I want to open my own shop

[Mt_Goat]

I am tired of being in a truck all day. I feel like I am getting too old to contiue as I don't see what I want on the horizon of my future. I know the 2 things I like best are not related but wonder if I could possibly give it a go for my own buisness. What would you all think of a computer & gun shop? Maybe I could call it "The Armed Geek"?

[Komete]

I wouldn't hold any Game tournaments there could get ugly but it's all about location. Could work, I always want to go into gun shops but I often feel they are kinda seedy so I don't. Gun + geekware I'd go in.

[Gargoyle]

What if you assemble a range of products that could be loosely grouped as "sporting?"

Gaming computers, guns (market for target and hunting), paintball, outdoor equipment. That'd be a big investment to cover all those bases adequately, though. Sounds like a hella cool shop, though :D

[Leonardo]

Larry, I understand your sentiment, but I just don't see combining two different themes like that. Of course, you could sell some software with firearms. There are a number of reloaders and bench shooters that enjoy doing all kinds of analysis of their loads and target results. But I have no idea how big that market is. I've even seen some competitors bring laptops to the range with them, entering data on cartridge loads, bullet speeds, bullet drop over distance. But then, that's not really computers per se, it's just selling software.

I saw your thread and thought, wow, that's me. I've got a huge interest also in both firearms and computers. Hmm, I still haven't set up the reloading press since moving.

[Winga]

I would assume the average gamer/geek is an idoors sort of person and probably doesn't go much for rough physical activities like shooting and hunting. Probably the reverse is true for the outdoor type of guy. He knows how to switch a computer on and thats about it. To combine your passions is a great dream. Whether it would work in a business environment... I wouldn't know.

[DogDragon]

Don't know if it would work
But Like the name
You can try it
Best of luck if you do

[Komete]

Out of a group of 8 or so geeks I do my geek things with 2 of them are big gun guys with each of them having over 6 or so guns. There is another one that would but he did some jail time for some mary jane so now he is stuck with just paint guns.

[Nightwolf]

I would assume the average gamer/geek is an idoors sort of person and probably doesn't go much for rough physical activities like shooting and hunting. Probably the reverse is true for the outdoor type of guy. He knows how to switch a computer on and thats about it. To combine your passions is a great dream. Whether it would work in a business environment... I wouldn't know.
My five closest friends play sports, I met two of them during football, one of them works for a soil company or rock company or something like that, I work construction, and one of my friend works stuco. We all play football and have a paintball team.

[Komete]

My five closest friends play sports, I met two of them during football, one of them works for a soil company or rock company or something like that, I work construction, and one of my friend works stuco. We all play football and have a paintball team.

One more thing I work in IT and we are the geeks you can say and half of the department drives motercycles and hunts. I really dont think you can classify computer savy people as geeks anymore..

[Thrax]

I am tired of being in a truck all day. I feel like I am getting too old to contiue as I don't see what I want on the horizon of my future. I know the 2 things I like best are not related but wonder if I could possibly give it a go for my own buisness. What would you all think of a computer & gun shop? Maybe I could call it "The Armed Geek"?

Just don't forget where the deathmatch happens. ;D

[profdlp]

I am tired of being in a truck all day...I don't see what I want on the horizon...
Maybe a booster seat would help. :vimp:

I know a lot of people who buy computers, then wish they had a gun (http://www.short-media.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=8) as well. A few BSOD's and I'm ready to sling some hot lead myself.

To be serious, I'd concentrate on either one or the other. The choice would probably come down to where you want to open up shop and which category would be more likely to succeed there. If you already have five gun shops in town but no good computer places, I'd go with computers. :)

[drasnor]

I would shop at The Old Goat's Gun Store & Computer Supply. Have you been down to the Goodwill Computer Works near 183 at Anderson? We need more places like that.

-drasnor :fold:

[RWB]

Think of the political fights that would ensue if you take into account the stereotypes of political affiliations of geeks vs. outdoorsmen types. I think of myself as both, I'd probably love going to a place like that, a place where my brother would grab some fishing lures and I would pick up some computer goodies.

Risk is what got some of the big guys where they are, they saw something others thought was crazy, and went for it.

[Leonardo]

...take into account the stereotypes of...of geeks vs. outdoorsmen types Yup. When I'm done with this Short-Media session in a couple minutes, I'm putting on jeans, sweatshirt, boots, cap, and gloves and heading into the woods around my house with a machete and chainsaw. Time to clear the woods of "fuel", the dead wood all around that makes wildfires very happy here in the summer.

Next week I start prepping all the fishing tackle for fishing season. It's also about time to set up the reloading (firearms ammunition reloading, for those of you who don't know) press. I build my own computers and assemble my own rifle and pistol cartridges.

Then next winter, when all is covered in snow, it's probably time for computer upgrades and snow skiing on the weekends.

I think the 80's sterorype of the anti-social (socially inept) and physically listless "geek" has been shattered, for the most part.

