Gun shops - SF Bay Peninsula

[Usmc0844spare]

I was surprised to find that my hometown's gun shop, Imbert & Smithers, closed in January. I liked having them around because at least it was a close FFL if I needed one and I could go there and buy cleaning supplies, and periodically I would make up an excuse just to go in and look at the guns.

Well... where do I go for cleaning supplies now? Am out of wipeout and CLP.

Any recommendations that don't involve me going to the east bay? I was thinking about taking a trip down to Bass Pro in SJ but website doesn't look like they have what I am after.

[squeeze]

Small and nice people. (Across from Honda dealership)

Peninsula Guns
360 El Camino Real Bruno, CA 94066
650-588-8886
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I have two unused trap shooting books/manuals for sale. See my posting here:
https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/...0#post26822520

[Djantlive]

I buy Lucas clp from Oreilly. Big 5 has cleaning stuff too. Amazon if you know what you are looking for.

Peninsula guns is nice but quite far. Gun vault is around too

[Usmc0844spare]

Originally Posted by Djantlive

I buy Lucas clp from Oreilly. Big 5 has cleaning stuff too. Amazon if you know what you are looking for.

Peninsula guns is nice but quite far. Gun vault is around too

Thanks... it just so happens that I could take an hour or so and drive right up El Camino hitting up the local O'Reilly's, then Big5, and then Peninsula in succession.

I found Big5 to be super hit or miss in terms of cleaning supplies; found some cool stuff one time, then next time shelves are empty.

[ugimports]

I heard a rumor that some folks are going to try and re-open the Imbert & Smithers location... No idea how long it'll take them.

[tradecraft]

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/...php?p=27334904

[Usmc0844spare]

Originally Posted by ugimports

I heard a rumor that some folks are going to try and re-open the Imbert & Smithers location... No idea how long it'll take them.

I would forecast the probability of San Carlos letting this happen to be exactly ZERO percent.

The fact that there was A gun shop in town stuck in the craw of the libs around here for a long time. I&S sh*tting the bed with ATF/DOJ or whatever happened to cause the shutdown absolutely had some folks jizz their pants, I am sure.

[BearCreekRoad]

Originally Posted by ugimports

I heard a rumor that some folks are going to try and re-open the Imbert & Smithers location... No idea how long it'll take them.

I heard the same rumor when I visited I&S in November. Given that they are now fully closed, and it will require a complete restart with new permits ... and given that there are several other nearby gun stores (so the market opportunity is not large), I find it unlikely that someone will do it.

The basic problem in the Bay Area is the high cost of doing business: real estate costs and personnel costs. In central Oregon or western Arizona, you can rent a store front the size of I&S for perhaps $1K per month, and you can get competent gun store staff for $20-$25 an hour. There is a big supply of staffers (lots of people there are knowledgeable about guns), and there are lots of customers (lots of people shoot). The economics of gun stores makes sense there. Here in the Bay Area, the markup on a Glock 17 or a bottle of CLP is the same as in Oregon. But your operating costs are much higher, and the number of people who buy guns and supplies at a gun store is much lower.

Sure, there is a class of rich gun owners here in the Bay Area, due the number of folks with high disposable incomes. There is a significant number of people with Staccato pistols, P210s, Lugers, and 5-digit over under shotguns at the clay range. Go to Coyote Clays and look at the K guns sometime. Then look among the retired Silicon Valley engineers how many have elaborate reloading setups at home. But those rich people don't frequent the corner gun store; they mail order their supplies, and do the transfers of their guns at speciality transfer FFLs (of which you are the most respected in the area).

The Bay Area gun business is, like many other parts of Bay Area life, being gentrified. The corner gun store is being left out in the process.

[Imageview]

E2 gun vault in Mountain View, coyote point armory in Burlingame, peninsula guns in San Bruno are the closest options. They all have their own challenges, but it’s worth checking them out and seeing if you’re happy with any of them.

[recpark99]

Originally Posted by Usmc0844spare

I would forecast the probability of San Carlos letting this happen to be exactly ZERO percent.

The fact that there was A gun shop in town stuck in the craw of the libs around here for a long time. I&S sh*tting the bed with ATF/DOJ or whatever happened to cause the shutdown absolutely had some folks jizz their pants, I am sure.

Don't spread false accusations, Jina chose to close Imbert and Smithers for a change of direction, got tired of the BS. Sale of the business was already in the works, and part of that is for the new business owner to keep the name. Hopefully it all works out since the business was there long before the libtards that have infested the Peninsula.

[WWDHD?]

Reed's in Santa Clara is not far south from San Carlos. They're a very well stocked gun store. Plus a nice indoor range.

[divingin]

Originally Posted by Usmc0844spare

I was surprised to find that my hometown's gun shop, Imbert & Smithers, closed in January.

Well... where do I go for cleaning supplies now? Am out of wipeout and CLP.

Doesn't City Arms have a shop in Pacifica? Just don't drive a Tesla off the highway. Give them a call and see if they carry what you're looking for.

