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We are going to cover a lot of those different things that you may not know about Allen’s Gun Shop in our latest Business
Spotlight feature on Clarksvillenow.com. Just before the holidays I sat down with Elke Allen, wife of Jim Allen, owner of Allen’s Gun Shop to talk about the business. Allen said her husband got his Federal Firearm License in 2002 and for the first couple of years ran the business out of their home. In 2004 the building that is now the home for Allen’s on Dover Road became available and the business was moved to that location and has been there ever since.
One interesting thing that Allen shared with me was that when they opened up they were the only shop of their type in the area. There were other stores that sold guns but they were the only gun shop. “From the very beginning we bought guns, we sold them we traded them and Jimmy became a gunsmith and the place has been running hot to trot ever since,” Allen said.
When it comes to the many services offered by Allen’s, customer service the first one that the business feels is the most important. Allen said they buy guns from people and try to give them a fair price and when they sell guns and they try to be as fair as they can. Allen’s also trades for guns as well as doing repairs and they also accept transfers.
Allen pointed out you can’t ship a gun to someone or they can’t ship a gun to you and it all has to go through a firearms dealer and Allen’s does both the transfers in and transfers out. Allen added with the transfers it’s their job to make sure that everyone who buys a gun is legally authorized to own one.One of the things that Allen’s started doing early on in their business was to stock ammunition that no one else in the area had and now Allen’s is proud to say they specialize in hard to find ammunition. “We try to stock ammunition that some people have never even heard of and people will come for miles because they know we carry something they can’t get anywhere else,” said Allen.
Concealed carry classes are another service offered by Allen’s and they have two licensed instructors and the shop is also licensed by the state. A customer can come in, take an eight hour class and qualify and within three to four weeks a person can have their carry permit. Of course a person must first be legally qualified to carry a gun.
This is a good time to talk about Allen’s personal philosophy on guns. “I’d like people to understand that I’m an absolute firm believer in gun control. And for all of you whose ears just popped up, gun control means controlling your firearm. If you own a firearm you must control it. You must keep it secured you must know what it can and cannot do and if a handgun or a rifle gets into the wrong hands you are responsible,” Allen said.
“To leave a gun lying beside the front door and a child gets a hold of it that to me is completely unacceptable. That’s gun
control I believe in. If you’re over 21, you want a handgun you want a rifle you must also be held responsible for it. If you don’t want to be held responsible then leave the thing alone,” said Allen.Talking about responsibility for a firearm, Allen mentioned the Montgomery County Shooting Complex which Allen’s strongly supports. Allen said the complex gives people a chance to learn more about their weapons and it also teaches children the sport of shooting and gives them a chance to learn the responsibility of firearms.
Allen shared some of the important information for those who are considering buying a gun and some of the preparation they need to have in place before they stop by the shop. If you’re 18 years old you can buy a rifle not a handgun and then once you turn 21 you may buy a handgun but Allen’s requires a Tennessee driver’s license for purchase of a handgun.
Civilians must have a Tennessee driver’s license or ID card. Active duty military will need a military ID card and a copy of their orders permanently assigning them to Fort Campbell. Proof of residency is also required which Allen said can be a water bill or an electric bill. Allen added that things like cable, telephone or credit card bills are not valid because they are not issued by the government. A background check is also necessary to qualify for the purchase of a gun.
Allen emphasized that one of the most important decisions that a person should make before stopping by the store to buy a gun is to know what kind of firearm you want. “Give a few minutes of thought or go online to find out what you would like. Do you want a revolver do you want a semi-automatic? Give yourself some time to think about it. And when you come in we’ve got the time to help you find what you’re looking for and why you’re looking for it,” Allen said. Allen talked about the retail business and how it is important to make sure people are getting what they are looking for and that they have options. “We don’t just sell guns we sell items you can buy to protect yourself that you don’t load. We sell stun guns, we sell pepper spray and we sell a little device that makes enough noise to wake the dead. That is a big part of protecting yourself is to attract attention if you are in trouble.
Allen’s gun shop is also very involved in supporting the surrounding community. They support the Northwest High School Wrestling Team and the Northwest Archery Club and other school sporting events. Allen’s has donated to The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Clarksville Police Department for their fundraisers as well as disabled veterans and local VFW Posts. “This entire community supports this business so it’s our job to give as much back as we can to support the community,” said Allen
You’ll find Allen’s Gun Shop at 925 Dover Road and they are open Monday-Saturday 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Call (931) 552-3418 or go to www.allensgunshop.com.
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