Athena’s Armory Shoots For Marriage of Fashion and Function (.pdf)
Woman-owned small business offers women shooters a way to look good
while building everyday personal defense skills
FORT MYERS, Fla. Athena’s Armory, based in Fort Myers, Fla., is helping build on the recent growth in women shooters by launching AthenasArmory.com. The e-commerce website offers concealed carry gear and firearms accessories for shooters of all types but focuses on the needs of women by offering a wide selection non-traditional bra and corset style holsters, fashionable range gear, handmade leather concealed carry purses and Swarovski crystal-infused bullet jewelry.
“Girls have different needs when it comes to holsters and gear. And, of course, we like to look nice when we go out in public, whether shopping or shooting,” says company founder and firearms instructor Sara Ryan.
According to a January 2015 release by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the number of women hunters has almost doubled from 2001-2013 and the number of target shooters grew by about 60%. Even more drastic, the Crime Prevention Center reported in July 2015 that concealed carry permits for women were up 270% since 2007. With growth like this, it is no wonder the firearms industry has responded. Manufacturers of guns and gear are putting out many different types of products geared toward women. AthenasArmory.com offers all of Sara’s favorite products, all made in the USA and many from Florida companies, such as Sticky Holsters in Naples and CanCan Concealment in Holiday.
“With so many new products coming out, it can be a great way for women to express themselves. I have tried to sort through some of the options to help our customers save time.”
And although the website serves as a centerpiece for the company, Ryan hopes to build a local following in southwest Florida where there is plenty of interest in shooting. She is a graduate of Southwest Florida Christian Academy and Florida Gulf Coast University and teaches basic pistol and concealed carry permit classes throughout the Lee County area. She meets women every day that are curious about self-defense and shooting and are very enthusiastic about getting started.
“Women want to protect themselves and what they find out is that learning to shoot can be a fun way to get involved with friends and family or the men in their lives.
To make it all work online, Sara went local as well. Brian Joseph Studios, a full service web design and branding firm in Fort Myers, handles all of the company’s branding, website design, hosting and maintenance. “There are a lot of do-it-yourself cookie cutter website solutions out there now, but we really wanted to make a good first impression and build a solid foundation for future growth. Brian Joseph Studios has helped us create what we think is one of the best websites in the industry,” says Sara.
Athena’s Armory provides gear and guidance for everyday personal defense. For more information, please visit AthenasArmory.com
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