Why do clubs, The Bullet Hole, close early on weekends?

[Maksim 1,504]

So... was forced to spend time in the city today while my gf and mother were at a bridal shower in the city... It started at 4pm, and I figured might as well go shoot across the river, 20 mins away at The Bullet Hole.

 

Luckily before wasting my time driving there and paying twice the tolls, I went on their website this morning. They close on saturdays at 5pm.... and same on sundays but they open at 12 and close at 5pm.

 

For a public range... WTF are they thinking. I would of easily stayed for a few hours until 8pm or so. Would of shot through a brick of ammo, bought more targets, more range time, more ammo and probly rent a gun to play with as well.

[NickySantoro 211]

I might be something as simple as a zoning issue.

[aeromaks 1]

well, take lakewood for example. Brick armory is open till 10pm daily, Rays and others would close very early. Could be zoning laws... but other businesses can stay open later.

[rscalzo 3]

The Bullet Hole isn't that big of an operation. Running a business seven days a week is tough. Doing it for 12 or more hours a day is even more difficult. They want a weekend to relax. On top of that, many of the employees have other employment to deal with so they need a rest.

[Maksim 1,504]

So why not cut some hours on the weekdays, and keep it long on weekends?

 

When I was there for the SW demo day... there were 5 or 6 people behind the counter, and 3 range officers.

 

It was packed... so why not run it long to capitalize on it.

 

Personally, if you are running the business, and not the other way around, there is plenty of space for efficiency.

[rscalzo 3]

They are getting out of it everything they want of it. They have a much bigger operation than just the shop and range. Only some much time to spread around. most of the employees are just part timers.

 

Our indoor range is open 24/7 unless a function is being held. I can't remember the last time someone actually used the range after mid afternoon on a Sat. I would say that they have been around long enough to probably kinow they clientel and the hours that are best for them.

[Maksim 1,504]

That or they already groomed their clientel to the hours they open. =)

 

Its good for them though. They have reasonable prices, perhaps the best in NJ, if they are happy with what they make, by all means.

 

I am wondering though if they make it known that they would be open later... how much more business they would get, esp since Ray's closed down.

 

Both ShoreShot and Brick Armory are open until 10pm daily now, and there were people coming in late. Just last night, we got there at 8pm and there were plenty of people there.

[rscalzo 3]

I'm not familiar with the other two operations but Ray's was a much larger operation that had many other areas of sales floor space to warrant longer hours along with their location in a commercial area. On the other hand, the Bullet hole is a small operation run using employees pretty much known to each other. the last thing they want to do is hire people not capable of handling the operation responably. Each additional hour open probably requires two employees. So if you are paying salaries in the area of $40 and hour with benefits and the expenses of running the building itself? The actual profit isn't that great. Add that to loss of time with family on weekends and it just isn't worth it to them. This business was stated as almost a hobby by a few guys from the area and it grew. If they really wanted a much larger operation they would have moved it to one of the many larger and available buildings in the area.

[Maksim 1,504]

that is awesome though. I guess I just dont see why not make it as efficient as possible, but then again, if it gets them to their goals, why not right?

 

But it is a great place, with great prices and people. It is good enough now, but I just see sooo much more potential.

 

thanks for your counter view though. :mrgreen:

[rscalzo 3]

I think the problem is that you just can't pull in just anyone off the street to run that type odf operation. Dealing with firearm's requires someone that you have a higher level of trust in. Not like the guy flipping burgers down at Wendys. One mistake and your business could be gone. Much of the staff are found from the ranks of co-workers and shooting buddies.

 

Ray's was no different. Ray trusted family to oversee the operation. I think one of the biggest problems when it was up for sale was that he wasn't as much concerned about the sale price of the business as much as who would take over the operation with his name on it. I think that sunk any eventual sale.

[Maksim 1,504]

For ray's.... there was a story on nj.com, where a few of the former employees posted... all said they were treated like crap.

