Let me preface this for those of you who are new or haven’t followed my Rants for a while – I’m sure you will quickly catch on that I am far from politically correct, often along with a lack of PC, I’m known for analogies that sometime leave you scratching your head.  I have a rep for just telling it like it is and letting the chips fall where they may.  I’m known to tilt at windmills and have rescued a fair maiden or two in my time.  I have a nasty habit of taking on ridiculous fights and as my woman defines it, “perseverating” far too long.

 

Be all that as it may be, this is my blog and like it or not I get to publish at the stroke of a key.  Oh and by the way, you decided to read this so sit back and enjoy – or simply scratch your head and wonder.

 

For clarification, “they” is the folks that see no reason for “us” to have firearms.

 

Not long ago I put up an entry that talked about how I had joined the Grumpy Old Guy club and that I had found myself amazed at the stupid crap I keep running into.  Well this isn’t much different really, as they used to say on TV – the names have been changed to protect the innocent or in this case the maroon’s depicted.

 

While on the plane to SHOT Show this year I outlined on paper what I planned to accomplish this year.

One of the bullet points was how to take TDS more “over the counter” – opening the doors to local folks and still keep my sanity and product flowing off the loading dock out back.

I really hoped to find a way to do this and had a couple folks in mind to talk to at SHOT.

 

At this point you need to know that TDS has for a long time proudly been billed as the “Best Kept Secret in Dover”.

Our old shop wasn’t known until it hit the front page as a result of a fire.  Folks showed up in such numbers it was almost scary. 

There were always a select crew who knew where TDS was and were welcome but with no signs, no ads, no listing anywhere, and the full knowledge that TDS would never be a “gun shop” and focused almost 100% on nationwide sales it kept the crew small.  There was always a rule to call before coming by if only to make sure I was there.

This is the way I wanted it.  Its also the way Dover liked it – Dover has no gun shops in the city and that’s the way they want it.

 

Both the old shop and the new one are in reality glorified warehouses.  Office, showroom and the rest warehouse.  Racks of ammunition, shelves of mags, workbenches and packing tables are what’s necessary to fill orders.

 

Front door into a showroom then into an office and then into a warehouse is the layout.  Anyone in the showroom who needs ammunition walks back with me and we pick it off the shelf.  Want to see a pistol?  Back up front to the showroom.

Reloading stuff or bulk PMags - out in the warehouse upstairs and to the right.

Totally non-conducive to off the street walk-ins in any real numbers.

But TDS is gaining notoriety and folks are clamoring to visit so it’s a bullet point for 2011.

 

Day 2 put that bullet point right in the crapper.

Walking through the sea of gun loving humanity, I felt a vibration that turned into a low rumble.  Not an earthquake – no it was my cell phone.  I’d forwarded it from the shop and man it was blasting off.

Upon checking it I see that I have over 10 missed calls all in the space of 20 minutes.

I call to get my messages and find that they are all from one guy who is apparently at my shop pissed off that I “won’t get off my ass and open the door”.

 

Folks around me can hear this clown and are just shaking their heads.  So I put him on speaker – why not?

About the 3^rd time through his messages and more coming in, I grabbed a laptop and logged into my shops camera system.  Damn if he wasn’t still at the shop.

For probably 30 minutes a growing crowd watched as this guy walked around out front, tried the front door repeatedly, walked around back, tried opening the roller door and the back door.

Keep in mind this is January in New Hampshire – snowy and cold, and for some reason I just wont open the door.

 

Day 4 I changed the forwarding option on the shop phone. By day 5 I had not only given up all thought of opening the doors but had given consideration to bolting them shut altogether.

 

Of the many shop owners standing there on day 2 watching my customer try to get me to open up, the response was the same – “thank God I’m not the only one putting up with this crap”.

Seems nationwide its standard practice to show up at a gun related business and act a fool (as my Grandmother used to say).

One owner told me about responding to an alarm call late in the day Sunday caused when one of his customers needed a box of hunting rounds and saw no reason he couldn’t jimmy the door and shop as long as he left the money on the counter.  Indeed the money was on the counter – seems the cops didn’t agree with him though.

