Combating The Intimidation Factor
I spoke to several women to ask if they felt comfortable going to a retailer to purchase a gun on their own or shoot at a range by themselves. A few common themes emerged from their responses.
The most common one was they feel intimidated going to a gun store/range on their own. One likened it to going to a male-dominated gym full of weight lifters to workout for the first time.
Todd Cotta, president of Kings Gun Center in Hanford, Calif., said the intimidation factor is a concern he hears often when women come in for the first time.
“When we were just a small gun store, we rarely saw female customers,” Cotta recalled. “It was a more traditional environment most people think of when they think of a gun store.”
Over the last eight-and-a-half years, as Kings Gun Center expanded to a new location and built a range and training program, they’ve seen a dramatic influx of female shooters. He currently estimates women make up 30%–40% of the overall customer base.
“When we built this place, I wanted to create a family-friendly environment where parents felt comfortable coming in themselves or bringing their kids,” Cotta said. “I think the fact 50% of our employees behind the counter are women helps and we also allow children ages 8 and up to shoot with an accompanying adult.”
Not only do they have female staff members, but all of them have their CCW licenses and carry in the store. After all, firearms seem much less intimidating when you see someone who looks like you and you can relate to safely handling them.
To further combat the intimidation factor, Cotta also emphasized their “no pressure” approach.
“Whether a woman comes in for one-on-one training or for one of our group training classes, we don’t force anyone to complete the shooting portion if they don’t feel comfortable,” he shared. “We even offer for them to come back and finish another time if they didn’t shoot all the rounds that came with their training.”
The approach must be well received because at the time we spoke in early June, their First Shots training course — typically held Tuesdays and Saturdays — was sold out through the end of July. A course, according to Cotta, is often comprised of 80% women.
They also frequently host private classes, groups of military wives and corporate classes.
“In a lot of areas, independent retailers like us can’t compete with our big-box competitors,” he noted. “But we can offer a level of service they simply can’t maintain.”
It’s this level of service and the inclusive atmosphere Cotta has built that has spread via word of mouth among the women in their community.