Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow: Modern Marketing for Firearms Retail
I wrote Shooting Industry Magazine’s monthly Outdoor Marketplace column from 2014–2018 under the androgynous byline Taylor Smithfield to meet an older, conservative retail audience of gun store and range owners who were often skeptical of branding and tech. My aim was a warm, disarming, primer‑level coaching voice that delivered practical, step‑by‑step upgrades (not theory) — helping shops feel welcoming to new shooters, especially women, Millennials/Gen Z, and customers who don’t always feel at home in gun stores, without alienating regulars. I used revenue‑first framing and steady nudges to broaden mindsets over time, including through demand swings like the industry’s “Trump slump” (firearms sales tend to decline when a Republican takes office).
Originally published Nov. 2017
Saving Face With Your Retail Space: Facelifts Attract New Shooters
Musty. Dark. Chintzy. Cluttered. Stinky. Drab.
No, that’s not (just) your college‑aged son’s apartment — it’s how too many customers describe gun stores. Harsh? Maybe. Useful? Absolutely. These are the first impressions that keep new shooters — especially women and younger buyers — from ever walking past the threshold.
If your store looks like a bunker, don’t be surprised when only bunker people walk in.
What You’ll Learn
How to refresh your space so new shooters feel welcome — without alienating regulars.
Simple layout and signage tweaks that reduce clutter and anxiety.
A quick, repeatable way to align your in‑store look with your brand.
Meet Your Store For The First Time
We all learned early how appearance and attitude speak before we do — “Sit up straight; we’re in church.” Your business is no different. Your brand communicates through colors, lighting, layout, and even smells. The question is: what is it saying now?
Imagine your store as a person. Is it a balding, bearded regular with sandpaper hands who knows every customer by name? A whip‑smart Southern woman who sells by conversation? A respected forty‑something who splits time between the gym, the range, and the shop? A no‑nonsense competitive shooter whose reputation draws crowds?
Now ask: Does my store, in its current state, match the persona I just pictured? If yes — great. You’ve already been intentional. If not, the next sections will help you bring the space into alignment.
Try this 10‑minute audit: Stand in the parking lot. Walk to the door like a first‑time visitor. Pause at the threshold and scan right‑to‑left. Note the first three things your eyes land on. Are they the three things you want a new customer to notice?
Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
Some regulars won’t notice paint, flooring, or lighting — but your future customers will. A coordinated design signals professionalism: “We put care into every detail.” Good store design should follow your marketing strategy, not personal taste. Aim it at the customers you want now, while leaving room to grow the ones you want next.
Lighting: Bright, even light over counters and lanes; warm, indirect light in seating areas. Harsh fluorescents make faces (and finishes) look bad.
Color: Keep walls neutral so products stand out; use one accent wall or material (wood/metal) to add warmth.
Wayfinding: Clear sections with consistent, readable signs. Avoid laminated paper taped to cases.
Comfort cues: Clean restrooms, a small lounge, water, a place to set a purse or diaper bag. These details lower anxiety.
Design Without The “Traditional Shooter” As The Default
When Crossroads Shooting Sports opened in 2015, its team hired a female, non‑shooting commercial interior designer. As GM Tom Hudson put it, they designed the store without the 50‑year‑old male shooter in mind — not because they didn’t value him, but because dark, cluttered rooms with bars on the windows aren’t inviting to Millennials and Gen‑Xers. The result: a welcoming, non‑intimidating aesthetic — coordinated paint, warm wood floors, lounge areas, and even fresh flowers in the restrooms — that helped attract new shooters, many of them women.
The takeaway isn’t to copy a look; it’s to challenge assumptions. Ask, “What would make a cautious first‑timer exhale when they walk in?” Then build that.
Less Clutter, More Confidence
Open floor plans calm nerves and focus attention. As we’ve discussed before, sometimes less is more. Tight rows of handguns on a massive pegboard maximize wall space but minimize the customer’s experience. Clutter confuses and raises anxiety — especially for first‑timers.
Do this:
Create visual breathing room. Increase space between rows and between major sections.
Group with intention. The human brain looks for categories; make them obvious.
Label clearly. Use consistent, professional signage. If you don’t have a designer, services like VistaPrint offer easy templates and affordable printing delivered to your door.
A Simple Counter Script
“Welcome in! First time here or returning?”
“What brought you in today — home defense, target, or hunting?”
“Want to handle a few options side‑by‑side? I’ll walk you through fit, recoil, and budget.”
This short, inclusive script keeps the conversation focused on needs, not jargon.
Fast Wins This Month
Replace one harsh fluorescent bank with brighter, even LEDs over your counters.
Add three clear section signs that customers can spot from the door.
Declutter one case or wall so every item feels intentional.
Refresh the restroom (mirror, flowers, touch‑free soap). People notice.
Update your homepage hero images to show real customers — including women and beginners — being coached.
Keep Your Customer In Mind
Whether your theme is traditional, modern, outdoorsman, family‑friendly, or high‑end, the right choice is the one that helps your next customer feel welcome and confident. Redecorating may feel like a big departure; give it time. Measure the results in questions asked, classes booked, and smiles at the counter — not just in square feet of pegboard filled.
