tried to check it in with out letting me talk to the gunsmith and wouldn't let me. The was another guy (big-big guy) told a customer to pretty much go away until your background check is done.

I took my stuff and left and I won't go back.

[saintsfanbrian]

Guns and Ammo around here seems similar to that to me. They have a great selection, but their people skills leave a lot to be desired. I think I will use them for figuring out which gun I like the feel of and then head over to Scott to purchase it.

[TGO David]

I've been there once and that was enough for me. I'd drive to Greenbrier or Murfreesboro for a better gun shop if I were in your shoes.

[shaftbass]

It's a place with a horrible range and high prices.

[Guest Steelharp]

The old guy with the mustache just tried to check it in with out letting me talk to the gunsmith and wouldn't let me.

That's Jack; he's an old buddy of mine, and one of the good guys around there. You just have to get to know him.

That being said... they're pretty high... but so are a lot of places.

[towerclimber37]

Sorry mikey..but if the guy told me I couldn't talk to the gunsmith, I'd tell him to piss up a rope..and that I'm profit and HE'S overhead.

this is just my opinion...

[TGO David]

That's Jack; he's an old buddy of mine, and one of the good guys around there. You just have to get to know him.

That being said... they're pretty high... but so are a lot of places.

I'm not picking on Jack, the mustachioed Gun City guy, in particular here but I do feel an urging to make a statement about the section I highlighted in bold there.

It amazes me that a lot of the gun shops I have been to over the years are void of a thing called Customer Service. Customer Service isn't just the mechanics of selling an item (or service) to the customer, it's also making the customer feel welcome. You can't make everyone happy, but you can make them feel as though you were at least glad they stopped by.

A lot of gun shops seem to treat customers as annoyances until they plunk down cash for a sale. It's as though they see a clear delineation between prospective customer and paying customer and treat both differently. But I've got news for them; a paying customer starts out as a prospective customer and the way they are treated along the way determines whether or not they will become a paying customer.

Why don't gun shops get this???

I've been to two gun shops that "got" that idea since I've lived in Tennessee. That's two gun shops in TEN YEARS out of a dozen or more shops, total. And you know, those two shops also had some of the lower prices in the area!

Could it be that they have lower prices because they sell more guns because they treat their customers and prospective customers the same? Could it be that the other shops have such high prices because their sales volume is in the toilet because grouchy people with bad attitudes are working the counters?

Something to think about.

[Smith]

They like to tell you they are the oldest Gun Shop in town. That's about all I can say for them. Prices are high and the range is a in a dungeon. I do shoot there cause it is close, but i am willing to drive to G&L and Joelton first. I will have to say the guy with the hook is a very nice and a helpful guy. The rest just smoke in you face and give you that "What are you doing here!?" look. I won't be back to the range unless it is just for convenience sake.

I you haven't been there don't. If you have, your looking for another one.

[Guest Steelharp]

Tungsten, you are absolutely correct. Customer service should be present, and polite, prospective or established buyer. I don't understand the lack of it in many places, let alone gun shops. My boys work at the local Publix, and I must say, I haven't seen customer service of that caliber in years. Terrific folks there.

[DaveTN]

What's the general consensus? I've only dealt with them twice, once well enough, the 2nd time didn't turn out so well. Was this a one time anomaly that shouldn't stop me from using a resource right in my back-yard, or a "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice..." situation?

I have been there, but never bought anything from them; what did they do you didn’t like?

I have bought about 10 firearms in last couple of years and the Franklin Gun Shop and Mike’s Saddle Shop was the only two that acted like they wanted my business. Everywhere else I have been they either acted like they could care less or made me laugh when they gave me a price.

There must be something I am missing because I think opening a gun store/range would be a great opportunity in this area.

[The Rabbi]

Of all the shops in the area GC seems to have the worst reputation for customer service. My own experiences mirror that.

[Guest Len]

There must be something I am missing because I think opening a gun store/range would be a great opportunity in this area.

Dave, you're not the only guy around here to think that. Several of us have dreams of opening our own shop that has the following attributes:

1) Its in a nice area/shopping center so don't feel you're taking your life in your hands when you get out of your vehicle.

2) The structure the shop is housed in is modern, clean, and customer-friendly.

3) The employees know guns.

4) The employees know customer service.

5) New shooters/prospective customers are welcomed, not scared away.

6) Nice classroom in back to teach Carry Permit and other classes.

7) A range that is not located in a dungeon with a ventilation system that actually allows you to see downrange.

8) Reasonable prices.

I'm amazed there are not more places like this around.

[The Rabbi]

Len you're forgetting the free gun giveaways and free ammo Tuesdays.

There's a reason you dont see places like that.

The gun business is a low-margin business. It is also expensive in many ways. The guns themselves are costly. To be a Kimber dealer (and thats the only way to sell them new) you have to buy like 8 on the front end at about $6-700 apiece. Same with SIG. You might sit on those guns for 6 months to a year and you might make $50-100 on each one.

