Interesting Political Statement by Gun Store

[steveincowtown]

This would be an example of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should". It's in their best business interest to remain a-political. All money is green & spends the same whether you lean toward red or blue. Making a political statement risks alienating half of your clientel and won't guarantee an increase from those that do agree to offset.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say 50% of gun store shoppers aren't Obama supporters...

[WinoVeritas]

This would be an example of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should". It's in their best business interest to remain a-political. All money is green & spends the same whether you lean toward red or blue. Making a political statement risks alienating half of your clientel and won't guarantee an increase from those that do agree to offset.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say 50% of gun store shoppers aren't Obama supporters...

I expect you're correct. I'll go out on a limb and say about 47% of gun store shoppers DO support Obama. Last I checked liberal dollars have the same buying power as conservative dollars. The gun store owner can kiss that money goodbye if that's his choice, but I'm guessing v-rog's post is on point.

[biggyin]

The guy who owns the store is called Cope Reynolds, he used to have a pretty good podcast called the shooting bench (still may have, since I can't get off itunes anymore I stopped listening). He is on a radio network called just measures radio. His store used to be southwest shooting authority but I think that has changed, he does do excellent custom glock work, here is his website http://www.southwestshootingauthority.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; This sign sounds completely like him!

[baldeagle]

This would be an example of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should". It's in their best business interest to remain a-political. All money is green & spends the same whether you lean toward red or blue. Making a political statement risks alienating half of your clientel and won't guarantee an increase from those that do agree to offset.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say 50% of gun store shoppers aren't Obama supporters...

I expect you're correct. I'll go out on a limb and say about 47% of gun store shoppers DO support Obama. Last I checked liberal dollars have the same buying power as conservative dollars. The gun store owner can kiss that money goodbye if that's his choice, but I'm guessing v-rog's post is on point.

You would be wrong. 1.78 times as many Republicans own guns than Democrats. Two times as many Republicans own guns for personal protection, 1.94 times as many for target shooting and 1.4 times as many for hunting. So, at best, he's losing 33% of his customers, but as dumb as liberals are, they probably walk right past the sign and buy from him anyway, if they buy at all.

[Salty1]

This would be an example of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should". It's in their best business interest to remain a-political. All money is green & spends the same whether you lean toward red or blue. Making a political statement risks alienating half of your clientel and won't guarantee an increase from those that do agree to offset.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say 50% of gun store shoppers aren't Obama supporters...

I expect you're correct. I'll go out on a limb and say about 47% of gun store shoppers DO support Obama. Last I checked liberal dollars have the same buying power as conservative dollars. The gun store owner can kiss that money goodbye if that's his choice, but I'm guessing v-rog's post is on point.

That is quit a limb your going out on, if my small firearms business indicates who is buying firearms, and taking into consideration the comments they make, I seriously doubt the number would even be 25% who support Obama. Many people, myself included, refuse to overlook our core beliefs and principles over money, it seems that entire notion is foreign to the left...........

[gdanaher]

Since this is Texas, it would be reasonable to state that an overwhelming majority of gun shoppers are voting conservative Republicans. Not all, but 'an overwhelming majority.'

[WinoVeritas]

According to the following link, I'm not far from wrong in my estimates

http://www.gallup.com/poll/150353/Self- ... -1993.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As dumb as I may be as a liberal, if I owned a company I'd hardly go out of my way to insult 25-40% of my clientèle on principal, and I'd fire any employee that did. Just one of the reasons I use big box stores (Academy & Walmart) to purchase firearms and ammo since they are in business to make money, I don't have to listen to nor read their employees political views, not to mention saving money vs. an LGS. What the owners of Academy (KKR) or the Waltons political agenda may be is irrelevant as long as I'm not insulted when shopping in their stores.

You all have a fine day.

[Abraham]

Obviously, the owner is willing to risk alienating a percentage of folks that he's certain aren't likely to be potential customers anyway, so I'm sure in his opinion there's little risk in lost business.

Do I think his statement is a sound business idea? No, but he's an American whose willing to publicly exercise his freedom of speech and for that I admire him.

And who knows, some buyers may go out of their way to purchase from him as the publicity generated may strike a chord with them...

