I want to open muzzleloader/archery/reloading shop

[Alaskasmoker]

I buy a lot of outdoors stuff. 50% of the things I buy (or want) are sort of specialty or not readily available.

I have been amazed at the amount of shoppers at sportsmans warehouse here. Paticularly the gun counter side. The amount of reloading stuff they sell is amazing.

Archery, that place seems abuzz alot also.

A couple of reasons this amazes me. 1. Half the time Im there, they dont have what I want, and Im not asking for anything spectacular either. just maybe some dillon parts or 454 casull dies. 2. Employee knowledge is pretty lacking. Some of the guys have been there awhile and are getting better, but I can still ask them questions that will stump them (about products they carry)

Any way, for a long time, I wanted to open a gun store but never did. Money was the main problem, also, You dont make much money on new guns. Then there is all the FFL hassle.

What I want to open is specialty reloading, black powder, archery shop. I think I will call it primitive technologies.

What do you guys think? With all the high power rabble that goes on here in Alaska im not sure how big the primitive market is. We only have a couple of muzzloader areas (and those are drawing only) Quite a bit of archery season though. Im not too worried about the reloading side of it.


Any suggestions on how to hook up with suppliers?

Any other thoughts?

I want to offer a relaxed atmosphere, good advice, excellent service and competitive prices. Its going to be my goal to learn every customers name.

 

[chuck41]

Sounds like a great idea, especially if you sell Savage ML10-IIs. They would have to sell well up there since there is nothing muzzleloading wise that compares to them. Like others, you might have trouble finding knowledgable employees and about the time you get them trained they head elsewhere, but Good luck to you. Hope next time we get up the the frozen North we find you as big as Cabellas.

 

[fishinguns]

Well I say go for it but don't plan on quiting your day job for at least 5 years. I am in my 3rd year of running my own construction business and sometimes I just love it and other times it is a real pain,,,mostly the legal bs that' gets me down as the building of houses is a real blast. I don't have to carry to much inventory as my business is mostly labor related so my start up costs were not to heavy at least not all at once. The fun part is dealing with the people as almost every client becomes a person I want to know. I build custom spearguns for blue water hunting and when I first came up with a workable design I started to sell them to freedivers that I knew personally and then as my name grew I started to sell them to others that came to me by word of mouth. It was more of a hobby than a business but I have entertained the thought of taking the show on the road but could never make it through the start up with out financing it with construction and ultimatly just do it on a one at a time custom basis. As a hobby it is the greatest but as a business,,well construction is still for me. If I could do it out of my garage and make a living I would drop my hammer and get to shaping but the money just isnt there,,,,but the passion is and it is harder to say goodbye to a beautiful speargun than a beautiful girl,,,well not really but you get the picture. All that said I say go for it! You will get more out of it than you put into it and with the great attitude that you have will meet some great people and that is what it is ultimatly about. Money is so overated when time doing the things you want and being with great people is what puts smiles on your face and warmth in your heart. I work on some of the nicest most luxurious houses in the world and there is not a pillow made that is more comfortable than my folded up hunting jacket after a long day on the trail. DO IT !,,, john,,,

 

[ozark]

It is a nice dream but I would look long and hard at the idea. Are you viewing it from the customers viewpoint? Unless you are exceptionally rich you can't stock but a fraction of what may be called for. Many customers will pick your brain for info and then get on the net and locate the cheapest source. I worked for a large gun repair shop and had a small one of my own. Just prior to hunting season I was covered up but during the slow months just occasional work.

Finding competent knowledgable help is difficult and expensive. In all honesty I must be the voice of caution. Look at the stats of small business successes. I wish you luck and hopes that your idea is one of the extremely few that succeeds. You locate a source for a fifty cent screw and discover that the minimum order is fifty bucks. To please a customer you order the extra stuff to have a minimum order and often have to eat it. Sell those screws at ten cents each or three for a quarter. Many will take three. LOL

 

[Rifleman]

I had an FFL for two years when I was much younger and ran a small gun business from my house when you could still do that. I found it to be very profitable. One thing I learned quickly was that new guns do not have much of a profit margin, and used guns was where the $$ was. Most of my customers came to me looking for a better deal, but stayed with me because of the level of customer service I provided. You are right, it is very hard to find knowledgable people in the big box store retail enviroment. In the last three weeks I have been to the gun counter at Bass Pro and Gander Mtn, and IMO the level of knowledge that the sales folks I dealt with was poor.
I think you will find that you must get an FFL to be in the business, as you are just to limited without it. Many suppliers will not deal with you, even on NON-FFl items without it. It is not that big of deal to get one, and it will allow you to be able to tap into that market. Unless you become a real full service archery shop, I think you will find business slow. One thing I did that helped me make $$ was deal in hard to find and collectable guns. One better know his product to deal in this market, but if you do, it is a lucrative one.