Joe’s Bang Room: It’s all about the experience

The moment you set foot in Joe’s Bang Room, you realize that this shop is not like any other shop in town. Though they sell an assortment of firearms and firearm accessories, they are also a manufacturer and plan to manufacture their own weapons as well as custom pieces for customers. But while this is certainly an exciting advantage, it is not what sets Joe’s Bang Room apart.

Joe Johnson, owner of Joe’s Bang Room, has a unique rapport with his customers. Customers frequently come in to just lounge around, have a cup of coffee, and talk with other patrons and employees. They all swap anecdotes, discuss current events, and Joe’s customers respect and trust his knowledge and expertise in the world of firearms. This rapport creates a relaxed, friendly atmosphere that is palatable the minute you walk through the door.

“I don’t have to sell something to someone every time they come in the store,” Joe says. “It’s more about the relationship.”

Joe speaks less as a salesman or a business owner and more as an earnest member of the community who is genuinely interested in the people who come into his shop.

“We have kids come in here that can’t even buy a gun yet who have made themselves fixtures,” Joe continues. “We’ve sold people their first guns.”

And this relationship approach applies to every part of Joe’s business and allows them the opportunity to educate their customers, not just on gun safety and usage, but also on the rights and laws surrounding gun ownership. Joe explains that, with every purchase, they ask customers if they want to be shown how to disassemble their firearm, how to clear it, and how to use it safely.

“It’d be like giving a kid the keys to a car without teaching them how to drive,” Joe says. “So we do try to educate people, not only on the safety end of it, but on what they really need it for. We’re not here to take advantage of anybody.”

And this focus on education doesn’t only extend to when a purchase is made. Joe’s Bang Room offers a basic handgun safety class every month that qualifies attendees for their Concealed Weapons permits through the Arizona Department of Public Safety. And Joe expressed the hope that their educational and event opportunities will expand in the future.

Passion, family, and education are at the core of what Joe’s Bang Room is about. And those values can be felt in the air as soon as you walk in. Joe makes it clear that his store is passionate about firearms and that building relationships with his customers is key. When you walk into Joe’s Bang Room, you don’t just walk into another local shop, but rather you step into and are welcomed into a community of gun owners and aficionados, as well as a community that spans between all the other gun stores in town as well.

But the only way to truly convey that experience of community is to experience it for yourself. And the only way to experience it for yourself, is to come on in!