Shooting Sports Retailer 1791 Cover Issue

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REVIEWED: BERGARA B-14 RIDGE INSIGHTS: THE REWARDS OF RELOADING COUNTER TECH: MORE IRON IN THE FIRE

March 2021

GUNSMITHING FOR

THE SMALL RETAILER BEEF UP

THE HOLSTER THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

«

ULTRA CUSTOM

SEE PAGE 4 FOR MORE DETAILS

MAXIMIZE

END-CAP VALUE

YOUR SECURITY

EAA

MAKES QUALITY AFFORDABLE CELEBRATING THE

INDUSTRY’S SUCCESS

HANDLOAD

YOUR REGISTER SHOOTING SPORTS RETAILER

CHOICE AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

shootingsportsretailer.com

SEE PAGE 46 FOR MORE DETAILS

SSR0321 Cover inkjet.indd 1

7/22/21 10:07 AM

THIS ISSUE’S COVER BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

1791 GUNLEATHER – FROM TAKING IT BACK TO

TAKING IT OVER

It’s not often that innovation is born on the quest to return back to the way things once were. But then again doing things by common convention is just not something the crew at 1791 Gunleather is all about. In fact, you could say the company’s business model is built on challenging the status quo, something their growing fan base has come to adore about the holster and premium leather goods company.

What’s the saying when someone gets married? Something old, something new …

That sentiment might be one of the best ways to think about operations at 1791 Gunleather.

Whether its marrying two never before blended materials to develop Memory-Lok TechnologyTM and create the world’s first remoldable holster or the simple customer-first approach of supplying high-end goods at a reasonable price, since inception 1791 Gunleather has always been exploring creative ways to honor the past while writing the future. The Ultra Custom Holster is the holster that changes everything, and it sure paid off by winning the Guns and Ammo 2020 “Holster of the year award”.

There is no shortage of clichés about how successful entrepreneurs have gone from grassroots to corner offices. Whether you credit the bootstrapping start, a unique vision, a niche

4

SHOOTINGSPORTSRETAILER.COM MARCH 2021

SSR0321-CoverContentPage.indd All Pages

focus, the right opportunity or the impeccable timing, one thing is for certain, 1791 has done it right. They did it the old way with hard work, a creative approach, and a focus on dealer and customer service. They also did it by putting an inspired, modern twist on a historical legacy of leather production.

A throwback to leather artisans of old, 1791 Gunleather places high emphasis on the techniques, styles and values of a long lineage of leather craftsmen. That’s no simple task considering the company’s first holsters were created in a small shop ran by Jesus Colin Huerta, one of the founding partners, and today they’re serving clients across the globe. But then again, we’ve come to learn that few things are ordinary about how things are running at 1791.

2020 Perspective

Now 10 months and change into a global pandemic, 1791 Gunleather is continuing to buck common trends. The company has grown from their humble beginnings in that small shop five years ago to now employing more than 130 dedicated and passionate employees. By blending high standards and old-fashioned craftsmanship with modern technology, the organization is now pumping out over 1,400 premium leather

holsters every day. Those employees are spread out over a number of facilities in locations like Texas, Florida, Mexico City and Wyoming, and if you ask any one of them, they would likely tell you that this is only the beginning.

“When it comes to our team, we have the best of the best,” says Ramiro Romani, company CEO and co-founder. And the vast majority of those employees, many might be surprised to learn, are women. “Around 80% of our workforce is female,” continues Romani.

“We’re surrounded by an incredibly talented and capable team. They’re absolutely the reason we’re successful.”

To say the organization has taken a unique approach to employee benefits would be another understatement. In the early years of the company very few of the employees had graduated high school, and many were young parents. It was upon that realization that the company took it upon themselves to create opportunities of education for their employees.

From hosting weekend care and after-school programs to lessen the burden on employees with children to launching a night school program for team members and even putting some of them through college, the organization has always maintained focus on taking great care of their employees.

Tradition and Traction

And what about that name, 1791 Gunleather?

Another throwback to our nation’s history, 1791 is the year in which the 2nd Amendment was ratified, along with nine other articles, into the Bill of Rights. On Dec. 15 of that year, the 2nd Amendment officially established an individual’s right to “keep and bear arms” to protect against a tyrannical government. It’s a point of pride for the organization to honor the men and women who established the rule and who’ve fought to protect it. “Our customers are actually carrying the 2nd Amendment with them every day,” says Alex Toussieh, 1791 Gun-

leather COO and co-founder. “They’re wearing it on their hips and around their waste, and they’re doing so with pride and a commitment to honor and protect their loved ones.”

Staying true to their roots is something 1791 Gunleather holds dear. With rapid growth in their past and a clear eye toward the future, some things will never change. “When we started this business, we hit the road and met with dealers and customers every day. We truly listened to them and addressed their needs.” says Romani. And they’re still doing this today.

“We started knocking on dealers’ doors back in 2016, and thankfully, some gave us a chance.

When you have a great product, stand behind it, are honest, and are easy to do business with, it’s a simple equation for growth.”

With incentives like a swap program that allows dealers to change out products that aren’t selling in their stores for those that are, it’s no surprise to see interest in their holsters growing as quickly as it has. With their unique multi-fit approach, 1791 Gunleather is able to offer holsters for more models of guns while requiring less space in a retail store. This solves inventory issues for dealers and also removes confusion on the part of the consumer. Considering the Ultra-Custom line of holsters, users can shape and reshape their holster as often as they’d like to fit any number of similar frame firearms.