Another story was told about a customer stopping the UPS driver and taking possession of a rifle that had been ordered in for him.  Seemed since his name was in the attention space and it was for him, it just made sense.

I literally could recount story after story.

 

Monday I arrive at the shop and am met in the parking lot by a guy looking for some ammo.  He asks if I’m just now getting to the shop, yep gonna take a bit to get everything turned on and such.  You guessed it, he’ll wait.

Lights, alarm system, heater, and computers all get started up and damn – internets down.

 

He’s waiting. 

How much is this?  If the internet was working I’d look it up on the site and tell you. 

Well then, how much is this? 

Really?!

 

So while I’m on the phone trying to get to a real person about the lack of internet he’s found the ammo he wanted and hands me his card.  I’ve already told him the internets down so no access to the site and more importantly, no way to clear a card.  He drops the card on my desk and just looks at me.

 

Thinking its Monday for him too, I write his numbers down and give him back his card.  Ill run it later.  Receipt?  He left quickly after that.

 

So then Tuesday arrives.  The boys from the joint drug task force call.  They were apparently out shooting and somehow screwed up an MP5.  Can you fix it John?  Well I can’t make it any worse come on by.

 

Soon enough a van pulls up and a crew of the grungiest UC boys pour out.  Since their here they are bringing in all their toys so I can look them over – I’m one of the few guys who will clean and lube their stuff for them.  We pack bags full of firepower into the shop and I start stripping them down.

 

Rubber gloves on, parts washer running, full auto parts everywhere, undercover cops milling around, and the door bell rings.

Then it rings again.  And again.  Followed by knocks on the door and the side of the building.

Call me crazy but I’m a tad busy right now so I don’t “get off my ass and answer the door”.

 

A few minutes later the phone rings.  Looking at the caller ID I see who it is and will call him back in a few – no big deal.

 

A few minutes more – 10 to be precise, there is the distinctive beep of one of the doors being opened.  Did I mention it’s late in the day? 

Doors that are always locked are now being opened.  I can tell you that the boys from the drug task force are not to taken lightly regarding firearms handling!  Imagine if you will the reaction to an apparent break-in at a firearms facility with undercover cops inside?!

 

I meet 3 people in my showroom, lights off, no “hey John you here”, no nothing.  Apparently during the unloading we had unlocked the door and forgotten to relock it.

Also apparently its not unheard of to show up at a location with no sign outside, no hours posted, no notice or heads up and upon no answer at the door, just wander in.

Really?

Well like the man at SHOT said, I’m not the only one putting up with this crap.

 

Wednesday I posted the TDS Policy paper. 

Thursday I put a sign on the front door stating “in order to meet the needs of our clientele TDS cannot accept walk-in traffic.  Please contact us for an appointment”.

The door bell rings everyday! 

And yep you guessed it, I don’t get off my ass and answer the door.

 

Since the new fangled lock down of TDS the folks that do call before showing up are appreciative.  Words like “professional” and “customer service” are now being uttered to describe this card carrying member of the Grumpy Old Farts club.  Go figure.

 

Of course there are those you just can’t explain anything to.

 

I’ve come to the shop only to find sticky notes with messages like “if you want my money why don’t you contact me”, name and phone number at the bottom plastered to the door.  I’ve been too busy to call.

 

Yesterday was a perfect example.  I had the roller door open.  Trucking trash out and then took a call.  I stepped into the office to look up something on the computer and heard papers rustling.  I can tell you that I almost wet myself when I turned around to find a guy standing in my office!

You guessed it – he found a way to climb up on a high dock, make his way through the warehouse and all he had to say for himself is “next time I’ll make some noise” – next time?

I’m pretty sure there won’t be a next time!

 

Now before anyone gets the idea that I’m speaking ill of New Hampshireites, not so.

NH has the highest rate of college graduates in the nation and are some of the smartest folks I’ve lived around.  I’m just glad I don’t have a shop where all that isn’t the case – trust me I’ve heard about places like that.

 

And yes indeed, even with me not getting off my ass and opening the door without letting me know your coming, in house customer count is up by at least half over last year.

 

But at least once a week if not daily I’m find myself knowing why “they” are concerned about us………….