CANAAN VALLEY — Hunters and gun enthusiasts in Tucker County can now feed their hunger for firearms and ammo with the opening of a new retail store in Canaan Valley.
Barely old enough to vote, 19-year-old Titus Helmick has taken the expression of his 2nd Amendment right to bear arms to a whole other level with the opening of TC’s Gun Shop on July 4 of last year. Located on Pancake Lane, about a half mile off of Cortland Road down Buckhorn Ridge Road, the fruit of a small business and hard work is evident.
While Helmick has always been around guns as well as being an experienced hunter, it was at the age of fourteen that he began considering the possibility of having a career involving firearms sales. But in recent years the desire to know more about them moved from knowledge to wanting to be a part of the American privilege to own guns.
“It was really the thought of the taking away of guns that made me want to have a gun shop,” Helmick said. But opening a gun shop involves more than just wanting to sell guns.
Helmick recently achieved a “gunsmith” diploma from Penn Foster Career School, an accredited online school that offers career diplomas in specialized fields ranging from administrative assistant to wildlife/forestry conservation. With this certification under his belt, the entrepreneur can offer more than just firearms and ammunition. Even though the gun shop accounts for an array of 26 long guns and 25 handguns currently in stock, Helmick can also order guns for customers through an extensive nationwide network of firearms dealers.
“To order a gun that we don’t have in stock a customer simply needs to pay half the price of the gun upfront, and when it arrives they pay the other half. Once the background check is done that’s it,” he said. “We can pretty much order anything out there.”
With shelves full of popular ammunition like .22 long rifle and .22 magnum; and guns always on display Helmick is not spending his shop hours idly. He also has a backroom where he is able to put his diploma to work.
Helmick has the equipment and the knowhow needed to refinish guns, apply rust hindering “bluing” to exposed steel, as well as providing the option for a “DuraCoat” finish if desired. This is in addition to attaching scopes, sighting and cleaning firearms.
Helmick said, “It usually takes about one to three days to clean a rifle depending on the type and the condition.”
As word gets around that there is a new arms dealer in the area, Helmick admits that this limited view of his operation is a hurdle he is trying to jump.
“I really want people to know that we are an actual store; a retail business … not just someone with a firearms license,” Helmick said.
And within the physical building that houses TC’s Gun Shop it’s not all gunpowder and lead. For the softer side and more feminine consumer Helmick’s younger sister and mother have a corner to display and sell their handmade crafts at Lily’s Craft Corner. Items in this nook include jewelry, duct tape creations, purses, backpacks, baby blankets, stuffed animals, hats and other ornate items.
So what does the future hold for the teenage business owner? Helmick even has his sight targeted on an expansion of the business. His two-year dream would be to have a storefront business on the main drag through the Valley, and even possibly growing into a sportsman retail facility. But regardless of what the future holds, Helmick wants to remain where his roots are grounded.
“I definitely want to stay in Canaan,” he said. “I’d like to bring business to Canaan.” And if you’re going to dream, dream big. What would such a “dream facility” have? Helmick added, “I would love to have an indoor firing range.”
But for now Helmick is busy in the gun shop throughout the week. The hours of operation are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
