Wyatt's shooting range

[Dogman]

I was. Should I not be? What's your take?

Investors? Partners?

 

[rmcrob]

Midstate in Elkhart is a really first class operation. Check these guys out to see how it looks doing it right. Note what they charge for lane time. I was a member when it was called Shooters in the Mid 90's and it was nice back then. Here is their web site.
http://www.midwestgunandrange.com/Range.htm

Very nice looking. When you start out with a pretty girl shooting the heart out of a shadowman, you can't go wrong. It looks nice and has lots of lanes. I am astounded that Indy has nothing similar. What's the deal?

 

[cox7215]

I am sure you would have a lot of people on this site that would love a nice place to shoot, I know I would!!!!!

 

[rmcrob]

Investors? Partners?

Apparently that's what Wyatt's wants. But you only get your piece of the company for an hour at a time.

 

[Scutter01]

I'm really disappointed, to tell you the truth. I really like Miles and the employees at the store. They've always been friendly and ready to help. However, every time I bring up the range and the prices, I get an attitude like that. I feel that I can understand Miles' position and the things he had to go through to build his range, but I just cannot justify spending that much money for membership just to get a $5 lane discount. I would have to go 40 times just to break even on lane fees alone. To suggest that I get a free membership when I buy a gun is irrelevant. A membership is meaningless if you still have to pay for your lane.

As much as I was looking forward to the new range, it's clear based on the responses I've gotten that my business is neither wanted nor welcomed, so I think in the future I'll stick to buying my guns from 21st Century, PSS, and Beechgrove and I'll do my shooting at my local outdoor range.

 

[Crystalship1]

I'm really disappointed, to tell you the truth. I really like Miles and the employees at the store. They've always been friendly and ready to help. However, every time I bring up the range and the prices, I get an attitude like that. I feel that I can understand Miles' position and the things he had to go through to build his range, but I just cannot justify spending that much money for membership just to get a $5 lane discount. I would have to go 40 times just to break even on lane fees alone. To suggest that I get a free membership when I buy a gun is irrelevant. A membership is meaningless if you still have to pay for your lane.

As much as I was looking forward to the new range, it's clear based on the responses I've gotten that my business is neither wanted nor welcomed, so I think in the future I'll stick to buying my guns from 21st Century, PSS, and Beechgrove and I'll do my shooting at my local outdoor range.

Huh..... whut do you know. I'm actually in agreement with you!!

 

[cox7215]

I bought my first gun form them at 21, ruger p94..... I have always thought they were really nice guys, so its odd to hear this for me........?

 

[dross]

Everyone of course has the ultimate power to vote with their dollars, and decide what's worth it to you. I can shoot at my house for free, but I'm considering joining Wyatt's. Why? I like what I've heard so far about it.

As far as all the speculation on how much it costs, comparing it to ranges that have been around for a while might not give you the right answer. There are large costs to building, and to insurance and many other costs. Since it's a new building, it will cost more than an established range. I assume he had to get a loan, and to get a loan he had to have a business plan, and in that business plan, he had to be able to show how he would pay back his loan, etc.. He had to take all that into account. It does him no good to offer cheaper prices if the cost of capital and other costs are more than he's making. This is one of the problems with any new facility, it's always harder to compete on price with existing establishments. It seems like Wyatt's is trying to offer an enhanced experience. I think that's what the tests are all about.

Don't frequent his establishment if it's not worth it to you. I think it's unfair to attack his business motives and judgement, however, until you've walked a mile in his account books.

 

[Scutter01]

Don't frequent his establishment if it's not worth it to you. I think it's unfair to attack his business motives and judgement, however, until you've walked a mile in his account books.

I don't think anyone here was attacking either his motives or his judgment. Several of us (including myself) even said we understood what he had to go through to get the place built. We were asking questions and discussing stated pricing (not speculated pricing) and what we've been mostly met with was disdain. Almost without fail, the response has been "well go shoot elsewhere, then". I think it's that attitude more than the pricing that has turned me off.

 

[rmcrob]

Everyone of course has the ultimate power to vote with their dollars, and decide what's worth it to you. I can shoot at my house for free, but I'm considering joining Wyatt's. Why? I like what I've heard so far about it.

It does him no good to offer cheaper prices if the cost of capital and other costs are more than he's making. This is one of the problems with any new facility, it's always harder to compete on price with existing establishments. It seems like Wyatt's is trying to offer an enhanced experience.

Don't frequent his establishment if it's not worth it to you.

Exactly. If you set the price high enough, he would only need one member. That would be the way to go, I think. Membership is $500,000 and you still have to pay $15 per hour. Not many of us would sign up, but he only needs just the one guy who does.

I think everyone else is saying the same thing you are, dross. They are saying they aren't willing to pay the price that is being bandied about. (I think it isn't official, really.) If that's the case, they are voting with their dollars, as you suggest.

I think most of us understand business. No one is looking for a free place to shoot.

 

[cox7215]

scooter is right, I will pay a higher price for good service......

 

[Fenway]

I think its a great idea and I wish you the very best of luck with it! I have no idea what it would take to open a range. I doubt it's easy. If INGO can help in any way let me know!

I was. Should I not be? What's your take?

 

[antdog/zook]

sorry i didnt mention free membership with gun purchase. i guess we will wait to see how much everything will be when it does open.

new range in indy?????????????YES! we need 1! i have tokens from "don's east" i wont use for the fact after buying firearms there, i was treated like my business wasnt worth having. really pisses me off, so i wont be going there anymore. don's on the other hand...yeah right!