Have you refreshed your retail space recently — or are you planning to? Share what you tried and what surprised you. Your peers will learn from it.
Originally published Sept. 2018
Forest-to-Table: Red (Meat) Is the New Green
It may surprise you, but millennials have become one of the most avid segments in bowhunting. Their interest is rising thanks to a mix of coordinated programs, pop-culture visibility, and an ethos of sustainable, DIY living. Before we open the “hipster” can of worms, let’s look at the obvious tailwinds.
Accessible On-Ramps to Archery
Targeted recruitment has made archery easier to try — and stick with. Programs such as the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), Explore Bowhunting, and Explore Bowfishing have put real equipment and instruction into schools and clubs, lowering the barrier for new participants.
Examples of school and youth integrations include:
NASP (launched mid-2000s) in hundreds of schools nationwide
Explore Bowhunting (circa 2011) and Explore Bowfishing (circa 2013)
Hunter Education and Fishing in the Schools expansions
Scholastic Shooting Sports adoption across numerous districts
At the same time, Hollywood and broadcast coverage gave archery prime-time shine: The Hunger Games trilogy, The Avengers, TV’s Arrow, Disney’s Brave, and heavy Olympic coverage around 2012 turned the bow into a cultural icon. Accidental campaign or not, it worked.
Bowhunting’s Future (By the Numbers)
Recent ATA survey work highlighted clear differences between Baby Boomers (50+) and Millennials (18–34). The pattern points to more time in the field and faster gear upgrade cycles among younger hunters.
Prefer Crossbow: Baby Boomers (54%) — Millennials (20%)
Prefer Compound Bow: Baby Boomers (68%) — Millennials (92%)
Hunting Time Increased: Baby Boomers (27%) — Millennials (51%)
Hunting Time Decreased: Baby Boomers (29%) — Millennials (20%)
Likely to replace bow within 4–5 years: Baby Boomers (26%) — Millennials (44%)
States surveyed included CO, FL, GA, IN, NJ, OK, PA, VA, and WI.
ATA’s takeaway: “Millennials are bowhunting’s future.” The industry must learn how to market, recruit, and retainthem as the sport’s core in the coming decades.
Meet “Hank the Hipster”
Now for the twist: nonconformist, urban-leaning millennials are reframing bowhunting as green, forest-to-table, sustainable, and niche. Enter the ATA’s trade-show persona: “Meet Your Newest Customer.” Next to a cabin-porch photo of a thirty-something with black-rimmed glasses and a handmade pocketknife, “Hank” says:
“My wife and I are serious about sustainable living and eating local. I tried vegan, fell off. If I’m going to eat meat, I want to hunt and fill the freezer myself. Last year, a chicken coop; this year, a recurve.”
Whether or not your customer looks like “Hank,” the mindset is real: values-driven, sustainability-focused, and willing to invest in quality gear that aligns with an authentic lifestyle.
What This Customer Values (and Buys)
Millennials aren’t just “thrifty and ironic flannel.” Many have discretionary income and pay for the intersection of function, form, and story.
Authenticity over polish. They reject gimmicks. If it looks try-hard, it’s a turn-off.
Craft & quality. Durable, well-designed products beat disposable gear.
Brand story. Vintage, handmade, natural, organic, craftsman — not as buzzwords, but as proof of origin and ethics.
Health & performance. Social by nature, but they want the real fitness and outdoor skills, not just the look.
Connected but craving “unplugged.” They love smart gadgets that simplify life — and they also romanticize time off-grid.
They’re your DIYers, vinyl collectors, entrepreneurs, gardeners, crafters — the “learn-it-myself” crowd that reads reviews, watches tutorials, and shows up informed.
Brand risk: As trends go mainstream, they feel less “honest.” Keep products and experiences fresh and genuinely distinct so you don’t slide into passé or kitsch.
Three Words to Win Millennials: Custom. Quality. Creative.
If you want to “bag” a millennial, be wise to their preferences:
Custom – Options they can configure to fit their hunt and their style (finishes, fit, draw options, modular storage). Bonus if it photographs well on Instagram.
Quality – Expect a customer who’s read the forums, watched the videos, and knows the pros/cons. Solid reviews and respected brand backing matter.
Creative – Solutions that impress or inspire: compact storage systems, clever carry, or designs that make them say, “That’s smart — I can see myself using that.”
Marketing dos:
Keep it unique and fresh; avoid pandering or talking down.
Less is more: clean visuals, tight copy, educated humor.
Make the experience tangible in your content (forest-to-table meals, range-to-field practice plans).
A “rusty” storefront can read authentic if the story is right; lead with the why and how it serves sustainability.
Let the Brainstorming Begin
The ATA Retail Council (founded 1995 to support retailers) recently met to trade ideas for boosting participation and sales, and plans to launch ATA Connect, an interactive forum for shop-to-shop knowledge sharing.
“We want retailers to chime in with what works, what doesn’t, and why,” says council member Wayne Piersol, VP of NABA and owner of Archery Only (Newark, CA). “Pricing for labor, what’s selling regionally, and how trends differ across states — retailers can help each other a lot.”
Your move: Have you invested in products, classes, and campaigns that speak to this younger, values-driven customer? What shifted foot traffic, average ticket, or class signups? Share what’s worked so the channel can grow together.