When Whittaker Guns, the gun supermarket in West Louisville, closed in late 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 the Shawnee Plaza Shopping Center on Scherm Road.
“When Whittaker closed, that was one of the deciding factors in opening the store,” he said. “We tried to take over Whittaker’s, but it didn’t work out.”
The family has another gun shop 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 featured on social media.
And the word “guns” is problematic on social media.
The location was chosen for its proximity to the city center, its size and the amount of open space and storage it offers, McDole said.
“It was a perfect fit,” he said.
Audra Leonard, the company’s chief financial officer, said, “We wanted a warm and inviting color palette.”
“We wanted a different experience for shoppers,” McDole said. “We didn’t want a dark gun shop.”
The store has a sofa and coffee bar for customers and a large TV screen showing videos.
The store stocks more than 600 weapons, from pistols to long guns.
It also stocks suppressors, also known as silencers, ammunition and accessories such as rifle scopes.
Leonard said, “We’re really seeing a sea change in terms of oppressors. Previously, it took up to nine months to get approval for a suppressor. Now it takes 72 hours.”
She added: “There is a high demand for suppressors. Many people don’t want the sound when they fire a gun. Some people are sensitive to noise.”
During some election years, gun sales spike when people fear the next president will make changes to America’s gun laws.
But McDole said he doesn’t see that this year.
He said the store has a wide range of calibers and can order anything that is out of stock.
“Customer service is at the top of the list,” says McDole. “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 really good,” he said.
Opening hours are Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 6pm and on Saturday from 9am to 5pm.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimates that the U.S. gun and ammunition industry directly generated more than $60.5 billion in economic activity in the past two years alone.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says there are more than 56,700 federally licensed gun shops in the United States.
And Kentucky is at number 17 with 1,271 stores.
At its peak, Whittaker guns had an inventory of more than 7,000 firearms and attracted customers from all over the United States.
There were days when there were more than 5,000 people in the store.