[RudyN]

Originally Posted by divingin

Doesn't City Arms have a shop in Pacifica? Just don't drive a Tesla off the highway. Give them a call and see if they carry what you're looking for.

City Arms is in Pacifica. They are a nice shop. I have bought a few guns while I was visiting my daughter and son-in-law in Pacifica.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Usmc0844spare]

Originally Posted by WWDHD?

Reed's in Santa Clara is not far south from San Carlos. They're a very well stocked gun store. Plus a nice indoor range.

Darn, always forget about Reed's... Haven't been there in ages. It's a BIT of a haul though, relative to the San Bruno place.

The Pacifica place might be worth a stop by on the way back from crabbing one of these weekends.

[WWDHD?]

Originally Posted by Usmc0844spare

Darn, always forget about Reed's... Haven't been there in ages. It's a BIT of a haul though, relative to the San Bruno place.

The Pacifica place might be worth a stop by on the way back from crabbing one of these weekends.

I think there's also a gun store still out in Coyote Point (not sure what city it's officially in- Burlingame maybe- IDK). I have not been there for a long time but I think it's still there.
Coyote Point Armory? I think it's called that. Small store with not much in it whenever I've been there. Friendly people there I remember.

[BearCreekRoad]

Originally Posted by recpark99

Jina chose to close Imbert and Smithers for a change of direction, got tired of the BS.

I love the euphemism. The ATF pulled her license, refused to issue a new one.

[divingin]

Originally Posted by BearCreekRoad

I love the euphemism. The ATF pulled her license, refused to issue a new one.

Pulled for what reason?

They were supposed to be a west coast distributor for Pardini, but that apparently fell through shortly after it was announced.

[Djantlive]

She told me the business was sold and will be reopen once the new owner has paperwork sorted in a few month. I’m sure no one would buy a business if they can’t get a ffl license. The business license is what was sold and that should not need city approval. They are very cautious on the type of firearms they sell and transfer. No frame only and no modified ‘ built AR.

[Usmc0844spare]

Originally Posted by Djantlive

She told me the business was sold and will be reopen once the new owner has paperwork sorted in a few month. I’m sure no one would buy a business if they can’t get a ffl license. The business license is what was sold and that should not need city approval. They are very cautious on the type of firearms they sell and transfer. No frame only and no modified ‘ built AR.

I hope you are right. But, never underestimate the lib-tard "BUT THE POOR UNDERPRIVILEDGED PORCH PIRATES NEED YOUR AMAZON PACKAGE MORE THAN YOU DO!" idiocy of this city. If they can find a way to keep that space from being filled with an evil gun store, they will.

[BearCreekRoad]

About why the ATF is refusing to renew or issue their FFL license:

Originally Posted by divingin

Pulled for what reason?

I'm not sure, and I never asked Gina personally. I thought it would be rude to ask. She complained about the paperwork that needs to be done.

Scuttlebutt in other places says that I&S was very sloppy on that paperwork, leading to guns having been "lost from inventory", and some of those lost guns then found in a criminal context (arrests, confiscations). I think this was mentioned on Reddit or ArfCom. But I'm not at all sure that this is correct; it too strongly resembles the story of Trader Sports in San Leandro, who quite certainly were selling guns under the table to people not allowed to buy them openly. I don't think the problem was the FFL (Gina) demonstrating bad attitude towards the ATF, as has happened to another South Bay FFL, as I don't think she's that kind of person; to begin with, she has good hearing. I also don't think this was a voluntary closure, as she was (and is) passionate about running the store.

[Imageview]

Owner of coyote point armory made some allegations about full featured ARs being sold there, but he has a very casual relationship with honesty so I frankly didn’t buy it. Also this was before they shut down and they definitely still had a license, I don’t think you get a grace period to unload your inventory. But stuff like his makes it very difficult to know the truth.

I liked imbert and smithers, and hope that it gets reopened by new owners. I purchased a few firearms there over the last couple years, and it definitely had a different market niche than the more tactical focused shops to the north and the south. Retail is a hard gig to keep going, don’t blame anyone for wanting to do something different.

[ronlglock]

Originally Posted by BearCreekRoad

I heard the same rumor when I visited I&S in November. Given that they are now fully closed, and it will require a complete restart with new permits ...

Yes, there is a small group working to re-open I&S and they are engaged with Michel & Associates' office. What you are seeing is based on legal advice.

The margins are low on guns and without something else, such as a range or training, it is nearly impossible to keep the doors open. But the Peninsula is unique in that there is a captive audience from San Francisco.

Originally Posted by WWDHD?

I think there's also a gun store still out in Coyote Point (not sure what city it's officially in- Burlingame maybe- IDK). I have not been there for a long time but I think it's still there. Coyote Point Armory? I think it's called that. Small store with not much in it whenever I've been there. Friendly people there I remember.

Coyote Point Armory and Brian Nussbaum & Associates.