Jaenelle Westrom, a woman in Davenport, Iowa, has completely changed the way men and women think about gun ownership. Her store, Davenport Guns and Shooting Club, is the first ever woman-owned and oriented gun store in the city.
Westrom, comments, "I just wanted to help women feel more comfortable in a field dominated by men. It's intimidating because you don't know where to begin - where to start; a lot of it is a man's world."
She says she got the idea from her girlfriends, and immediately changed her original plans to open up a traditional gun store. "So it really turned from me opening up a gun shop, to me opening up a gun shop that really lets women know they're welcome to come in and we'll take care of them," she added.
But there's more than just one
John and Rebecca Bieker are the owners of a similar shop in Shawnee, Kansas called the She's A Pistol Gun Shop. And there are reportedly many others in other parts of the US and Europe.
But does this kind of business have a "shot" at being successful?
Although selling guns is a huge controversial topic in the country, sales research show that the purchasing of firearms is on the rising - especially among, you guessed it - women!
Even more, according to one study, women's participation in shooting sports has risen exponentially by more than 50 percent in target shooting and by more than 41 percent in hunting during the last 15 years.
There has even been a reported increase nationwide of women enrolling in self-defense classes.
How safe is this business?
Perhaps you've heard these words before: "Live by the sword, die by the sword."
Well, She's A Pistol Gun Shop has not exactly been problem free. Just last week, the shop was burglarized by 4 suspects and an all-out gun war broke out at the shop. One of the owners was shot and killed, and several of the burglars were shot and injured. They all been charged with first-degree murder, and are now awaiting trial.
It's a dangerous business!
