When Whittaker Guns, the firearms superstore in West Louisville, closed at the end of February, Bob McDole decided it was time for him to open a gun store in Owensboro.
And a few weeks ago, he and his family opened 270 Tactical in Shawnee Plaza Shopping Center on Scherm Road.
“When Whittaker closed, that was one of the deciding factors in opening the store,” he said. “We had tried to acquire Whittaker’s, but it didn’t happen.”
The family has another gun store in Alabama — Mr. Big Guns.
But the word “guns” isn’t in the name of this store.
McDole said he wants the store to be on social media.
And the word “guns” is problematic on social media.
The location was chosen for its proximity to the center of town, its size and for the amount of open space and storage space it offers, McDole said.
“It was a perfect fit,” he said.
Audra Leonard, the company’s director of finance, said, “We wanted a warm and inviting color palate.”
“We wanted a different experience for shoppers,” McDole said. “We didn’t want a dark gun store.”
The store has a couch and a coffee bar for customers and a big-screen TV for showing videos.
The store has more than 600 guns in stock from handguns to long guns.
It also stocks suppressors — also known as silencers — ammunition and accessories like scopes.
Leonard said, “We’re seeing really great turnaround on suppressors. It used to take up to nine months to get approval for a suppressor. Now it takes 72 hours.”
She added, “There’s a big demand for suppressors. A lot of people don’t want the noise when they fire a gun. Some people are sensitive to sound.”
During some election years, gun sales spike when people fear that the next president might make changes to America’s gun laws.
But McDole said he’s not seeing that this year.
He said the store has a wide range of calibers and can order anything that’s not in stock.
“Customer service is at the top of the list,” McDole said. “Our prices are very competitive. We want customers from surrounding counties and states.”
He said his long-term goal is to eventually have an indoor shooting range in Owensboro.
“Business has been very good,” he said.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimates America’s guns and ammunition industry directly generated over $60.5 billion in economic activity in the last two years alone.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says there are more than 56,700 federally licensed gun stores in the United States.
And Kentucky ranks No. 17 with 1,271 stores.
At its peak, Whittaker guns had an inventory of more than 7,000 firearms and drew customers from all over the United States.
There were days when they had more than 5,000 people in the store.
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