Gun Bros - Borton Bros Sent Me

This is one of those small-town gems to me. You know how something can be HUGE, but because you are in it… you just can’t see it. That is the deal with Gun Bros and this article is meant to bring attention to something great in this town.

First, the story. I was looking for a beer that wasn’t on display in the grocery store. I was craving a tasty IPA with a bite. Since my son and I were on the Hutchinson Super-hiway (17th street), we popped into Borton Brothers Liquor. The cat behind the counter made my day.

Cat: How you doing today, man?

Me: Great – and your music is kicking – right on

Cat: You know… got to live to the full

Me: Well we just moved here and…

Cat: WHAT?!?! You just moved here! Hold on…. (slams bucket of bottle openers on the counter) … Pick one – heck pick two, you seem like a nice guy.

This goes on for about five minutes of me sharing our great adventures in town, while he says it is the born and bred here that don’t know how nice we have it in a place like Hutchinson. He said something to the effect of – So many people want to claw their way out of the small-town until they get out… then they have to figure a way back in. Very insightful.

By the time this new friendship had developed, Cat (dang I wish I remembered his name… he is awesome) says… “Hey, you like guns?” and hands me a brochure for the soon-to-be-built indoor shooting range to be built by Gun Bros.

A little small talk and I am back in the camper van with my son and headed home. I took the brochure and handed it to Haydon. “I know these guys!” – I think they are big on YouTube… he would know. So we get home and look them up. Sure enough, Gun Bros is a YouTube hit with over a QUARTER MILLION SUBSCRIBERS. For those no in the know, I have gone live for over two years every day and still locked down at like 70 Subscribers 🙂

277,000 Subscribers in your little town!

The brochure was about a pre-sale to fund their new building, featuring an indoor shooting range and cigar lounge. Now do I need a cigar lounge… not really. But would I like to shoot in a clean modern facility? Yes. Is this a great way for me to support and join my new community? Yes. Still, I had to see it for myself.

Haydon and I took an afternoon break and went to the store on Main Street. To the average onlooker, it is a modest representation of retail. I mean, you could look at large box stores with long glass-enclosed gun cabinets and make a comparison on that… but I chose to look deeper on my visit. To me, this was a cultural experiment.

My 16-year-old son was welcomed in. Unlike the state we just escaped from (see hashtag #escapingcalifornia), the guns were hanging on the wall and you could walk up and grab one. Just pick it up. I turned to the left and there were stacks of ammo on the floor at super-competitive pricing. It was like the Shangrila-feeling I had when I first crossed the border to Arizona and stopped at a gun store. Ammo that is both available and affordable – what a concept?!?!

Then came the other observations in our short visit. I saw three different sets of customers arrive and each was greeted in the same friendly manner. One set of customers was a small group of young folks – I am guessing aged 17-21. They were welcomed and treated with the same consideration as the mid-thirties construction worker who came in.

When the counter was clear, I approached and asked questions about the new facility. I asked about the fund-raising and the shooting memberships that were included in the fund-raising. I will admit this is where I got a little critical — he did not close me on the spot.

I was given the information I asked for and the selling stopped. From a business perspective and someone who coaches on the art of sales… I felt like he should have pounced, taken my credit card, and stripped my wallet clean… but no… he left me to my senses to sign up for the membership in the comfort of my own home. I am proud to say that we are now on the “Family Plan” at Gun Bros.

Before we left, Haydon and I picked out branded shirts and left with another “Kansas Win”. Living Hutch is a great experience.