Anyone ever consider setting up shop?

[wheelockhunter]

Opening up their own BP store with a shooting range(BP and maybe archery only)I know there are some online buisness people here, but to have an actual storefront would be great.Most of the gun store here in central ohio don't have much in the way of BP equipment.

Sell everything from hand gonnes to inlines. Some reenactment items and some hunting gear.

One of the many things I have thought about off and on, just wondering if i'm the only one.

 

[Rebel]

No, your not alone. I thought about it too. Just not enough business to make a living with it around here. A few small shops around already, and most of them are just staying afloat for the most part and doing it for the enjoyment.

 

[roundball]

No, your not alone. I thought about it too. Just not enough business to make a living with it around here. A few small shops around already, and most of them are just staying afloat for the most part and doing it for the enjoyment.

I agree...it would be nice but I wouldn't think there would be the local traffic in any one location to support such a broad inventory of different items...shooting ranges could probably stay afloat...the Internet and mail order is taking over...cutting out the retail man and having it delivered to your doorstep without leaving the den is hard to beat from a convenience point of view...ie: Goex...make a couple keystrokes, and a case of it magically appears a few days later

 

[bob1961]

i'v been thinking of an archery shop fer bout 15 years now....may still come to terms...............bob

 

[roundball]

I've sure thought about it. I even know the shop I want to take over. It would definetly need a website and a volume of internet sales. The competition in this part of PA would be tough to overcome. I'd call it the Salt Mine, with the major shareholders consent of course.

Old Salt

One worry that I' ve always had when thinking about doing something like that is it would take me away from the time I spend pursuing the hobby itself...shooting and hunting...and I'd end up being stuck behind a counter all during hunting season as it would be the busiest time of year

 

[Keith]

I've thought about it. In this ady and age I think your best bet is to have a mail order internet site as well as brick and mortar store. Doubt you'd get rich, but could be fun. :imo:

 

[BillinOregon]

Yup. If I ever won the Lottery, I think I would open a shop in a small Gold Rush town near here. Twelve foot ceiling, worn stone steps, aged brick walls, creaky wood floor. Lots of good books, good guns, leather, brass, copper, tin. No pyrodex or inlines, but would stock some lever and wheel guns, Sharps rifles, etc.

 

[Rebel]

Bill, you must mean Jacksonville. Would be a nice place to set up shop.

 

[vradin]

Yup. If I ever won the Lottery,

I had the same thought, but just the range... Win the mega-zillionaire lotto... Open a nice 200+ yard outdoor range, covered, modern facilities, full-time range masters, small cabin/lounge for winter use, and a 50-75 yd indoor with vents big enough to handle BP smoke for the modern cartridge and pistol shooters to use. Maybe a small shop for accoutrements and a small stock of used guns.

Then I'd plop the whole thing down in the middle of one of the local Scout Camps as a "donation" that can be open to the public, proceeds/profits going back to the camp. Heck, there's 4 or 5 camps like that within 45 minutes that are big enough to handle a 300yd range but don't because of funding and zoning.

Wonder what the big game is for this week :hmm: :crackup:

 

[BillinOregon]

Rebel: You guessed it, Jacksonville. Aren't too many other towns in Oregon with so much of the 19th century still intact, although Oakland up your way has possibilities. Just not enough traffic ...
Oh, forgot to mention that my dream history and gun shop would also have an old doggie snoozing in the sunlight coming in the front windows. He would raise his head and wag his tail when a customer came in, but not get up.

 

[Rebel]

Bill, Sounds like a nice kind of place and dog to have.:: Yea, We went through Oakland the other day. It is a nice Historic town, but to far off the beaten track for a shop. Also, there is already a fella with a shop just outside of Oakland. He is the guy that let me turkey hunt on his place. So, did you and The Dreaded One get to do any shooting yesterday, or did you get rained out?

 

[Bob J]

Was talking to a fellow that had a successful gunshop locally (open for about 15 - 20 years) and then he got tired of fed regs and got out of it. He said in the late 70s it took $40,000 to open it. Today he said 100K. Now thats a regular, MODERN gun shop.

