So I am involved with an FFL in the Northeast Bay Area who works primarily with law enforcement (contracting work and supplying firearms to the various PDs and SOs) and I'm trying to get him to consider opening up to the general public. The hours would probably be skimpy at first while everything gets situated, and I'm trying to gauge public interest and provide feedback to him.

The store would be located in the Fairfield area, and probably be a small inventory, with a lot of special order items. It is still being hashed out, but it looks like the prices could be "cost + 10%" and I'm trying to convince him to do transfer fees around $30 or so, unlike a bunch of other stores I've seen <cough> Traders </cough> who want $100+ for an out of state order.

He'd consider building up an inventory if he could find out what people want to buy, as right now most of what he has are NIB Sigs, Sig police trade-ins, and some FN stuff.

We'd probably have cleaning and minor repair services available, price undetermined.

So how does it sound? Interesting at all? Any suggestions or recommendations?

I wouldn't mind if he worked out of his garage. Less overhead.

Quoted: I wouldn't mind if he worked out of his garage. Less overhead.

I should have been a little more specific. He already has a storefront, I just don't want ot give out the location in case he backs out of this. He wants to "break even" but if it's possible to pull some profit, that's great. He's one of the guys who is into guns and dealing for the fun, not for the money. He has a partner who seems more interested in the money than fun, but he's such a small shareholder that it shouldn't make much of a difference.

The overhead is pretty minimal as it stands, and I've been doing work for price-breaks on guns, rather than an hourly.

Quoted: I wouldn't mind if he worked out of his garage. Less overhead.

California requires FFLs to have a storefront operation.

I'm not so sure about the storefront.  I know two FFL's that work out of their homes.

Good luck with your venture in Fairfield.  I would give you my small amount of business but the 60 minute drive is too much.

Quoted: I'm not so sure about the storefront.  I know two FFL's that work out of their homes. Good luck with your venture in Fairfield.  I would give you my small amount of business but the 60 minute drive is too much.

+1 Too far of a drive for me.

If he'll transfer handguns into the state (like something on the list that was bought on Gunbroker, or the EE here) for a reasonable fee I'll drive over there, then buy a couple more things while I'm making the pickup.

I would love to have a shop with reasonable prices in Solano county.  Guns and Crap in Vacaville and the Shooting Gallery have too high of prices, I don't like to shop there.  Solano county especially Vacaville and Fairfield have so many cops living there, a shop with  good prices that catered to cops would really help out.

UPDATE:

It looks like we're going to be pushing forward on this. I'll probably be the sole employee for a while, running maybe Tuesday, Thursday and maybe Saturdays 3pm - 6pm (subject to change as we go over the details over the next few weeks)

My big points are:

Gun cleaning $25 or so, pickup in a couple days.

Out of state transfers $35 or so.

DROS $25, no markup.

Special orders @ cost + 10%.

So far the owner is taking nicely to the suggestions.

Location to be in the very south end of Fairfield, near the freeways.

Keeping in mind that he will want to keep stock (overhead) low, do you guys have any suggestions?

What is the going rate for PPTs?

Sounds good.

My last PPT was $20.00 about two weeks ago.

Sounds good! I can bring in some more business. If you talk to him tell him I will bring his cabinet with me when I come down to pick up my latest purchase.

I've dealt with this FFL and he is 100% kick ass. And then some.