[chasfm11]

According to the following link, I'm not far from wrong in my estimates

http://www.gallup.com/poll/150353/Self- ... -1993.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As dumb as I may be as a liberal, if I owned a company I'd hardly go out of my way to insult 25-40% of my clientèle on principal, and I'd fire any employee that did. Just one of the reasons I use big box stores (Academy & Walmart) to purchase firearms and ammo since they are in business to make money, I don't have to listen to nor read their employees political views, not to mention saving money vs. an LGS. What the owners of Academy (KKR) or the Waltons political agenda may be is irrelevant as long as I'm not insulted when shopping in their stores.

You all have a fine day.

In recent history, numerous businesses have been specifically targeted for boycotts because left leaning groups didn't like their policies. Starbucks was the first this year, targeted because they refused to ban guns when Lefties forced their competitors to institute those bans. Then there was Chick-fil-a. Many believed that the called ban against that store was over gay marriage when most of us who were "scabs" and went against the ban believed in the company owner's right to have his own beliefs. And last Friday, Papa John's pizza was the latest to be appreciated because of called for bans based on them raising prices to cover the Obamacare taxes. So it is obviously OK for Lefties to buycott (not a spelling mistake) businesses with whom they disagree but it is childish for a business to make its views known. By the way, when was the last time that a Conservative group called for a buycott of any business?

I my view, businesses who stand on solid moral principals are going to be targeted anyway. Hobby Lobby is the next one under fire for not wanting to support the abortion/contraception mandates in Obamacare. I hope that more businesses make public their beliefs and we'll let the economic chips fall where they may. I've concluded that the only way to end the government giveaway tyranny that we are all living under is to have an economic depression so deep that the massive giveaways will no longer be possible. If we continue the current policy of tearing down each segment of our economy, that recession will come more quickly than many people realize.

[canvasbck]

According to the following link, I'm not far from wrong in my estimates

http://www.gallup.com/poll/150353/Self- ... -1993.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As dumb as I may be as a liberal, if I owned a company I'd hardly go out of my way to insult 25-40% of my clientèle on principal, and I'd fire any employee that did. Just one of the reasons I use big box stores (Academy & Walmart) to purchase firearms and ammo since they are in business to make money, I don't have to listen to nor read their employees political views, not to mention saving money vs. an LGS. What the owners of Academy (KKR) or the Waltons political agenda may be is irrelevant as long as I'm not insulted when shopping in their stores.

You all have a fine day.

You may not be far off on the percentage of gunowners who are Democrats when the survey includes anyone who owns ANY (1) gun, including the blackpowder pistol handed down from their great grandfather. I would be interested to see the percentages among those who have purchased 10 or more guns. I would be EXTREMELY shocked to see Dems higher than 15% in this category. Gun shops (not big box stores) rely on the type of gun owner who not only owns, but BOUGHT 10+ firearms, not the guy who buys one .22 to keep unloaded under his bed, or the guy who has Grandpa's old musket locked away somewhere.

[TexasCajun]

Two recent examples of non-political entities that dove head-first into a political fire-storm of their own volition with two opposite outcomes...

Example #1 - Chick-fil-A: Without prompting, senior management took a stand for traditional values in the same-sex marriage debate. The result was that for several weeks, business was booming based on the perpetually busy locations & abnormally long drive-thru lines.

Example #2 - Susan G Komen Foundation: Without prompting, foundation leadership decided to pull breast cancer screening services from Planned Parenthood locations as an un-promted stance in the abortion debate. A firestorm of criticism prompted a reversal of that decision, but donations & participation in the various Race for the Cure events are down by roughly 30% vs previous years.



You can't ever really predict which way the wind will blow in a given situation. The majority of business owners are in business to make money, but the margin is usually pretty tight. Most small business owners don't have the luxury of hundreds of locations in various areas to insulate themselves against a bad decision or failed strategy. For many, absorbing a significant loss would mean liquidating and shutting down.

If this stance works out for the LGS in the original post, my hat's off to them. But I'd hate to see one less quality option available due to some reactionary bravado.

[WinoVeritas]

According to the following link, I'm not far from wrong in my estimates

http://www.gallup.com/poll/150353/Self- ... -1993.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As dumb as I may be as a liberal, if I owned a company I'd hardly go out of my way to insult 25-40% of my clientèle on principal, and I'd fire any employee that did. Just one of the reasons I use big box stores (Academy & Walmart) to purchase firearms and ammo since they are in business to make money, I don't have to listen to nor read their employees political views, not to mention saving money vs. an LGS. What the owners of Academy (KKR) or the Waltons political agenda may be is irrelevant as long as I'm not insulted when shopping in their stores.

