Local gun range catering to shooters of all ages
By: Caroline Rowland
Updated: June 15, 2012
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV)-- Shooting guns and family fun, not two things you usually hear in the same sentence, but one new business owner is trying to change that.
Michael Shea is opening the Family Shooting Academy in Green Bay this weekend. The first public indoor gun range in northeast Wisconsin, catering to gun enthusiasts of all ages.
"There's just a huge amount of interest for this," said Shea, "shooting sports right now include family in all aspects."
The facility includes a state of the art gun range constructed by local engineers. It has space for up to 30 shooters at one time. For the kids, a shooting range for air soft and bb guns.
Also in the facility is a classroom and a store where Shea is catering mainly to concealed carry permit holders and those interested in self-defense, something the Green Bay market is missing he says.
"Guns are becoming more popular and that's a huge part of concealed carry, and that's a huge part of the business we have here," said Shea.
Local gun retailers are taking advantage of the increasing interest in guns too. At Nelson Tactical they say a huge part of their business as of late has been the first time gun owners.
They are also seeing a shift in their clientele, including a lot more women taking an interest in guns, which would explain the amount of guns with pink on them in their cases.
"A lot are just hoping to exercise a right that they now have in Wisconsin and others are concerned about their safety certainly," said store manager Kurt Munchoff.
No matter what the reason, there's something for gun enthusiasts of all kinds in this ever-expanding local gun industry.
For more information on the Family Shooting Academy visit their website. The grand opening is Saturday, June 16.
