Leadington gun store strives to help meet community needs
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Randy Windsor, LIFE Center for Independent Living marketing director, leaves some brochures with Rob’s Guns Manager Deena Eisenbeis. Lisa Brotherton-Barnes
Rob’s Guns is locally owned and operated by veterans who wanted to change the way firearms sales took place in the Parkland.
Owners Rob and Lien Walt opened the original shop just outside Caledonia in 2012 and immediately earned a reputation as a retailer with service goals for its customers and community.
Their business outgrew the original location and is now housed in a larger storefront in the Leadington Plaza. Part of their community service mission is demonstrated in their willingness to be among the first in volunteering support when a worthwhile cause arises, or a need is made known in the community.
According to store manager Deena Eisenbeis, working for Rob’s Guns is something that she would never have seen herself doing in the past.
“My background is years and years in retail sales and management, convenience stores and grocery stores,” she said. “I was looking for a change in my work situation and heard there was an opening here, so I thought I’d give it a try. I told them I didn’t know anything about guns, but I knew about sales and management, and that made a good fit for what they needed.
“The sales staff here is excellent. Most are prior military and at the top of their game in knowledge and information. They have the ability to help a customer choose what they need based on skill sets and budget, and are always courteous with every person.”
One customer stopped to make a comment as she passed by the handgun display while Eisenbeis was speaking with the Daily Journal.
“I’d like to say that I’ve shopped here many times — sometimes for guns, sometimes for supplies,” said the customer. “The men here have always been very professional and polite and have never talked down to me or treated me like I had no business being in a gun store. It’s one of the reasons I’m a return customer and recommend the shop to anyone.”
Eisenbeis said comments like that from satisfied customers help her know they are doing things right.
Rob’s Guns is a frequent supporter of community drives and fundraisers, often providing prizes for raffles or acting as a drop-off location for food or toy drives. Numerous residents and organizations in the Parkland have been recipients of their benevolent efforts: families under financial strain from illnesses or facing funeral expenses without resources to cover the costs, schools raising funds for Project Graduation events or band trips, and organizations needing a donation or assistance of some kind in meeting a financial goal that benefits others.
Eisenbeis said that the Walts enjoy giving back to the community and recognize the importance of supporting local and extended neighborhoods, and it’s one of the things she appreciates about them.
Military service members, law enforcement officers, first responders, and workers with the Department of Corrections receive everyday discounts. Because most first responders provide much of their equipment on their own, Rob’s Guns has donated gear and equipment. Along with that, the store strives to keep prices low for them as an expression of gratitude for their sacrifices in keeping the community safe.
The LIFE Center for Independent Living in Farmington is a non-profit organization whose mission is to “maximize the independence, productivity, and empowerment of individuals with disabilities, to promote the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the mainstream of society, and to offer a myriad of services in that mission.”
The non-profit recently needed assistance in providing a service to its consumers. Eisenbeis and the Walts learned of the need and stepped forward to fill the gap. LIFE Marketing Director Randy Windsor was appreciative of Rob’s Guns and their willingness to help. Eisenbeis said it’s typical of the way business is done there with an eye toward how they might be able to meet a need in the community at large.
To learn more about Rob’s Guns, call 573-327-8552, go to their website at robsgunsusa.com or visit them during normal operating hours at 102 A. St. Francois Plaza in Leadington.
To learn more about the LIFE Center for Independent Living, call them at 573-756-4314, go to their Facebook page or visit their offices during normal operating hours at 725 E. Karsch Blvd. in Farmington.
Lisa Brotherton-Barnes is a staff writer with the Daily Journal. She can be reached at lbarnes@dailyjournalonline.com.
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