FAIRMOUNT CITY, Pa. (EYT) – Not only is customer service important at Long Shot Ammo and Arms, the shopping experience the store offers consumers is unique and memorable.
(Photos and video by: Prince Brooks of Prince Brooks Photography)
“I think Long Shot is a little different than all of the firearms and retail shops in the area,” store manager Scott Keen told exploreJeffersonPA.com. “A lot more attention to the experience.”
Founded in 2016, Long Shot exhibits owner Vincent Dougherty’s adventurous life. One of the main features of the store is the safari events room which features Dougherty’s collection of exotic animals.
“Where can you go and sit for five minutes at your job and stare at different animals from across the world and have a relaxing five minutes?” asked Keen. “Imagine that as a customer. You know how many people walk back here and just sit down?”
In addition to the safari room, Long Shot offers axe-throwing, and has an indoor pistol and 50-yard rimfire range, as well as a 1,000-yard range located in Middle Run Road in Redbank Township.
“We started getting our first customers a couple of weeks ago, and it’s really taken off,” said Keen of the 1,000-yard range. “That’s what everybody’s really getting into.”
Keen said the ability to host events makes Long Shot more than just a gun store. Rather, it is a destination and an events’ location.
“We have a room for meetings and parties,” he remarked. “We have an ax-throwing set up which has really taken off well for us. There’s going to be more events, more shoots, more stuff down the way.”
All this is not to say Long Shot does not focus on customer service. Keen said their slogan is “Everybody is somebody at Long Shot,” and they keep to it.
“Sometimes what happens is some stores stop focusing on the customer and being just cordial from the hello to the door to the goodbye when you leave,” he said. “Even in these tougher times when animosity is higher on both sides of the counter, we still try to give a good experience. We don’t care if you’re just browsing to buying the nicest firearm on the shelf. We want to make sure you get the attention you need.”
One of the most difficult aspects of customer relations is explaining to customers the current ammo shortage and the conditions it has forced Long Shot to operate under.
“We’re doing everything we possibly can to get ammunition for firearms,” Keen said. “I think the best way for me to explain it is in this area, we are very focused on hunting. .30-06 is a very popular round. There was nothing left on the shelves last year at this time. When they were trying to play catch-up with half the staff, everything everybody else was going through, I think it’s hard to explain to somebody that’s come in and bought a box of Remington Core-Lokt for the last 30 years that Remington went out of business, and they’re not making it right now. When people buy a box of .30-06, they buy 20, not 1,000.”
Keen said the supply issue is worldwide, and he does not expect it to ease up for some years.
“I don’t think it will get back to normal for a couple more years to the point you can walk in and it’s $20.00 a box, that it’s affordable to go shoot,” he said.
(Scott Keen helping a customer.)
They remain committed, however, to helping customers, and he said generally the firearms retail industry has been up over the past year.
Long Shot’s customer base, he explained, is wide-ranging geographically, with many of their customers coming from south of Kittanning.
“Washington County is one of our bigger demographics, and you would never think that,” said Keen. “But going to camp, they love passing through these little towns and supporting the communities and that makes it great.”
The connections Keen builds with customers from all over western Pennsylvania is one of his favorite parts of his job.
“You look forward to seeing some of these people and it’s nice having those relationships with different groups from different areas,” he said. “You get to see how things are different 40 minutes from here, from the firearms they shoot to the local news to what’s going on.”
Keen said he changes stock seasonally. Right now he is focused on carrying hunting-minded products. During fairer weather, he stocks handguns and outdoor shooting sports equipment.
He said today’s customers have different needs than they did twenty years ago due to the internet.
Ensuring an affordable price is king.
“The days when your dad used to go to the same guy to buy a gun are gone. People look at price and if it’s there when you’re there,” Keen commented. “If it’s within a very close price, the best price around, and you have it and I’m standing there looking at you, that’s what they want.’
Competition with other gun stores in the area is tough.
“The competition is stiff. There’s 20 nice gun shops within an hour’s drive of here. You just try to hope you get the customer what they want at an affordable price,” said Keen.
That is why the atmosphere and the added elements that make Long Shot “not just a gun shop” are so important to setting it apart from other gun stores.
Finally, Keen said the store is involved with many local groups and organizations such as the Redbank Valley Sports Boosters and the New Bethlehem Fire Department.
“It’s tough, but we make sure we help everybody,” said Keen. “That money that you’re giving us, we try to give back to the community.”
The full interview with Keen is available below:
Copyright © 2024 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited.
