Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Dennis.
Richard, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have been told by many people that I have a business mindset and all my life I have looked at things a little different than most people as well as always wanted to push the envelope on just about everything. I grew up in a small town in North Texas and started my first “business” while a freshman in High school. ever since then for a majority of time I have maintained a true job as well as working to try and create something successful of my own. Soon enough Trinity Ordnance would come along.
If I had to assign a time when it all started I would have to say it would be when I attended my first gun show with a few friends. Like many young people, the fascination, history, and mystery really caught my attention. I purchased my first pistol and learned how to shoot, clean, and maintain it soon thereafter. I started reading and learning about firearms to educate myself.
While reading, I decided I wanted to own a nice rifle. I quickly learned that many people had started building their own rifles from various parts gather from dealers to build better rifles than a factory off the shelf options that were available. I continued to learn the platform as study how things went together until I felt comfortable assembling my own. This was during a time frame when building your own rifles was not a popular option like today so finding parts and tools to complete the build proved hard. I ordered everything I needed and soon enough I had assembled my first rifle on the kitchen table of a rent house while my roommate yelled about the hammering.
After assembling one, most people decide to build more in different designs, patterns, calibers, and more so I decided I would do that as well. That eventually turned into helping friends and sharing my new-found hobby with them.
One of those friends was Russell Jones. I had known him for many years. Russell decided to take the hobby to the next level and with a friend of ours named Chris Parrish he started Trinity Ordnance. All the while I carried on with gun building for myself as a hobby. Soon after forming Trinity Ordnance, Chris decided it was not for him and Russell called me asking if I wanted to take Chris’s spot in the business. It sounded like a great idea so I jumped on board. At the time Trinity Ordnance consisted of basically a 10×10 show room at the end of a dead-end driveway in a rundown industrial portion of town and most sales came from setting up folding tables at one gun show a month in Fort Worth. Once settled in, I quickly realized that for the company to grow we would have to sell more. Since really the only time we sold inventory was at gun shows we decided to start trying to gun show every weekend. Combining more opportunities to sell with a political environment that was driving gun sales proved to help growth levels.
Trinity Ordnance continued to grow to the point where we could no longer handle the business in our free time. We decided we would open a retail store and split duties at the store to allow us both to still have other things going on in our lives. Before we could even get the retail store open, I found out I would be losing my state job I had been at for 11 years. I had a choice to either pursue other state or local jobs or pour everything into Trinity Ordnance. After many long discussions and hours of numbers crunching with Russell as well as with my other half I decided my vote would be to cash out my retirement and place Trinity Ordnance at the center of my working life. It soon became a 24/7 job and no longer a hobby. We had very close friends and family members helping with everything they could. After waiting on our paperwork to be approved from the atf we moved into our current location in Lake Worth.
Soon came the grand opening party with bands, give aways, prizes, and lots of fun. The growth continued as well as did the stress. Like with any partnership, there were disagreements on how time and funding should be spent and that led to Russell choosing to exit the company. I bought Russell out and became the sole owner of Trinity Ordnance at that point. Things have been up hill for us since then. We have had one expansion already as well as are looking forward to a future expansion. Our customers are some of the best out there and they support us like no other. Our goal in forming this company was to be different and break away from the stigma of the standard gun shop. I really think that we have been successful in breaking to mold. We are told often that our store feels welcoming and people think they are treated fairly here. All those items are the reasons we plan to be a growing store in the DFW area for many many years to come.
Has it been a smooth road?
Growth has been a stumbling point, as with all small business. Friends, family, and loyal customers have helped.
Russell choosing to leave the company directly after I cashed out my retirement to help fund the company was the biggest struggle. Business and money is one thing, losing a longtime friend is another.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Trinity Ordnance – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We are a gun shop close to Fort Worth that started as just specializing a accessorizes for the most popular rifle platforms and have moved into selling all types of modern sporting rifles with a goal of being helpful and knowledgeable while offering friendly service.
I am proud to say that We are all like family here at Trinity Ordnance. You should never feel left out when your here at Trinity Ordnance
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love the diversity in the DFW area. A day never goes by that I do not learn about something new and exciting.
The least would have to be all the constant road construction. I know it comes with growth, however sitting in miles of stopped cars not going anywhere doesn’t help me try and reason with my frustrations.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4224 Karen Lane
Lake Worth Texas 76135 - Website: www.trinityordnance.com
- Phone: 817-Be-Ready
- Email: sales@trinityordnance.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinityordnance/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrinityOrdnance
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/trinityord
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/trinity-ordnance-lake-worth
- Other: https://plus.google.com/+Trinityordnance
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
