Public Range in NE?

[fatmitch]

I was curious why there are so few public ranges in the Northeast? I would love to open a public range just outside of Boston because I think it would do really well but wasn't sure if there was a really good reason why there aren't any up here?

 

[Rob Boudrie]

wasn't sure if there was a really good reason why there aren't any up here?

The easiest way to make a small fortune in the gun range business is to start with a large one.

I know people who have tried in other more gun friendly areas of the country and failed.

 

[M1911]

I was curious why there are so few public ranges in the Northeast? I would love to open a public range just outside of Boston because I think it would do really well but wasn't sure if there was a really good reason why there aren't any up here?

Do you have at least $1M to invest? How large is your payroll expense going to be and how much do you expect to bring in? How much will it cost to keep the range clean and to legally dispose of lead contaminated waste? How much will it cost to monitor your employees' lead exposure and hearing damage?

 

[RImike]

Talk to the guys at Sakonett River Outfitters in Tiverton RI. They are opening (currently building one from scratch) an indoor range. Also talk to MFS, they have been in the business for years.

 

[browncoat]

I was curious why there are so few public ranges in the Northeast? I would love to open a public range just outside of Boston because I think it would do really well but wasn't sure if there was a really good reason why there aren't any up here?

With how inexpensive annual memberships to private ranges are, and with how many private ranges there are, I think the market for public ranges may not be as good as you think. There already are 3 around - AFS, MFS, and Original Bob's. The closer you get to Boston, the more expensive space becomes, not to mention getting people to cooperate on zoning. Look at the trouble the Gun Parlor is having in Worcester.

 

[fatmitch]

Thanks for quick replies. I certainly understand the initial investment is substantial and there are a variety of operating concerns, it's an expensive business to run. Browncoat - I think those are my biggest concerns, I can't imagine any range doing well without a regular core business of gun owners who shoot frequently and most (or all) of them are already in clubs where the costs would almost certainly be less than what I was imagining. Secondly finding a friendly location, I think those two issues make the prospects difficult, not insurmountable but difficult and costly. I know there is a growing number of high end gun ranges popping up in gun friendly parts of the country, that's more what I was thinking, with the hope at least that you could generate a significant portion of your revenue from an "event" type model - instead of going golfing, bowling, paintballing, etc... with your friends you would go to a range, where your main customer would be groups of non gun owners or corporate team building outings that kind of thing. Something like the Range 702 in Vegas. I know gun ownership and range outings are becoming more and more popular in the tech start up space, I was having a conversation about that with a friend of mine and that's what sparked the initial interest and research. I think there's a market for it just not sure it's possible to recoup the investment in my lifetime, at least in this area.

 

[peterthefish]

Midstate guns in RI opened one a couple years ago too. They currently have a pretty captive market (only public range in RI) and seem to be doing pretty well. If I recall correctly their cost was under a million and annual dues bring in around $250k / year. Walk-ins probably cover staff costs, and they sell the brass and lead. Seems like a good business to me, but probably largely helped by market conditions. Most RI private ranges are at or near capacity or in the sticks. The state range is out of the way and only opened part of the year. So they've got a very favorable market. MA may not be so good, and a little competition might hurt them quite a bit.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I suggest talking with Jim McLoud of Manchester Firing Line (and Shooters Outpost) about what he went thru in Free New Hampshire to get his approved. There is actually a thread here about it with Jim's input as it went.

Also there is a range for sale in E. Bridgewater right now. It was Fat Cat's and his heirs are selling it off. It's listed here as well (IIRC they are a registered dealer here).