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/showthread.php?p=26822520#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]

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/showthread.php?p=27334904

[Usmc0844spare]

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]

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]

[recpark99]

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]

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]

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.


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[Usmc0844spare]

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?]

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.