Is Opening Gun Shop Profitable?

[tai]

Hi Ever One,
I have always wanted to open an Gun Shop, but see the gun industry is California is not doing well, lot of the Gun Shop Close, and was curious of is it profitable in the state of CA? I also know to find a landlord who is well to lease you a store front can be very challenge, especially in the Los Angeles area. Please let me know, any input will be greatly appreciated. Thank you

[nedro]

I am thinking the opposite.
The Country is flooded with gun shops everywhere except CA and NY.
If you can obtain the golden ticket (A place that will allow it), you will be doing better in this state than in other states.

[Garv]

L. A. City would probably make obtaining a permit to operate a gun store next to impossible and costly.

Heck, they make it extremely difficult to open a new brewery.

Location, location, location.
Maybe look for an area just outside of city control that does not have many gun stores.

Good luck.

[DrewN]

Wouldn't you be better off buying an existing business? Start up capitol for a decent shop must be eye watering. If you need to order everything in,most folks (myself included) would just buy from the internet.

[deckhandmike]

I buy 99% of my stuff online like most folks my age. I wouldn’t say a brick and mortar shop is a good idea to get into. If I wanted to be involved in the firearms industry I would pick up gun smithing or cerokote application. Cerokote and slide work is a hot ticket with less overhead than a retail store.

[Litespeeds]

The overhead will kill your business. If you own some commercial property and don't have to worry about paying rent, then maybe you can open something just for fun and make a few bucks but don't expect to get rich, especially in CA.

Most people these days are buying everything online.

[sofbak]

Not LA area, but....a gun store for sale in San Diego

https://nationalnetleasegroup.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/j/36D1B0E4FCB3EAAF2540EF23F30FEDED

[Rivers]

Not LA area, but....a gun store for sale in San Diego

https://nationalnetleasegroup.create...40EF23F30FEDED

With comparable offers, given the choice between Los Angeles and San Diego, SD wins every time.

If I heard correctly, the business for sale (Glock Store) is moving its operations to the East Coast. Rather than open a second, eastern store, closing the San Diego store made more fiscal sense. CA's legal obstacles may have had some influence on that decision.

[AlHO1966]

Honestly I have no idea how any gun shop makes money in CA... seems like everyone is just hanging on.

[The War Wagon]

I am thinking the opposite.
The Country is flooded with gun shops everywhere except CA and NY.
If you can obtain the golden ticket (A place that will allow it), you will be doing better in this state than in other states.

Yeah, BUT...

I saw a NFA/Class 3 dealer (they sell "regular" guns & gear as well), open in da' 'HOOD, here in Pittsburgh (a DEAD suburb, that died with the steel industry in the '70's), against ALL common logic. I mean, this community was voted the 4th Most dangerous city in America by some outfit recently. And yet, this shop has flat OUT taken off!

The purple-haired community agitator/councilwoman came on the news a couple years ago, be-otchin' about it's opening - https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-storie...e=cmg-tv-10080 - & I thought, "Geez... I GOTTA give those guys some business!" They've been SO cool, and great to deal with, I've bought at LEAST 6 pistols from them, lotsa gear, and now do all my transfers through them as well! As have LOTS of other people. The owner tells me, the purple-haired councilwoman was the BEST thing that could've happened to them!!!

In short - is a gunshop a money-MAKING prospect? And the best answer I can give you is...


MAYBE.

[Oldmandan]

I think if you know what you are doing, you could win...

I’ve seen some of the old school stores close in the area. But, Turners, Ammo Bros seem to be experiencing growth. Maybe they are just good at picking locations?

[sanjoseskater]

I wouldn’t want my livelihood dependent on some stupid CA politician passing some bull**** laws. The CA gun stores have to be hurting right now No Ars no Aks not as much ammo sold.... Years ago I knew a lot of people buying Ars and talking about it at work now I rarely have any gun related discussions at work and only with people I trust.

[GM4spd]

Making a profit and running a gunshop would be hard enough but can you imagine having to deal with the likes of about one third of the personalities that are on this site ——-every business day?

[Snoopy47]

I am thinking the opposite.
The Country is flooded with gun shops everywhere except CA and NY.
If you can obtain the golden ticket (A place that will allow it), you will be doing better in this state than in other states.

I completely agree.

I lived up the life in a free state for a while, and there's a gun shop for every gas station. The inventories are common economy firearms. I asked about Les Baer and they looked at me like I was nuts.

If you can make it work in CA you should be able to have a golden goose. You probably just have to be better at red tape than your out of state competition.

[Uncivil Engineer]

Well given the direction of the laws local shops are likely to continue to do well. All transfers go through an FFL all ammo sales for plebs go through an FFL. The place the grabbers screw you is zoning and the safety requirements. So there are only a limited number of places you can have a gun shop, eg schools and churches get buffer zones. Then they hit you will with security requirements like locking find guns up on display.

I've seen some FFL move to a percentage of the purchase price instead of a flat fee on transfers. That is some real BS there but I guess some people are willing to play.

One thing you might look at it how hard they have made it for the old kitchen table FFLs. My guess is it's all tied up in location but you might be about to get around that by setting up cheap location where you don't expect foot traffic and then do everything by appointment. Since we see seeing high prices transfers helping keeping those low should help. Then go big online. So make it clear and easy for people to use your as an FFL online. Mostly it's about publishing your prices, making it easy for people to get to your FFL information to provide to others. Some shops post an image of their FFL online others guard it like the crown jewels. Just make it easy to get it to the right people.