“If you like what you see now, just wait,” adds Toussieh. “We’ve established some great relationships with wholesalers and retailers. We have incredible partnerships that have helped us grow our operations, improve supply chain, find ways to innovate, source top quality materials, and create the mystique of the 1791 Gunleather brand.” Romani and Huerta echo that feeling. “Our model is simple. Go the extra mile for dealers, focus on authentic customer service, bring back the legacy of tough, comfortable leather holsters made from heavy native steer hide. And do so at an affordable price. You’ll really like what we’re coming up with next.”

www.1791gunleather.com

SHOOTING SPORTS RETAILER MARCH 2021

5

7/22/21 10:12 AM

THIS ISSUE’S COVER BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

1791 GUNLEATHER – FROM TAKING IT BACK TO

TAKING IT OVER

It’s not often that innovation is born on the quest to return back to the way things once were. But then again doing things by common convention is just not something the crew at 1791 Gunleather is all about. In fact, you could say the company’s business model is built on challenging the status quo, something their growing fan base has come to adore about the holster and premium leather goods company.

What’s the saying when someone gets married? Something old, something new …

That sentiment might be one of the best ways to think about operations at 1791 Gunleather.

Whether its marrying two never before blended materials to develop Memory-Lok TechnologyTM and create the world’s first remoldable holster or the simple customer-first approach of supplying high-end goods at a reasonable price, since inception 1791 Gunleather has always been exploring creative ways to honor the past while writing the future. The Ultra Custom Holster is the holster that changes everything, and it sure paid off by winning the Guns and Ammo 2020 “Holster of the year award”.

There is no shortage of clichés about how successful entrepreneurs have gone from grassroots to corner offices. Whether you credit the bootstrapping start, a unique vision, a niche

4

SHOOTINGSPORTSRETAILER.COM MARCH 2021

SSR0321-CoverContentPage.indd All Pages

focus, the right opportunity or the impeccable timing, one thing is for certain, 1791 has done it right. They did it the old way with hard work, a creative approach, and a focus on dealer and customer service. They also did it by putting an inspired, modern twist on a historical legacy of leather production.

A throwback to leather artisans of old, 1791 Gunleather places high emphasis on the techniques, styles and values of a long lineage of leather craftsmen. That’s no simple task considering the company’s first holsters were created in a small shop ran by Jesus Colin Huerta, one of the founding partners, and today they’re serving clients across the globe. But then again, we’ve come to learn that few things are ordinary about how things are running at 1791.

2020 Perspective

Now 10 months and change into a global pandemic, 1791 Gunleather is continuing to buck common trends. The company has grown from their humble beginnings in that small shop five years ago to now employing more than 130 dedicated and passionate employees. By blending high standards and old-fashioned craftsmanship with modern technology, the organization is now pumping out over 1,400 premium leather

holsters every day. Those employees are spread out over a number of facilities in locations like Texas, Florida, Mexico City and Wyoming, and if you ask any one of them, they would likely tell you that this is only the beginning.

“When it comes to our team, we have the best of the best,” says Ramiro Romani, company CEO and co-founder. And the vast majority of those employees, many might be surprised to learn, are women. “Around 80% of our workforce is female,” continues Romani.

“We’re surrounded by an incredibly talented and capable team. They’re absolutely the reason we’re successful.”

To say the organization has taken a unique approach to employee benefits would be another understatement. In the early years of the company very few of the employees had graduated high school, and many were young parents. It was upon that realization that the company took it upon themselves to create opportunities of education for their employees.

From hosting weekend care and after-school programs to lessen the burden on employees with children to launching a night school program for team members and even putting some of them through college, the organization has always maintained focus on taking great care of their employees.

Tradition and Traction

And what about that name, 1791 Gunleather?

Another throwback to our nation’s history, 1791 is the year in which the 2nd Amendment was ratified, along with nine other articles, into the Bill of Rights. On Dec. 15 of that year, the 2nd Amendment officially established an individual’s right to “keep and bear arms” to protect against a tyrannical government. It’s a point of pride for the organization to honor the men and women who established the rule and who’ve fought to protect it. “Our customers are actually carrying the 2nd Amendment with them every day,” says Alex Toussieh, 1791 Gun-

leather COO and co-founder. “They’re wearing it on their hips and around their waist, and they’re doing so with pride and a commitment to honor and protect their loved ones.”

Staying true to their roots is something 1791 Gunleather holds dear. With rapid growth in their past and a clear eye toward the future, some things will never change. “When we started this business, we hit the road and met with dealers and customers every day. We truly listened to them and addressed their needs.” says Romani. And they’re still doing this today.

“We started knocking on dealers’ doors back in 2016, and thankfully, some gave us a chance.

When you have a great product, stand behind it, are honest, and are easy to do business with, it’s a simple equation for growth.”

With incentives like a swap program that allows dealers to change out products that aren’t selling in their stores for those that are, it’s no surprise to see interest in their holsters growing as quickly as it has. With their unique multi-fit approach, 1791 Gunleather is able to offer holsters for more models of guns while requiring less space in a retail store. This solves inventory issues for dealers and also removes confusion on the part of the consumer. Considering the Ultra-Custom line of holsters, users can shape and reshape their holster as often as they’d like to fit any number of similar frame firearms.

“If you like what you see now, just wait,” adds Toussieh. “We’ve established some great relationships with wholesalers and retailers. We have incredible partnerships that have helped us grow our operations, improve supply chain, find ways to innovate, source top quality materials, and create the mystique of the 1791 Gunleather brand.” Romani and Huerta echo that feeling. “Our model is simple. Go the extra mile for dealers, focus on authentic customer service, bring back the legacy of tough, comfortable leather holsters made from heavy native steer hide. And do so at an affordable price. You’ll really like what we’re coming up with next.”

www.1791gunleather.com

SHOOTING SPORTS RETAILER MARCH 2021

5

7/22/21 10:12 AM