 

Also my experience there... employees seemed underpaid, overworked, and underappreciated by the employees... took it out on some customers.

 

Oh well, that is why market economies work.

[rscalzo 3]

there was a story on nj.com, where a few of the former employees posted... all said they were treated like crap.

Being around as long as they were you are bound to get a few.

 

I dealt with Ray's on a more professional level purchasing for my department. I didn't deal with the normal staff all that much and usually confined any dealings with the LE rep or Ray's son-in-law who I have known for well over twenty five years. Ray was demanding no doubt. Anyone not willing to give a hundred percent would not like the atmosphere. As they were in business for fifty some years, they must have been doing something right.

 

But I could see how some thought the staff were at times less than friendly. The uniform store staff were a real pain and I stopped using them for my departmental needs. But look at it from another view. Customers come in and want to see every other firearm in the ploace. they get upset when they aren't waited on in a minute or less. But if you were the salesman, wqould you hand a firearm to someone, then move on to another customer before securing or completing the sale? I know I wouldn't. Not only would Ray have blew his top, you now have to deal with the ATF, police and other agencies. So walk into any large gunstore and the staff is pretty much the same way.

[Glock26 0]

Absolutely spot on.

 

If I was working behind the counter... I would probly go nuts. And being friendly to the sport can get old? Esp after having 25 new people coming in a day.

 

It sure is a real fine line that they walk. But we do have to salut Ray's for being open as long as they were.

[Circlesqr 1]

I've seen some gun stores close on Sundays during the summer months as a way to give the staff some much needed time off.

 

--Daniel

[zeenon 0]

BH should close Monday and extend there Tues to Sat hours. I love going there after 7PM when most people are leaving.

 

Also, don't forget the employees are there for another 30-40 minutes after they close to clean the brass of the floor, and they have to vacuum the backstop once a week to remove all the lead.

 

Z

[mipafox 438]

I just wish the places around me opened earlier on weekends. I want to get in during the morning and take care of business. Football season is a disaster if I gotta start shooting at noon.

[zeenon 0]

Darn, private range 1/4 mile away and I can't even use it. :crying-yellow:

 

Z

[Cylinder Head 22]

Those people are worked to the bone, and so are their nerves. The Bullet Hole's customer base is all over the place, from Newark homeys pointing their Glocks sideways and not even hitting paper to preppy geeks letting their girlfriends muzzle sweep the entire range with Mossbergs.

 

The place is always a zoo, especially with Rays having shut down. They need a break on the weekends.

[KpdPipes 388]

Those people are worked to the bone, and so are their nerves. The Bullet Hole's customer base is all over the place, from Newark homeys pointing their Glocks sideways and not even hitting paper to preppy geeks letting their girlfriends muzzle sweep the entire range with Mossbergs.

 

The place is always a zoo, especially with Rays having shut down. They need a break on the weekends.

 

 

Unfortunately they had to go with the Building they could get, as opposed to one that could accomodate the range, and a large retail area. Now, if the could combine the range, with the space they had after the fire up on Washingotn Ave, they'd be in MUCH better shape.

[rscalzo 3]

I never remember a fire. When was that?

 

First time checking mail on the internet. Power down for six days along with cable and phone. A tornado went through within a few hundred yards of the house. Thankfully no damage to me but the neighbors weren't as lucky.

 

At least the library internet service is up.

[KpdPipes 388]

I never remember a fire. When was that?

 

First time checking mail on the internet. Power down for six days along with cable and phone. A tornado went through within a few hundred yards of the house. Thankfully no damage to me but the neighbors weren't as lucky.

 

At least the library internet service is up.

 

Maybe 2 years after they first opened. Someone was dicking around with something they had no idea how to use and set the insulation in the range on fire. They had to close the Rutgers st store for almost a year IIRC and move the retail part up to the Old-west-looking building on Washington Ave just north of Rutgers.