A small selection of DIY taxidermy supplies. I usually get tanning kits, peroxide, ect. mail order. I would rather buy local though.

Just remember there a lot of things one person will want or someone will ask for. Then if you order it in thinking you will sell more of just because you have it, will only sit on the shelf to collect dust. The basic things to carry are the things 75% of the hunters use. You can not stock everything. If you try to you will have $1000's of inventory tied just sitting on the shelf. I worked for a company that had a marginal line of things for the hunters when I started. They had a tremendouse volume of hunters buying corn. We added more and more things as time went on that I knew hunters needed or would use. After a while the store had to expand to handle the inside sales. In a 5 yr period the sales went up 15x what it was that first year. We stocked what hunters needed and then what we felt they would like to see or buy if they could put their hands on it(popular or needed items). We also had a huge inventory of feeders, feeder supplies and wildlife management supplies. If a hunter or ranch wanted 20-300# spin feeders with solar or 30-300# protein feeders we had them instock. Nothing is more irritating to a hunter than to call for a price, want to buy one or more and then have to tell him I can order it. That is something you build to over time. Word of mouth about who you are, your pricing and the knowledge you have helping the customer to be satisfied travels fast.

None of this answers your question but depending on where you're at sell hunting licenses, display good looking local game (no trophies) if that's in your plan, and mount a soft Arkansas stone to the counter by the register. I miss that from stores of years ago.

Know your demographics! Where is your store going to be located? Are you going to be catering to mainly locals, if so cater to there purchasing wants & ability. Are you off a hwy where your main source of business is seasonal hunters? Know who your target market is and cater to them!

And always keep some really good Beef Jerky for sale by the counter!

Thank you for all the advice it is nice to hear from someone who has been there before. Since I am doing this by myself I will be adding one line at a time. After I get my blinds in I am going to look at which feeder company to go with. I completely understand the having enough to make people happy but not too much to take up funds. Since I am financing this myself I won't be able to have 20k worth of products sitting here, but I would like to start with one or two brands and be able to have a decent amount upfront to not have to order everything in. I would like to one day be the guy you can call and get 20 feeder to sell to big ranches..

Thanks again everyone the advice has been a great help.
Walter

Try to get specialty type items, the common items are available at the big boxes and you will have a tough time matching their prices. They are buying in bulk from the manufacturer, you will get hit with another middleman's charges.

Ask the daily customers what they want to see, best way to truely know

More ammo a knife bar that's custom and custom holster making would be nice

Yeti is over rated ....go with the Grizzly coolers....they have better features and price...

they already have that....its called los cazadores in pearsall. only gun store to have a cover charge

Or Brute coolers, I've heard good things about those. Plus they're a Texas company and Aggie owned

Real hiking boots (zamberlan, cispi, kennteck, lowes)
Packs-elberstock, kufari, tenzing
Cooler look at grizzly- cheaper
Core4, firstlite clothing
Mountain hardware tents, etc

Duck section clothing columbia and beretta and browning

1. Get out see what the successful independent gun shops around Texas look like, smell like and offer in the way of products & services. Don't concentrate on prices intially as that will come when you decide a product mix.

2. IF and I say IF you are going to carry New Guns, concentrate on a category...ex:in a Hunting Rifle oriented shop, 60%+ of your inventory $'s need to be in New & Used Hunting Rifles, 25-30% in Handguns & the balance in Black Guns if any at all. In a shop like Bachman Pawn in Dallas, he is a Cop Shop and his %'s will be in those #'s with Handguns & Defense Shotguns 1st, then other Black Guns and less than 5% in Hunting rifles if any at all. Your market will tell you what to carry, by season & by brands. Some areas of the State will require you carry one brand over another one...it happens, don't fight it. FYI Central Texas in the 70's & '80's used to be almost exclusively Winchester ammo only, Tyler east was Remington ammo only, and may have changed these days, dunno.

3. In a successful Gun Shop your Used Guns should be over 50% of your Rifle inventory $'s & closer to 2/3rds' of the weapons displayed. Just like in a New Car Dealer, a there is NOT ANOTHER USED GUN (or car/truck) LIKE THE ONE YOU HAVE TO SELL HANGING ON THE WALL RIGHT BEHIND YOU ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, and you can order from some wholesaler another NIB Remington-Ruger whatever from mebbe 10 different places in the next 30 minutes and are Willing to if THAT is what your customer has to have to satisfy his itch...just show me the money for a deposit. Your Profit in Guns is in your custmers Used Guns being traded in on another Used or New Gun, no matter what kind.

4. You need to turn your total on hand inventory $'s at least 2 1/2-3 times a year...and not more than 5 times a year. Deviate from that simple Retail Rule and you will go broke in less than 4-5 years or sooner.

5. You cannot compete with the Big box Retailer's prices on anything EVER. You can and should compete with the BBR's on higher qulity and more expensive products they cannot stock or access successfully. Their Employee's are legendary for not having any product knowledge, and thats not their fault but their turnover in EE's is 300-1000% a year. You are the owner and until or unless you go out of business you will NOT HAVE ANY TURNOVER

6. You need to solicit Special Orders...For Special People aka YOUR Customers no matter where they are from or need something shipped to. I had a dealer in Stuttgart that opened his shop as a hobby and starved trying top sell ammo & shotguns...until he figured out he could make it bigtime Special Ordering high end clothing and waders with a Once a Year Customer Apprecaition Order Cycle...Make a deposit and order your size 14 EEEE width Chest Waders, Swamp Gear etc and made a bloody fortune doing it. Today he's one of the largest Hunting Clothing Dealers in the US, and has worked that into the same thing in waterfowl ammo with railcar sized drop ships from Remington at way deeper than WalMart prices on ammo WalMart will never ever consider stocking. The guy in Baton Rouge, Lipsey's, who is now a distributor with a special hookup with Ruger started the same way in a open warehouse & Browning Shotguns by the hundreds on hand stacked 10 high on old work bench's I think they were. How many do you want??? show me the money...