 

[Fishersjohn48]

Just got back from my first trip to Wyatt's. Very impressed with the friendliness, knowledge and willingness to help me learn about guns and shooting. Although I of course was not able to shoot yet, I feel like I spent a couple hours on the range because of the free advise that I recieved. Dennis in particular was very helpful showing me the advantages and disadvantages of several of their weapons. I like everyone else am careful with my money and won't shoot there all of the time, but I will be spending some of my time there learning to shoot better.
I must add that the open feeling and well lit showroom helps as well. I could actually see the guns I was lookiing at.

 

[Crystalship1]

i have tokens from "don's east"

Hehehehee..... It's starting to stick!!

 

[nobletucky]

I do agree, Wyatts does have a very nice showroom. I am also impressed with the quantity of firearms there are on hand. I will not name names, but did go to three different firearm stores south of my location (for the first time ever), and was shocked to see what they had on hand, and the prices they were asking. That was the first time I ventured south to another gun store, and stupid me asked, where are all the guns. I have always visited Wyatts for my shooting needs and well educated staff. I will Never use the range at the price that has currently been set, nor do I need to, but will continue to visit to shop and converse with the staff. IMO, Miles is a business man who has a true passion for guns. Period. He treats everyone the same no matter if you have bought 100 guns or 1, so you don't have to "buy" respect from him like I see with many dealers. Not many store owners, if it be goods or services, stand up when you walk in the door, look you in the eye, stick their hand out, shake your hand and say "make yourself at home" or "welcome back", all within 15 seconds of opening the door.
I would like to know the reasoning behind such a price for the indoor range. I believe that Just Shoot Me Inc. will be manufacturing the walls and ceiling, (which is an awsome idea), and the air conditioning/ reconditioning will be "state of the art" as far as an indoor range. The facility is being built right, and very well so far from what I see and comprehend. Miles has only been thinking and creating this for about the last 15+ years, so I'm sure there is an explaination for the price... Just what is it?

 

[CSK22]

Wyatts service was always great for me, I dont know much about the range. Very helpful people from when I've been there

 

[Michiana]

Some business is to help pay the overhead

I think most of us understand business. No one is looking for a free place to shoot.

I have been president of three tool and mold builders with sales up to 12 million dollars a year and a partner in a polyurethane molding company doing three million so I believe I have a good prospective on business in general. I always wanted to make a profit on anything we bid but sometimes it is better to make enough on some jobs to pay for the utilities than lay your workers off for lack of work and have your equipment sitting idle. You are making zero profit when the lights are out unless you have automated machinery.

If Wyatt's can keep their lanes full at those prices God bless them and we can all take a hike but I believe once the newness wears off you will see a lot of empty lanes during the week days like at most other ranges. Offering a day membership like they have at Popgun's makes sense as it brings people into the place and they might buy something while there. I have been at Pops on many occasions during a week day when I was the only person on the lanes the entire time, other times maybe one other person was shooting when I was.

I am a FFL so would not buy a firearm from them but I do buy holsters, ammo and several other items from local gun stores. I will probably never buy a gun from them so I would have to pony up $200 out of my pocket to get their 25% discount on range time. I am retired and could come on off hours and not take away a minute of premium lane time and put cash to the bottom line that they would not othewise get from me.

Like everyone says it is their business to set whatever pricing they want and we have the option to go there or go someplace else. The only thing that bothers me is the haughty attitude shown by the young lady who seems to be their spokes person on INGO.

 

[dross]

Exactly. If you set the price high enough, he would only need one member. That would be the way to go, I think. Membership is $500,000 and you still have to pay $15 per hour. Not many of us would sign up, but he only needs just the one guy who does.

I think everyone else is saying the same thing you are, dross. They are saying they aren't willing to pay the price that is being bandied about. (I think it isn't official, really.) If that's the case, they are voting with their dollars, as you suggest.

I think most of us understand business. No one is looking for a free place to shoot.

Just to clarify - I didn't mean to condescend, but from my reading in these forums, I'd say business and economic knowledge isn't all that common.

I'll try to be more clear. I don't know what it takes to build a range, and what it takes to recoup my investment. I'm giving Wyatt's the benefit of the doubt. It's possible what you're all saying is that the pricing required to build a new range simply isn't good business. In other words, the pricing decisions Wyatt's was forced to make might be too high to be worth it to potential customers. I've seen this with tennis clubs. All reasonably priced indoor tennis clubs were built twenty or more years ago. The new ones are all very expensive to join and use. I can vote with my dollars not to use the newer clubs, and actually I do. However, I'm sending the market a signal that it's not worth it to build new facilities. All good and fine, until the old facilities aren't usable, and no one is building new ones. In the tennis world, that's starting to happen.

I'm not suggesting that indoor ranges are the same, I don't know enough about it. The only new indoor range I know anything about at all is the one at Wyatt's. I'm simply giving him the benefit of the doubt as to whether his prices have been set well as to the recovery of his investment. It appears they may not have been set well as to potential customer base. If, however, he's actually charging a minimal price based on his costs, and yet that price is too high for his customers, the answer is that the market isn't right for new indoor ranges.

Kind of like the complaints I hear about the level of customer service and staff knowledge at the big discount places. One of the reasons they can charge the low prices they can is because they carry a minimal staff without much knowledge. More staff and better training translates to higher prices.

I hope I"ve made my point better this time, and I apologize if I was condescending before.

 

[cox7215]

I really cant wait to get home and shoot any place!!!! LOL