In the meantime, the city of Nashville has forbidden new ranges in the Urban Services District. Additionally a new range would cost close to $1M to construct. Then there is liability insurance.

Knowledgeable people don't come cheap and there is huge liability for the owner if he hires someone who screws up and violates the regs. That liability can of course include jail time.

Do the math: it would take about $10k a month to run something like that, and with margins in the 15-20% range thats a lot of sales to be made.

So in all it would take an enormous commitment of time, money, energy, and legal challenges to make something like that. And customers arent willing to pay for it all. They would rather save .75cents buying their ammo at Wal Mart, buy their holsters and mags off the internet, and shop for stuff on GunBroker. And while there isnt anything especially wrong with that, at the same time complaining about local shops sounds like wanting cadillac quality at yugo prices.

[DaveTN]

Well from what I can tell you own a gun store and I don’t. So this is all nothing more than a wild azz dream of what I think would be a good business.

I am fully aware that the investment costs would be high and I assume the liability and zoning would require a lot of jumping through hoops. This would be no Mom & Pop operation; Mom & Pop don’t have this kind of investment capitol.

But I think something must be wrong when I can’t get anywhere close to the price of Buds Guns in Kentucky at any of my local dealers even after you figure in transfer costs. If I had the money to buy the kind of inventory that was required, why would my customers want to buy from them? If I had the capitol to get the same discounts they do and passed them along to my customers the firearms would not have to cross state lines and I should be able to get the Lions share of the gun purchases in Middle Tennessee.

75 cents over Wal-Mart?; are you kidding me?? The last .45ACP I bought at Wal-Mart was 100 round box of WWB 230 FMJ for $20.98. Can you come within 75 cents of that? I can’t even order on-line 1 or 2K rounds at a time and beat that price.

I walk into my local gun store and there are more people behind the counter than on my side of the counter and the range.

I can do math, but I don’t know what the numbers are. Tell me how many gun sales take place in Middle Tennessee a year and I will know how much money there is to be made. My winning personality and fair pricing will get me 60% of that number. 20% will have a local dealer they want to deal with and 20% have become accustom to being treated badly while shopping and don’t care where they buy.

[The Rabbi]

Sounds like a plan. Go for it, big guy.

[shaftbass]

75 cents over Wal-Mart?; are you kidding me?? The last .45ACP I bought at Wal-Mart was 100 round box of WWB 230 FMJ for $20.98. Can you come within 75 cents of that? I can’t even order on-line 1 or 2K rounds at a time and beat that price.

Damn, how long ago was that? **** is $26 a box at the Hermitage Wal Mart now. I've been buying the CCI Brass .45 which comes in around $22 for 100. The only gun store within reasonable distance from me (Reloader's Bench in MJ) sells reloaded .45 ACP at $26 for 100...

[wareagle]

Wal-Mart does not price ammo the same in all stores. This morning, I bought the last 4 boxes of .45 ACP blazer brass for $9.5x per box. WWB was about the same.

[DaveTN]

Sounds like a plan. Go for it, big guy.

I need a million bucks. Are you in?

[The Rabbi]

I need a million bucks. Are you in?

Write up your business plan and start marketing it. If its a great idea then you wont have any problem raising the money.

But you'll need more than $1M since we agreed that the build out on the range itself will cost about 1M.

[Guest tjbert47]

You can't spend emough money at that place to be treated nice the next time you walk in the door. I just will not buy from them. I won't even go there to look.

Tom in TN

[wareagle]

Write up your business plan and start marketing it. If its a great idea then you wont have any problem raising the money.

But you'll need more than $1M since we agreed that the build out on the range itself will cost about 1M.

Actually, you'd probably do alright with a $1mm startup budget. You'd likely capitalize costs associated with the range as well as any other occupancy related startup costs. The cash would be used to acquire inventory and cover current expense until you established solid revenue flow.

[Guest Len]

Exactly. It can be done. Many of the points I listed on my dream gun store don't cost a dime. A solid business plan, expertise and a good location can help acquire working capital. Sure, we wont be the Taj Mahal of guns, but it is possible to run a business in better ways than some of what I've seen for little or no more money. LGS I know took out a small biz loan and built a brand new facility, first class range, etc. Paid the loan off in 1/2 the planned time. Now owns the place free and clear. Run a good shop and treat people right, and you can succeed.

It aint easy, it would be HARD work and hold significant risk, but it can be done. A buddy of mine just took the NRA Range Development Course (5 days), came back with TONS of information.

Show me a solid business plan, a great location, and skilled operators and I'm in as a minority parter.

Actually, you'd probably do alright with a $1mm startup budget. You'd likely capitalize costs associated with the range as well as any other occupancy related startup costs. The cash would be used to acquire inventory and cover current expense until you established solid revenue flow.

[Guest triggertime]

Gun City gives me the creeps. I would not buy anything there and I would not

shoot there. There are better places.

[molonlabetn]

Gun City gives me the creeps. I would not buy anything there and I would not

shoot there. There are better places.

This is how I feel, as well.