Business & Tech
Family Firearm Business Shoots for Success
The owners of JCT Arms are fulfilling their dreams at their family-owned, year-old Dunedin shop on State Road 580.
After retiring from the communications industry, Tom Cruden was ready to follow his passion. He wanted to create a business that combined the two loves in his life: his family and firearms.
In May of 2011, he did just that when he opened on State Road 580 (next to and across the street from the).
JCT stands for Joan, Chris and Tom. Joan is Tom’s high school sweetheart and wife and Chris is one of the couple’s three sons who owns the business with them.
Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.
Like his father, Chris Cruden grew up with a passion for firearms. He got his first BB gun at age 11, and says he's shot everything from a .50 Browning Machine Gun (BMG) (one of the biggest guns) to the smallest handguns.
Although Joan Cruden works at the store one day a week, father and son spend the most time together at the business. Like many family businesses, the two men often find themselves having opposing views on how to run the store.
Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.
“We had different ideas from the very beginning,” Chris Cruden says, “We couldn’t agree on a location for the business. We’ve had to work through our differences, but ultimately, we’ve been really happy with our location. Thousands of cars drive past us every day and our business is growing.”
Aside from selling a large variety of new shotguns, rifles, pistols, gun safes and other self defense items, JCT Arms will also buy or trade pre-owned firearms.
“Our focus here is on having amazing customer service. That can sometimes be a rarity in our industry. This store is our passion so we are constantly researching what is new on the market and we can find hard to finds items for our customers,” Chris Cruden says.
JCT Arms also offers safety classes. Tom Cruden is a NRA-certified pistol instructor and teaches the Concealed Weapons safety class that is needed to apply for a Concealed Weapons Permit. They offer both daytime and evening classes.
The class costs $50 and private as well as group rates are available.
Want to take a class, or buy the popular Hot Lips Pepper Spray? Visit JCT Arms and then in the Patch directory.
Want to Go?
- Where: , 2109 Main Street, Suite F & G
- Hours: Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, closed.
- Contact: 727-736-GUNS, www.jctarmsllc.com
