OT - Update on new gun shop job.

jengel · Post by **jengel** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:13 am

As many of you remember, I accepted a job with a NEW gun shop. My last day with the county is tomorrow and I will start full time with the new employers on Monday. We purchased the domain name of http://www.greatoutdoorsgunshop.com which as you will find out is currently under construction. We bought the building that is pictured on the web page and you can link to my new work email address.

I will be going to the SHOT Show with the owner of the parent corporation and also the president who happens to be his son. I am scheduled to meet some reps there to buy some stuff.

I hope that we take possession of the new building soon because there is a lot of setup involved such as cabinets have to be made, shelving, walls, security and other stuff. I think that it is wishful thinking to believe that we would be open for business a month after we move in.

This is a business that I have always dreamed of running. I believe that we all have a plan laid out for us and whatever happens is fate, there is nothing that we can to to change it. My 12 years in county government has prepared me to run a business like this. Law Enforcement gave me the confidence and leadership to excel. Emergency Management gave me the networking capabilities and management skills to run the business.

The only problem to leaving county government was that I was slated to be the Operations Chief of the local Sheriff's Office if a certain guy won the election this year. I have also been asked to run as District Magistrate Judge for our county and also a local City Councilman. Those will have to wait until I retire from the gun shop.

cnjarvis · Post by **cnjarvis** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:16 am

Good luck! Count on me to stop by if I'm up that way.

MikeS. · Post by **MikeS.** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:49 am

Good luck with the new job.

All members here get a 15% discount, right?

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:09 pm

I THOUGHT IT WAS A 20% DISCOUNT!

GOOD LUCK ON THE NEW JOB

claybob86 · Post by **claybob86** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:16 pm

Best of luck to ya!

Cherokee · Post by **Cherokee** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:29 pm

Good luck to you

HEAD0001 · Post by **HEAD0001** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:30 pm

The SHOT show is a great show to go to. I worked in the industry for year's, and I always learned alot at the show.

IMO the most important thing to look for at the SHOT show is Co-Op advertising dollar's. All the mfg's budget their Co-Op money on Jan. 1. The SHOT show is the place to take advantage of this.

Be careful what you buy there. Normally alot of the better program's will be at the distributor show's which normally follow the SHOT show. Most of the distributor program's are actually finalized at the SHOT show.

I do not know about your business plan, or budget. But I can give you one good piece of advise. Order your Meat and Potatoes(accessories) and always have them on hand. Buy your candy(high end items) after the accessory racks are full. Tom.

jengel · Post by **jengel** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:38 pm

HEAD0001 wrote:The SHOT show is a great show to go to. I worked in the industry for year's, and I always learned alot at the show.

IMO the most important thing to look for at the SHOT show is Co-Op advertising dollar's. All the mfg's budget their Co-Op money on Jan. 1. The SHOT show is the place to take advantage of this.

Be careful what you buy there. Normally alot of the better program's will be at the distributor show's which normally follow the SHOT show. Most of the distributor program's are actually finalized at the SHOT show.

I do not know about your business plan, or budget. But I can give you one good piece of advise. Order your Meat and Potatoes(accessories) and always have them on hand. Buy your candy(high end items) after the accessory racks are full. Tom.

Good advice. Thank you. I have been told that if a shop were to place an order at the SHOT Show, you can get some really good discounts.

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:06 pm

I have read Your posts about this move for some time and I hope it is all You ever wished for. I am Glad to see someone move to a better job.Good Luck. Jim.

airedaleman · Post by **airedaleman** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:53 pm

Best of luck! (Although with your background, I believe experience and a good work ethic will win you through as much as luck!) Bon chance, my friend!

I attended the first SHOT Show in St. Louis back in '79, when I was H&R's advertising manager. But that's a whole 'nuther story...

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:25 pm

I wrote my friend who lives in Olathe. he says you're about 4 hours from him.

Just tryin to help.

Rusty <><

jengel · Post by **jengel** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:55 pm

Rusty wrote:I wrote my friend who lives in Olathe. he says you're about 4 hours from him.

Just tryin to help.

Rusty <><

Yup, he sure is, more like about 6 hours. The county that Atwood is in (Rawlins county) neighbors Nebraska to the north and one county east of Colorado.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Atwood,+K ... p&ct=title

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:18 pm

Best of luck!

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:19 pm

Stop in and say hello to my son when you're at the Shot Show! He'll be at the Grizzly Tool booth pushing gunsmithing machinery! The tall 30'ish guy with a beard.

Bigahh · Post by **Bigahh** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:44 pm

If I am ever near your neck of the woods, I will make sure to stop in.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:23 pm

cnjarvis wrote:Good luck! Count on me to stop by if I'm up that way.

+1

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:52 pm

Good luck! Keep us posted.

