About

I have been asked many times: Why, at 50 years old did you decide to start a gun range? It all started in the winter of 2014. My wife, “Kitty”, had recently started shooting with me & persuaded my Mom to give it a try. So, she got a FOID card & we all went to the range. And, we all had a blast seeing my Mom for the first time in her life pulling the trigger of a gun. It was truly a memory I will not forget. So, as we were walking out, both were grinning from ear to ear, & thanking me for taking them. I said,” You know you can always come by yourselves.” Both said that they would never go to a range by themselves. They said it was too intimidating & they did not feel comfortable going solo. To which I replied, “Ya, many gun ranges are run by men with big egos and attitudes.” We all shook our heads & went home. So, I got to thinking why not build a range that was welcoming and inviting to all, & how to make this possible. I attended a few range development seminars, & started talking with other shooters about what they liked & disliked regarding gun ranges. What I found out was a bit surprising. Everyone I talked to said basically the same thing. They wanted a clean, well-lighted range that had good ventilation, & was staffed by respectful, knowledgeable & helpful staff. But they often had a hard time finding that so they just went to the one that was closest to their house or the one with the shortest lines. A few months later I found myself out of a job, so I figured now there is nothing holding me back and that is how Fox Valley Shooting Range came to be!