You all have a fine day.

You may not be far off on the percentage of gunowners who are Democrats when the survey includes anyone who owns ANY (1) gun, including the blackpowder pistol handed down from their great grandfather. I would be interested to see the percentages among those who have purchased 10 or more guns. I would be EXTREMELY shocked to see Dems higher than 15% in this category. Gun shops (not big box stores) rely on the type of gun owner who not only owns, but BOUGHT 10+ firearms, not the guy who buys one .22 to keep unloaded under his bed, or the guy who has Grandpa's old musket locked away somewhere.

I suspect the scenario of having a hand me down weapon would apply equally across the board regardless of politics. I hardly see how many weapons one owns has anything to do with anything. However, guess I'm not the stereotypical lefty as currently I have (2) revolvers, (7) pistols and (2) shotguns, all bought with my hard earned money from stores that did not insult my intelligence, and a Texas CHL. I'm also guessing that righties have an extremely difficult time accepting they aren't the only one's that enjoy or own firearms.

[WinoVeritas]

Two recent examples of non-political entities that dove head-first into a political fire-storm of their own volition with two opposite outcomes...

Example #1 - Chick-fil-A: Without prompting, senior management took a stand for traditional values in the same-sex marriage debate. The result was that for several weeks, business was booming based on the perpetually busy locations & abnormally long drive-thru lines.

Example #2 - Susan G Komen Foundation: Without prompting, foundation leadership decided to pull breast cancer screening services from Planned Parenthood locations as an un-promted stance in the abortion debate. A firestorm of criticism prompted a reversal of that decision, but donations & participation in the various Race for the Cure events are down by roughly 30% vs previous years.



You can't ever really predict which way the wind will blow in a given situation. The majority of business owners are in business to make money, but the margin is usually pretty tight. Most small business owners don't have the luxury of hundreds of locations in various areas to insulate themselves against a bad decision or failed strategy. For many, absorbing a significant loss would mean liquidating and shutting down.

If this stance works out for the LGS in the original post, my hat's off to them. But I'd hate to see one less quality option available due to some reactionary bravado.

I would consider your two examples to be miles apart - One being in business for a profit and the other totally dependent on donations and supposedly a non-profit organization (or claimed as one) with a noble cause. It would behoove both to be apolitical, but the choice is theirs to make.

As I stated in my earlier post, paraphrased, I don't give a flying fig what the owners political agenda may be, just don't insult me in your establishment. As for the Papa Johns, Chic-Fil-A' of the world, I had no idea what political leanings they had, no do I really care - I can't boycott someone I don't buy from. I've had one Papa John's pizza in my lifetime and never been in a Chic-Fil-A, and it had naught to do with their politics. I don't believe in boycotts based on politics at corporate level - if I did, I'd be riding a horse rather than a gas guzzling Blazer or F150.

[gdanaher]

Ah, some statistics:
The store in discussion is located in Pinetop, Arizona which is in Navajo County. Their election results for Navajo County show the following:
Prez Republican 53.07%, Dem 45.23%
US Senate Repub 49.56%, Dem 45.9%
Congress 1st Dist Repub 45.76%, Dem 47.44%
AZ Senate Repub 76.04%, Dem 23.84%

So, it is a moderately Republican county, but not so much so that he could afford to give away business. I did not determine in which precinct he is located. Could be one of a couple--but those appeared more Republican than the rest of the county. Perhaps if his clientele is mostly local, he can afford to post his signage.

[Salty1]

Ah, some statistics:
The store in discussion is located in Pinetop, Arizona which is in Navajo County. Their election results for Navajo County show the following:
Prez Republican 53.07%, Dem 45.23%
US Senate Repub 49.56%, Dem 45.9%
Congress 1st Dist Repub 45.76%, Dem 47.44%
AZ Senate Repub 76.04%, Dem 23.84%

So, it is a moderately Republican county, but not so much so that he could afford to give away business. I did not determine in which precinct he is located. Could be one of a couple--but those appeared more Republican than the rest of the county. Perhaps if his clientele is mostly local, he can afford to post his signage.

Why do you consider it giving away business, are ones personal beliefs and principles not enough to make a decision which one feels strongly about? Everything in life is not about the almighty dollar and personally I salute this gentleman for not letting the dollar get in the way of what he firmly believes in.