Shooters Shop in West Allis plans to expand

The Shooters Shop in West Allis is planning a 4,400-square foot expansion that includes an additional handgun range at the business, city planning documents and the store's owner said Wednesday.

The expansion and new gun range are being planned to meet growing demand for shooting practice time among gun owners, Shooters Shop owner Kevin Nugent said.

"Range traffic has been very busy," Nugent said.

Wisconsin on Friday issued its 100,000th concealed carry permit, hitting that milestone in less than six months. The state continues to receive hundreds of concealed carry permit applications each day, according to the attorney general's office.

The Shooters Shop will add the range as part of a project to build a retail space for MGS Group LLC, a concealed carry and personal defense training business, Nugent said.

West Allis planning department officials are recommending that the Plan Commission approve the proposal.

The gun range will have walls that are at least 14 inches thick and will include soundproofing material, according to documents on file with the city. The Shooters Shop already operates a gun range as part of its business. The company is located at 2465 S. 84th St.

Nugent said that The Shooters Shop has added four employees since the beginning of the year and the expansion will likely result in at least two more jobs being added.

The firearms business in Wisconsin and across the United States continues to be very strong.

"Indicators such as background-check statistics, firearms production and importation, firearm-retailer surveys and on-the-ground reports from retailers nationwide reveal that Americans are purchasing firearms in record numbers," according to a statement from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a gun industry trade group.