OD* · Post by OD* » Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:02 pm

Good luck with the new job.

brucew44guns · Post by **brucew44guns** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:13 pm

I think Colby is only 4 hours or a little less from Salina. Good reason to play hookie and take a ride to Colby!! Good luck.

jengel · Post by **jengel** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:35 pm

brucew44guns wrote:I think Colby is only 4 hours or a little less from Salina. Good reason to play hookie and take a ride to Colby!! Good luck.

I have been to Salina enough times for meetings to know that it is almost exactly 2.5 hours away at 73mph. Atwood, where the shop will be, is only about 28 miles north of Colby.

I had to look up where Wakefield was, I couldn't remember. You are right, it might be almost 4 for you. The shop in Atwood is just off the intersection of US-36 and K-25.

Marlin .35 · Post by **Marlin .35** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:10 pm

Best of luck to you!!!! And, congratulations on such a supurb job!!!! Art

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:34 pm

jengel wrote:
HEAD0001 wrote:The SHOT show is a great show to go to. I worked in the industry for year's, and I always learned alot at the show.

IMO the most important thing to look for at the SHOT show is Co-Op advertising dollar's. All the mfg's budget their Co-Op money on Jan. 1. The SHOT show is the place to take advantage of this.

Be careful what you buy there. Normally alot of the better program's will be at the distributor show's which normally follow the SHOT show. Most of the distributor program's are actually finalized at the SHOT show.

I do not know about your business plan, or budget. But I can give you one good piece of advise. Order your Meat and Potatoes(accessories) and always have them on hand. Buy your candy(high end items) after the accessory racks are full. Tom.
Good advice. Thank you. I have been told that if a shop were to place an order at the SHOT Show, you can get some really good discounts.

Congrats on the job move and it's always good to hear about another shop opening up. All through the clinton years all you heard about were folks giving up. Good on you guys.

Something you might want to do. Join the http://www.nssf.org
Some good industry support there. Plus, if you end up doing some internet biz your NSSF membership will get you a better rate with Fedex ground shipping.

Post by **Old Savage** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:43 pm

Wish you the best in your new endeavor.

HEAD0001 · Post by **HEAD0001** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:19 am

The SHOT show is where the manufacturers display their products. And yes some good deals can be made there if you are a dealer who buys directly from the mfg. The problem is most shops are not big enough to get the large discounts. I do not know if you are starting out with an unlimited budget, or a tight budget.

Most of the time it is better to develop a tight relationship with a distributor instead of one or two particular mfrs. It is better to have 5,000 differnt items with one backup, than to have 100 items with 500 backups. The mfrs. you buy from normally require large minimum orders to get started, this can be very expensive for a new, small dealer.

The SHOT show is a good place to get free product racks, samples to show for future sales, and advertising dollars. Be sure to tell the mfrs. you are a new dealer. They will normally bend over backwards to be the first mfr. to get their product in your store. Tom.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 7:02 am

Tycer wrote:Good luck! Keep us posted.

+1

I've saved the website - looking forward to seeing it build!

jengel · Post by **jengel** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:21 am

HEAD0001 wrote:The SHOT show is where the manufacturers display their products. And yes some good deals can be made there if you are a dealer who buys directly from the mfg. The problem is most shops are not big enough to get the large discounts. I do not know if you are starting out with an unlimited budget, or a tight budget.

Most of the time it is better to develop a tight relationship with a distributor instead of one or two particular mfrs. It is better to have 5,000 differnt items with one backup, than to have 100 items with 500 backups. The mfrs. you buy from normally require large minimum orders to get started, this can be very expensive for a new, small dealer.

The SHOT show is a good place to get free product racks, samples to show for future sales, and advertising dollars. Be sure to tell the mfrs. you are a new dealer. They will normally bend over backwards to be the first mfr. to get their product in your store. Tom.

Well, here's the good news..... I have not been given a budget. The owners have a LOT of money behind them and they own hundreds of thousands of acres of land and have businesses in 3 states. They have an investment group that requires at least $100,000 to get in to. The parent corporation ( www.beavervalleysupply.com ) is quite large. They haven't balked yet.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:39 am

Good luck with your endeavors.

Johnny

HEAD0001 · Post by **HEAD0001** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:01 am

I would be nice to have a large budget. $100,000 is a good bit. But I wrote quite a few $50,000 ammo orders. It does not take long to add up. One of the best items you can take with you is a "Letter of Credit" from a bank. A LOC cuts through all the red tape, real fast. It is best to have several small LOC's instead of one large one. Tom.

Boge Quinn · Post by **Boge Quinn** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:23 am

Look for me n Jeff at SHOT! We'll be wandering around, acting either like kids in a candy store or bulls in a china shop.

Post by **Hobie** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:07 pm

Can't wait to send some business your way.

OT - Update on new gun shop job.

OT - Update on new gun shop job.

SHOT Show

Re: SHOT Show

colby

Re: colby

Re: SHOT Show

Discounts

Re: Discounts

Budgets