[lkd]

The NSSF provides this kind of marketing research data, broken down to include pertinent information for your locale/region. If you're an NSSF member, the price is $250 ($500 for non members). This information is gathered from a professional marketing research company experienced in the firearms industry.

If you need market research data, it's an awesome bargain. Doing something like that on your own (presumably for your own purposes) inevitably leads to severe alcoholism, puppy kicking, and, in the sad end, registering with the Democratic Party.

[Straight_Shooter]

I would suggest you have 3 years operating capital and enough to live of profit free for 3 years on top of the initial investment of inventory, merchandising supplies and displays before you open. Then you work it by yourself 16 hours a day six days a week and teaching classes on Sundays and then you will have a good number to show the bank if you are interested in going into your fourth year.

Budsgunshop, gunshows and home ffl's will be your competition.

Doing this with a mortgage would be really hard. Getting a loan to do it would be even harder.

Sorry to be so negative.

[70cuda383]

while not a gun shop, I worked with a guy who was running his own classic car restoration business.

clientele can be similar in that they're spending disposable income.

he worked 10 hours a day, 4 days a week at the shop, and then pulled 3 shifts as a medic at the fire station.

his business made enough money for him to pull out $3,000 a month as his salary.

and he always tried to ensure that his company had a full year of operating cost in the bank at all times, so that he wasn't living "customer payment to customer payment"

I've seen shops that operate under that model...they don't last very long. when you can't pay your bills until the customer cuts you a check...you end up with cars sitting around not getting worked on because you can't buy parts, and when you can't buy parts to work on the customer's car, you're not going to bring in any more money.

a gun shop would be similar. make sure that you have enough cash in the bank to keep the doors open for a full year with no customer sales. that way you don't end up cutting into your profit margin just to make some sales, to make the month's rent.

[Snowmassicist]

Lkd the NSSF was an outstanding suggestion, thank you! Very valuable.

[lkd]

Originally Posted by Snowmassicist

Lkd the NSSF was an outstanding suggestion, thank you! Very valuable.

I won't even charge you a finder's fee for that knowledge