Advertising Van for Small Gun Store

Seven years ago, my husband Dennis decided that the best way to have a handgun holster that did exactly what he wanted was to design and build it himself. Friends saw and loved it, and he soon found himself making more and then designing others. His holsters were fairly rough pieces at first, and then as he practiced his craft quickly became works of art that incorporated exotic skins like stingray and python. What started as a hobby soon turned into an online business:  Dragon Leatherworks (www.dlwtn.com).

Three and a half years ago, we moved our family of four from upstate New York to Oak Ridge, Tennessee. We love the town and the people, and the house we rent has a great spot for a small leather shop. The business eventually grew too large for that space, so in 2013 we decided to open a small gun store where we could better show off his beautiful work. We are overall very happy with the location, but it's hard to spot easily from the road.

It can be very hard to advertise on a tight budget, and Oak Ridge does not permit much street signage. We've been hanging banners on our Ford Expedition, but they've let us know it violates a city ordinance. What we could do instead is get a cargo van and have it painted for the business, and park that out by the road. We can find a used van that is reliable but not too expensive, but we also need to pay to have it painted which puts the total price out of reach.

I'll be honest - we're not comfortable asking. We've done the best we can with what we have, but we need people driving by to know we're here. We have a great little business that has introduced us to awesome people, and Dennis is an amazing craftsman. We just need a little help getting to where it's really supporting us.