Stone County Republican / Crane Chronicle
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"Tanco making a big bang in Stone County with gun sells"

October 22, 2020
Picture
"New gun department at Tanco Lumber in Branson West."
Cindy Hembree



In 1999, Forsyth’s TAN- CO Lumber was started by two men, Mark Gomez and John  Stauffer.  Six  years ago,  Stauffer  and  wife, Carla   opened   a   branch in  Notch.  They    initially performed  operations  on a single acre of land but, as business increased, the couple  knew  they  would have to make some dras- tic changes. Last year, the Stauffers bought 30-acres in  Branson  West  and  began building a bigger and better   store   to  fit   the demands  of  their  rapidly growing business.


The   year   2020   had been a good year for the business.  Even  with  the Coronavirus     quarantine in  effect,  the  construction   industry   has   been"    "booming.  It  was  evident to Stauffer that he could fulfill a need felt by many in Stone County. The mar- ket  for  firearms  had  in-creased,  but  there  were no  major  dealers  in  the area so he began looking into the prospect of selling weapons.

Stauffer acquired a license to sell guns, but he was not very savvy about them.   Finding   someone who   was   more   knowledgeable in that field was his next step. Jason Piatt, of  Republic,  seemed  to be   the   best   candidate. Piatt,  a  35-year  old  for- mer   preschool   teacher, holds two degrees, one in Wildlife Conservation and Management and another in  Criminal  Justice,  from
Missouri   State   University.  He  is  an  experienced hunter  and  gunsmith.  He also has had two years experience in gun sales. “He is  the  best  gun  counter guy I’ve ever met,” stat- ed Tanco customer, Philip Cheatham.

In September, the am- munition and the firearms were  stocked  and  Piatt stepped up to his new position. A steady stream of customers  began  pouring in even though Tanco had not  yet  officially  opened its  new  department.  On October 13, the Stauffers and  Piatt  held  a  ribbon cutting  ceremony  at  the new  firearms  section  of the store which   was at- tended  by  approximately 25 people.
“Nobody   down   here sells the volume or brands"of  guns  that  we  carry,” reported  Piatt, he  added that  sales  are  extremely high  right  now.  The  ma- jority  of  the  customers seeking  to  possess  guns are women from 55 to 80 years of age. One unforseen  problem  that  some of the more popular types of   ammunition   are   be- coming difficult to attain. Due to the great demand for  certain  types  of  am- munition,   shortages   are occurring.  This  may  not be  good  news  for  Stone County  residents  looking forward  to the  upcoming hunting season.
Stauffer  and  Piatt  are discussing  new  possibilities for   gun department at  Tanco;  including  possible  firearm  educational
classes."

All content copyright Stone County Publishing Co. Inc.
The Stone County Republican/Crane Chronicle
P.O. Box 401, Crane, Missouri 65633
Phone: 417-723-5248      Fax: 417-723-8490
  • Home
  • Inside This Week's Issue
    • Crop-duster crashes plane just east of Aurora
    • High winds and hail damage homes and vehicles Sunday morning
    • RS police chief on admin. leave, clerks let go
    • Local officer killed in the line of duty finally recognized for his sacrifice nearly a century after his death
    • Kimberling City mayor announces resignation of city administrator
    • Crane honors retiring baseball head coach Bryan Harmon for 29 years of dedication and service
    • Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks golf tournament raises money for local kids programs
    • Weekly Stock Market Insights
    • Neighbors and Friends of Table Rock Lake award over $45,000 in grants
    • Table Rock Lake Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year Awards Sponsored by Table Rock Community Bank
    • Hurley D.A.R.E Graduates 2022
  • This Week's Issue
  • Archive
  • Our History
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  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
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  • Stock Market Insights