Knimrod
06-27-2006, 01:02 AM
Joseph on target with gun shop
Lansing woman continues father's business legacy
June 26, 2006
By Barbara Wieland
Lansing State Journal
When Yvonne Joseph's father died in 1993, people said she and her mother wouldn't be able to take over his business.
Her father, Carl, had started Classic Arms in a basement in 1965. Over the years, it had grown to be a respected gun store and one of the region's few black powder specialty shops.
It wasn't the financial state of the store on Lake Lansing Road in Lansing that had people doubting Yvonne Joseph. Some thought she and her mother, Luba, couldn't run the store because they were women.
But Joseph thrives on challenges like that.
"If I believe that something is right, I stand up for that," she said.
Just like her father
She's like her dad that way.
"Whatever his stand was, whether popular or not, he stood for that," Joseph said. "He didn't waver despite what others might have thought."
Joseph's father was a trap and skeet shooter who expanded his hobby into a business. His wife got involved, becoming an expert on black-powder weaponry.
Growing up with parents who owned a gun store, Joseph was taught to respect weapons. They were kept in a cabinet and she was forbidden to touch them unless her dad was around.
Eventually, Joseph became a competitive trap shooter.
"I liked the competitiveness, the skill and camaraderie," she said, then smiled as she added, "it's also a great stress reducer."
But her plan wasn't to join her parent's business.
Teaching to triggers
Joseph got a bachelor's degree and teaching certificate from Michigan State University. She took substitute teaching jobs and worked retail before going to work for General Motors Corp.
When her father became ill, Joseph returned to the family business.
"My mom needed somebody to help," she said.
Joseph's mother, 79, remained active in the business until earlier this year.
Early on, naysayers doubted her ability to run a store. Guns are still predominantly men's domain, Joseph said, and it took a while to win over her doubters.
On her side was her knowledge of the retail industry.
Joseph had been a district manager for a retail chain before joining GM.
"Whether it's firearms or home goods, you're still selling," she said. "The basic tenants of selling still apply."
In this business, laws can impact sales considerably. For example, when Michigan's concealed carry law went into effect in 2000, sales increased 50 percent. Since then, Joseph said, sales have been steady.
A rise in gun ownership in the U.S. has also helped the business.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there were 60.4 million approved firearm sales between 1994 and 2004, and the number of background checks for gun purchases increased 3.2 percent between 2003 and 2004.
Determination pays off
Joseph's other strength was her stubborn determination to stick it out.
"I was determined to make sure my mother and father's good name and business continued," she said. "Once people realized that, they came around."
For other customers, the family-run feel of the store had been a draw.
"You get families who bring in antique firearms to sell here. You see things here you'd never see anywhere else," said John Prince, a Lansing police officer who remembers buying from Carl.
Prince goes to Classic for things he needs at work, as well as personal items. Last week, he stopped by to get a pair of tactical binoculars.
All about atmosphere
The atmosphere at Classic isn't something you can find at chain stores, Prince said.
"You get a lot of people who stop in just to talk," he said. "At the big stores, they don't have time to spend with a customer."
And in a business like this one, giving customers time and education is more than just good customer service.
"Especially in this industry, the wrong information can be deadly," Joseph said. "I really feel it's important to work with the customer."
Link to article (http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060626/NEWS03/606260321/1004/news03)
Lansing woman continues father's business legacy
June 26, 2006
By Barbara Wieland
Lansing State Journal
When Yvonne Joseph's father died in 1993, people said she and her mother wouldn't be able to take over his business.
Her father, Carl, had started Classic Arms in a basement in 1965. Over the years, it had grown to be a respected gun store and one of the region's few black powder specialty shops.
It wasn't the financial state of the store on Lake Lansing Road in Lansing that had people doubting Yvonne Joseph. Some thought she and her mother, Luba, couldn't run the store because they were women.
But Joseph thrives on challenges like that.
"If I believe that something is right, I stand up for that," she said.
Just like her father
She's like her dad that way.
"Whatever his stand was, whether popular or not, he stood for that," Joseph said. "He didn't waver despite what others might have thought."
Joseph's father was a trap and skeet shooter who expanded his hobby into a business. His wife got involved, becoming an expert on black-powder weaponry.
Growing up with parents who owned a gun store, Joseph was taught to respect weapons. They were kept in a cabinet and she was forbidden to touch them unless her dad was around.
Eventually, Joseph became a competitive trap shooter.
"I liked the competitiveness, the skill and camaraderie," she said, then smiled as she added, "it's also a great stress reducer."
But her plan wasn't to join her parent's business.
Teaching to triggers
Joseph got a bachelor's degree and teaching certificate from Michigan State University. She took substitute teaching jobs and worked retail before going to work for General Motors Corp.
When her father became ill, Joseph returned to the family business.
"My mom needed somebody to help," she said.
Joseph's mother, 79, remained active in the business until earlier this year.
Early on, naysayers doubted her ability to run a store. Guns are still predominantly men's domain, Joseph said, and it took a while to win over her doubters.
On her side was her knowledge of the retail industry.
Joseph had been a district manager for a retail chain before joining GM.
"Whether it's firearms or home goods, you're still selling," she said. "The basic tenants of selling still apply."
In this business, laws can impact sales considerably. For example, when Michigan's concealed carry law went into effect in 2000, sales increased 50 percent. Since then, Joseph said, sales have been steady.
A rise in gun ownership in the U.S. has also helped the business.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there were 60.4 million approved firearm sales between 1994 and 2004, and the number of background checks for gun purchases increased 3.2 percent between 2003 and 2004.
Determination pays off
Joseph's other strength was her stubborn determination to stick it out.
"I was determined to make sure my mother and father's good name and business continued," she said. "Once people realized that, they came around."
For other customers, the family-run feel of the store had been a draw.
"You get families who bring in antique firearms to sell here. You see things here you'd never see anywhere else," said John Prince, a Lansing police officer who remembers buying from Carl.
Prince goes to Classic for things he needs at work, as well as personal items. Last week, he stopped by to get a pair of tactical binoculars.
All about atmosphere
The atmosphere at Classic isn't something you can find at chain stores, Prince said.
"You get a lot of people who stop in just to talk," he said. "At the big stores, they don't have time to spend with a customer."
And in a business like this one, giving customers time and education is more than just good customer service.
"Especially in this industry, the wrong information can be deadly," Joseph said. "I really feel it's important to work with the customer."
Link to article (http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060626/NEWS03/606260321/1004/news03)