There is a guy in Enid out at the airport who sell's 98% of his business in guns alone, with no or very little accesories at all, exclusively to customers outside the State of Oklahoma or outside the US - and one time in the '80's I know of, it took the State of Oklahoma over 2 years of auditing him with an Auditor working daily onsite in his business for them to admit that THEY OWED HIM MONEY on his Sales Tax Receipts for the last 20 years...in his small specialty niche business of very very very high end 95% USED rifles and shotguns dedicated to World Travelers .... his "gun room" is inside a large bank vault he constructed inside an airplane hanger.

Go see ... to name a very very few old friends that pop into mind like .... Doc's in Carrollton, Archie in Buffalo, the guys at Elk Castle in Ft Worth, McBrides in Austin, Bobby Nagel in San Antonio, Drury's in San Antonio, Roque in Laredo, Webber's in Temple , the guy in Spring who retired out of Remington, the guy in Athens and marvel at his Accessory Business, the guy at Billy Freds in Amarillo in Wolflin Shopping Center and many many many more.

The Business Plan is always the same, except with minor variations concerned with local market conditions.... and when you see enough of these guys, and know enough to see past the local market idiosyncrasies they have adjusted to in order to satisfy their unique market, The BP will ALWAYS be the same.

I sold to Gun Dealers & Gun Distributors in 5 in the Southwest States for 13 years either as a Distributor or as a Regional Mgr for an Importer from the mid '70's thru the late '80's and most of my customers have already passed away, so I am flying blind here, but the guys who made it are always highly in tune with the niche of market they have cultivated and have mined religeously for many years.

Call the NRA, and ask them for help with a Business Plan. They have Staff on hand who are dedicatd to growing the Firearms Industry. The Guys who have made a living in this business...and THIS IS A BUSINESS AND NOT A HOBBY! have all traveled this journey you are looking at, since this really is a journey and not a destination.
Cheers
Ron

Separate room for whiskey and cigars. Yep, I'm serious. Look at Del Frisco's. Notice how their employees have time to answer questions, appear happy to be serving you.

This isn't going to cost any money, so keep the language and jokes clean. I can not think of a single place that builds a good customer base by trying to out-swear the next fellow. I think this is what makes THF successful. You can let your family members look at what you are viewing.

Thanks guys. My plan so far is after my deer stands come in I am going to order some feeders from All Seasons, I have already spoken to them I just have to figure out what I want for a stock order and order it. Those will be my main two Lines for right now and I am looking into finding a company for corn. If I can get a corn supplier than those will be my main three lines for a little while until I can add some small things here and there. I have saved everyone's suggestion and will go back over them more, once again thank you everyone for the help.

Walter

I think things like camo, clothing, footwear, and firearms already have a solid market that would be hard to compete with. It sounds like you're wanting to be the go to place for supplies, ie stands and feeders.

I like the idea of supplies for those, especially the anti coon supplies for the feeders. Earlier you mentioned Primos for popups and various items. I think that's a good idea. Especially if you have them displayed. I know Cabelas/Bass Pro does that and it's nice. Stores like Academy and Walmart don't. Maybe even be versed enough with them to show customers how to fold them. I mess with mine only a few times a year and it's a pain trying to remember the correct method of folding it.

As far as corn goes, that's always good to carry. I go to either my local feed store or tractor supply for mine. If you can find a good CLEAN company for corn, it'll help as a lot of the stuff out there is dirty. Maybe also protein and minerals?

I think the bigger niche items that are hard to find would do good, especially if you're in Garland/DFW area. There are several Gun stores and places to buy the random item, but I can't remember a niche store like that. Best of luck to you, sounds like you'll do good.

When are you opening and where will the store be located?

If its anywhere near Garland like your location says, I would love to see a new hunting store in the area. Getting tired of Academy's quality in their hunting section going down.

Hog hunting light setups.

I am in Garland, Off first street just south of buckingham. My business there now is called Taylor Rental and I will be opening it in the other side of the same building. I have the blinds ordered now waiting for them to show up and I am in contact with All Seasons feeders so I would like to get that going within the next two weeks. After I have those two lines I will slowly add stuff as I can. Once I get the feeders in and stands, will I actually have stuff setup to come and see.

Thanks again everyone.
Walter

Remember one thing, you cannot compete with the big box stores on same items. They can buy them cheaper than you can. You have to find a niche market of specialty items and have better service than the big boys. The more unique items you have the more drawing power you will have.

As an example check with some of the people in the classifieds like the ones that make specialty cookers and fire pits. Or the custom deer blind towers. Line up people that can do the Durocoat and hydro dipping of not only firearms but also gear. High rack builders, find one close that can provide that service to a walk in customer. In other words beside the in stock gear and supplies, have some of the unique items and services available.

People will pay the extra for the unique if it is great quality.

I'll tell you what you should do. And I'm sure some people are gonna disagree but oh well. Since its a store for hunters, have them show their hunting license when they come in. That way you don't have a bunch of idiots crowding the store making it difficult for the rest of us to get what we need to. Nothing I hate more than a bunch of people crowding aisles when they have no intent of buying cause they don't even hunt. But that's just my opinion

Speciality items are key I think

I will be the first to disagree, if I was asked for my license, they would get a KMA and I would be gone, and NEVER be back. That would be like a store in Abilene, they make you feel like you are stealing their time, on the second visit I told the owner and haven't set foot on the place since. That was 13 years ago.

Good for you.