[Winga]

mmmm thanks for the insights guys. Granted, I'm still new to the whole "geek thing". When I spend time shooting the breeze with the owners of my local computer store, I get a chance to see what walks through their doors:hair: I sometimes wonder when it was they last saw daylight.
I suppose I shouln't base my suppositions on one section of our local population. :Pwned:

Back to topic....mtgoat I have a good friend that owns a transport business and have seen from his experience that driving rigs is a tough job from many aspects. I can understand where you coming from. If you were able to get a business going, I'm quite sure you would rock at it. Hell...even I would buy from you :D

[Mt_Goat]

Thank you all for the support and input so far. My wife and I are already embarking into the pet bird supply buisness but that is a lot more low key right now. It is called "Gone to the Birdz" and we even secured the .com domain for it and are currently parked at the moment. But I need more and need to escape my hell-hole. I know it seems an odd combination but are these not odd times? The area here is very saturated with computer savy shops and people as well as a lot of sportsmen and women. I had been frequenting a few outdoor sites and most of those fols seem to be crying out for tech help. So that is where I got the idea for the combination. A lot of the stuff Leo mentioned is good but most shooting folks don't get into the computer end enough to really take advantage of it. I guess I will have to think on this for a while. I may at least try a small experiment with it to test the water.

[Thrax]

You could be the first store to specialise in the Bass Master, Deer Hunter and Duck Hunter series! ;D I kid, I kid. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavours, mister Goat. :)

[Aranyic]

It can be tough to get out of driving (and still be able to afford the things you did while you drove). It's a tough life but you can make a very good paycheck doing it.

I've fallen behind on a lot of the hardware, but I guess I'd still call myself a geek. And I love shooting/fishing/hiking. I've love to get into 4 wheeling (my dream car right now is a jeep CJ, it's a ways off though) and I'd love to learn to work on cars like I can on a computer.

I think it would be tough to get into both areas at once though unless there was no real business of either type in your area to start with. It would much easier to put all your effort into the one with less exposure in your area and then expand to the other once you are established imo.

Good luck though whatever you try.

[jradmin]

Mixing Rednecks and Geeks doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

May just be me though =D

Then again...I am from North Carolina, so that explains alot. It's not a very good mixture down here.

[Nightwolf]

Mixing Rednecks and Geeks doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

May just be me though =D

Then again...I am from North Carolina, so that explains alot. It's not a very good mixture down here.
Thanks for the steryotyping. I happen to listen to METAL and Country, I drive a 1979 ford F150 longbed, my friend Anders drives a '94 F350 extended cab, my friend cody drives a 1992 blazer sport edition (we all take a networking class together), and we spend our weekends out on Anders land muddin, then when it gets dark we go inside and spend all night playing CS or deathmatch together, i'm mechanically inclined and have rebuilt the engine in my truck/a friends 390/and help friends when they have an automotive problem, I spend three hours of my day in a Networking class so I can persue a career in that field, i've helped way too many people than i'd like to count repair/build their pc's, I hunt and will spend the majority of my summer at the lake trying to catch a large bass.

I am the mixture of a Hick/Geek.

[Mt_Goat]

Mixing Rednecks and Geeks doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

May just be me though =D

Then again...I am from North Carolina, so that explains alot. It's not a very good mixture down here.
Guess I'm really messed up then as I have 2 feet in both cams more or less. Well I don't think "redneck" applies to a lot of if not most gun toters.

[GHoosdum]

Mixing Rednecks and Geeks doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

May just be me though =D

Then again...I am from North Carolina, so that explains alot. It's not a very good mixture down here.

I don't necessarily agree with the stereotype, but then again, I'd be the ultimate target market for Larry's shop - I'm a geek, and a gun owner, but I've never shot at a living thing (not even one of those pesky moles!), and I don't ever intend to, unless I need to protect the life of a loved one.

I consider myself a 'tinkering enthusiast' - my hobby is tinkering, and it applies to computers, guns, autos, and woodworking. I think tinkerers are the target market of Larry's shop, rather than "rednecks and geeks".

[jradmin]

wow, I guess humor isn't in this year.

To set the record streight, I own 18 guns (ranging from a Rossi 22 pump to an SKS 7.62 paratrooper i.e folding stock ect. Not counting the 3 .25 automatic pistols [Ruger, Bauer, Raven] the S&W .357 revolver and the Baretta 92F 9mm) work as a full time tech and own my own part time computer business. 2 Ford Bronco's (79, 89), 77 Ford Ranger, and a 57 Chevy Truck. Plus I have a barn, chickens, and 3 old riding mowers 1 of which doesn't crank and sits in the woods. If anything I am the poster-boy of the mixture.

Just trying to get in a few laughs.

[Leonardo]

Cool in my book. :bigggrin:

"Humor" can be misunderstood when the tone of it smacks of overused stereotypes. But, I understand what you meant.

[Nightwolf]

2 Ford Bronco's (79, 89), 77 Ford Ranger,

My new favorite short-median.

[Mt_Goat]

My new favorite short-median.
Anyone with a broken mower in the yard and chickens in the barn can't be all bad. ;)

[Sledgehammer70]

hey Mtgoat why don't you expand my company out there http://www.mandmcr.com we can rule the IT world forever...