Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18

Thread: A Partial Farewell...

  1. #1
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Tampa area, Florida

    A Partial Farewell...

    A Partial Farewell…
    Rangemaster was founded in September 1996 and has operated continuously at our current address since then. Going back to the year 2000, our cash register is actually a PC and it assigns a unique number to each new customer. As that customer returns for future visits his transactions are recorded under his unique number. We just entered customer number 79,641 so that is how many separate individuals have been in here to do business with us just since the year 2000. Almost 45,000 of those customers have taken at least the handgun carry permit course here and about 40% of those have gone on to take additional training. To all of you who have been here over the years we sincerely thank you.

    All good things must come to an end. We will be closing the Memphis location on August 4, 2014. After that date all of our training will be conducted off-site at various ranges around the country. This only affects the Memphis indoor range location. We will still be quite active on the training circuit, doing more writing, and continuing to serve as an expert witness in court cases. The annual Tactical Conference will continue, at the most excellent Memphis Police Academy facilities.

    The building itself is now over 50 years old and is costing too much to keep in operation. Over the past couple of years roofing, plumbing, electrical issues, and heating/air conditioning issues have cost us a fortune and that will only get worse as time goes on. Also, our business is based almost entirely on training, particularly handgun carry permit training, and the local market has reached a saturation level at this point. Nationwide between about 2.5% to 3% of the population has a handgun carry permit. Here in Shelby County about 7% of the population has a carry permit, and we trained the majority of them. In Collierville 10% of the population has a carry permit.

    Internet retail sales are also killing off small businesses all over the US, and that has hurt us as well. Today, customers tend to buy their ammunition, holsters, and even targets online, which has killed our retail business. I really can't complain about that as I almost never buy anything in a store. I buy online and have UPS bring it to my door. Unfortunately our customer base does the same thing.

    We will continue to update our website, put out our newsletters, and post information on Facebook. As I said, Lynn and I will be traveling all over the US conducting courses and we will conduct a few each year here locally on other people's ranges.

    To those of you who have supported us over the years I want to thank you sincerely and wish you all the best in the future.

  2. #2
    Very Pro Dentist Chuck Haggard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Down the road from Quantrill's big raid.
    This gives me a huge sad. Rangemaster is (was) one of the very few places where I could point to and say that one could walk in the door knowing nothing, and with zero gear, and walk out capable and competent, and well armed.

  3. #3
    Sad, but look forward to your continued success on the road. See ya in November!

  4. #4
    Holy crap, Tom! You almost gave me a heart attack thinking that you were retiring from teaching! You are first on my list to train with but all this stuff like having a child and moving in a new house keeps getting in the way. Glad to know you'll still be doing it on the road.
    My comments have not been approved by my employer and do not necessarily represent the views of my employer. These are my comments, not my employer's.

  5. #5
    Murder Machine, Harmless Fuzzball TCinVA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Virginia
    It's interesting to contemplate this, but Tom's influence on the Memphis area may well have suppressed the violent crime rate by a percentage well into the double digits.
    3/15/2016

  6. #6
    Member Sheep Have Wool's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Dallas, TX
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Givens View Post
    A Partial Farewell…
    I panic. HolyshitIhaven'ttakenarangemastercourseyetandnowIn everwill!

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Givens View Post
    After that date all of our training will be conducted off-site at various ranges around the country. This only affects the Memphis indoor range location. We will still be quite active on the training circuit, doing more writing, and continuing to serve as an expert witness in court cases.
    I feel much better.

    Thanks for the heart attack, and best of luck in your continued efforts.
    Sheep Have Wool

  7. #7
    I got an email over the weekend asking if this was true. Seeing the sign on the door Sunday afternoon was a bummer.
    I had an ER nurse in a class. I noticed she kept taking all head shots. Her response when asked why, "'I've seen too many people who have been shot in the chest putting up a fight in the ER." Point taken.

  8. #8
    Member Don Gwinn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Springfield, IL
    Yeah, I also feel like I missed out. I was planning to take my first Rangemaster course in about two weeks, and then I got a call last week informing me that my credit card would be refunded. The person on the phone said that there would be future classes . . . but it looks like that didn't work out, if it was indeed the plan at the time. I was very excited, having only recently discovered that there was a training center with such a strong reputation a day-trip away.
    Maybe I can get the Givens road show to this area next year.


    "Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray.
    My legs are longer though, to run away."
    --Helena of Athens



  9. #9
    Leopard Printer Mr_White's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Gaming In The Streets
    Tom,

    Thank you so much for your many contributions to the training community! I've sure enjoyed your thoughts from afar. I look forward to all your future involvement and teaching, whatever the venue.

    Gabe White
    Technical excellence supports tactical preparedness
    Lord of the Food Court
    http://www.gabewhitetraining.com

  10. #10
    Hokey / Ancient JAD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Kansas City

    A Partial Farewell...

    Tom, I'm sad that rm will close without me having darkened it's door, but happy to hear I still have the chance to train with one of the most universally recommended instructors in the industry. I hope you can find a venue for some incarnation of the tactical conference. I would attend enthusiastically even if it were held at a hotel with no live fire component.
    Ignore Alien Orders

User Tag List

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •