MobileSuitPilotX
Member
- Joined
- May 18, 2004
- Messages
- 36
I've been toying with the idea of starting my own business. Like our guidance counselors at school told us many years ago, "Find something you enjoy, then figure out how to make money doing it." The town I live in has probably 70,000 people, and likely another 40,000 (or so) more in the outlying suburbs and small towns.
One thing we lack around here is an indoor range. There are 3 outdoor ranges I know of, one of them ran by our local gun club. The majority of shooters around here either hunt in some form (deer, duck, hogs) or are Cowboy Action Shooters. All 3 of these ranges are at least 30 minutes outside of city limits, some being farther than others. I think there may be a market for an indoor range closer to town that caters more to defensive and target pistol shooters.
I envision an one-stop shop kind of place that would have indoor pistol ranges, gunsmithing services, gun rentals, and ammo/target sales. Maybe even after it had proven itself, have regular basic pistol courses, CHL licensing courses, IDPA and IPSC shoots, NRA shooting competitions, etc.
How do you figure out if the market is large enough to make the business profitable? I know large cities with populations in the hundred thousands and millions can support 5 or 10 such facilities and (presumably) remain profitable. I can imagine start-up costs would be huge--the cost of building the facility itself (not to mention the cost of prime real estate close to town), and insurance would likely be through the roof. Then there's the issue of going through the local government entities to OK the project. Anybody that runs their own range have any advice? Where would I start, or who should I talk to?
One thing we lack around here is an indoor range. There are 3 outdoor ranges I know of, one of them ran by our local gun club. The majority of shooters around here either hunt in some form (deer, duck, hogs) or are Cowboy Action Shooters. All 3 of these ranges are at least 30 minutes outside of city limits, some being farther than others. I think there may be a market for an indoor range closer to town that caters more to defensive and target pistol shooters.
I envision an one-stop shop kind of place that would have indoor pistol ranges, gunsmithing services, gun rentals, and ammo/target sales. Maybe even after it had proven itself, have regular basic pistol courses, CHL licensing courses, IDPA and IPSC shoots, NRA shooting competitions, etc.
How do you figure out if the market is large enough to make the business profitable? I know large cities with populations in the hundred thousands and millions can support 5 or 10 such facilities and (presumably) remain profitable. I can imagine start-up costs would be huge--the cost of building the facility itself (not to mention the cost of prime real estate close to town), and insurance would likely be through the roof. Then there's the issue of going through the local government entities to OK the project. Anybody that runs their own range have any advice? Where would I start, or who should I talk to?