I've been casually thinking (daydreaming grin about opening TRADITIONAL muzzleloading shop. Don't think local foot traffic would support it. Maybe combined with a good web site? :hmm: I know I don't drive 120 miles to Buffalo Bills in Orlando very often, but a good shop within 30 - 50 miles? I'd be saving my lunch money :haha:

Have thought about what you said, Roundball. Would turning a hobby into a job/career ruin it? Motivational speaker- author-success guru Les Brown says to think about what you enjoy doing, then figure out a way to make money at it :hmm: :hmm: :sleep: :sleep: :hmm:

 

[Bob J]

Bet I could get my wife interested if we combined it with an antique shop! She's good at wheelin' and dealin...Does anyone have any thoughts as to the compatibility of MLs and antiques? Not worried about the working with the wife part, already do. The secret is to let her THINK she's the boss AND give her the checkbook! :shocking: :crackup: Anyhow, we could call it "The Plunder House". Whoops! :: That one's taken in Fla. Maybe we should strat a new thread about "Good Names for Muzzleloading Shops" (as long as we agree the names are up for grabs ::

 

[roundball]

Have thought about what you said, Roundball. Would turning a hobby into a job/career ruin it?

It would for me...the average private business start-up usually takes several years of dedicated time, consuming the owner's year round getting it up and running so it doesn't fail...going on age 60 I have no interest in picking up that kind of challenge and stress...I want to be at the range every weekend year round and hunting every day that I can while I'm not at the range
eace:

 

[Ridge]

I've thought about it a million times. Just not enough of us to keep the shop open. That being said, I talked to the guy who owns Druid's Oak a month or so ago. They've opened up a retail shop in Hancock, Md. I haven't been there yet, but he said he's going to have reenacting goods stocked from some of the best makers across the country. Gonna make a trip soon.

 

[Gary]

Not ready or willing to starve to death. You may have to do the Rendezvous Circuit and that isn't easy either. :hatsoff: to those folks in the business.

 

[thehorn]

Can still do it if you avoid the crippling expense of overhead and go with a combination of mailorder and gun show vending. Start part-time to augment what you're making with your f-t job. Eventually, if things work out, you can move more into the ml career and away from the old career, especially with the golden years on the horizon. Lord knows the eastern shows could certainly use a vendor who specializes in new and used traditional muzzleloading arms and supplies.

 

[scott k]

Yup. If I ever won the Lottery, I think I would open a shop in a small Gold Rush town near here. Twelve foot ceiling, worn stone steps, aged brick walls, creaky wood floor. Lots of good books, good guns, leather, brass, copper, tin. No pyrodex or inlines, but would stock some lever and wheel guns, Sharps rifles, etc.

Ya know this sounds a lot like Dixon's here in PA. Except it's not made of stone it's wood. The floor squeaks too. ::
Lehigh..

 

[Maynerd62411]

You would probably have to sell modern guns as well , to make a living at it. The only way you could make it worthwhile is to have a very concentrated interest in your area. Unless you were semi-retired and working out of your house and not depending on your shop for primary income for awhile, it would probably not make it. An established gun shop with room to expand would be about your best bet.

 

[BLAHMAN]

Well...I have thought about it, heck, I even discussed it with the Mrs. over the mornin' cup o'joe. I got about five sentences into my thoughts and she grabbed her favorite cast iron skillet.....Oh hell...... WACK!!!!!.


Now she's blamin me for wreckin her skillet with my hard head.


Actually, knowing how the the city, county, village, hamlett, township and state want to know everything about us, I really don't think I'd want to.

Can you imagine all the fuss over paperwork, inspections, fines, licsence requirements, more paperwork, some BS, a little more paperwork, some more BS, a couple of inspections served by inspectors who depend on velcro to keep their shoes on their feet, some more BS :sleep: :sleep:


I'd much rather enjoy myself doin' what I'm doin'.