Local airsoft stores play a frontline role in promoting airsoft in the communities where they are located. They are the most visible in the communities and are the first point of contact for airsoft players who want to replenish their BBs, get equipment, or have their airsoft guns repaired. They are also in danger as many players make their purchases via online airsoft retails stores which have lesser overhead  as usually they do not need to be prime locations to do business, and thus, less rent to worry about.

With the competition, local stores live on a day to day basis, unless they are in location where they are easily visited by a high number of airsoft players. But since they are usually small businesses, any disruption to their business such as calamities and crime can really wobble them that it might take time for their recover, or just close shop rather than bear more losses in trying to recover.

This is the case for Gorilla Airsoft & Paintball in Bakersfield, California. Last 12 November 2016, the store got burglarised and vandalised. This is the second time that this happened to the store, and for a small business owner, this is just too much. Repairs take money and replacing lost merchandise will also cost even more.

Tammy Lively has put up a “Gorilla Airsoft Recovery Fund” on GoFundMe to help raise some funds for the business to be back in business soon and support the local airsoft players. Here is what she says:

On Saturday November 12, 2016 Gorilla Airsoft & Paintball was vandalized & burglarized.

Beast aka Jerry is a critical part of the Airsoft & Paintball community not only locally but internationally. Including doing a bi-weekly podcast on Gorilla Airsoft Radio . As well as donating to local charities in Bakersfield such as The VDay Project & Pinups For Patriots..

Beast needs help!! We know $ is tight for everyone but the cost to repair the damage & replace the stolen merchandise is an extreme hardship on a small business owner. Not to mention supporting a family on top of that!

Please donate & help get Beast/Jerry & Gorilla back on their feet! No donation is too small or too big!

Thank You! Your donation is greatly appreciated!

Tammy the Uninterested Listener

The amount is not that big, as she is targeting US$3,000 that she thinks could help Gorilla Airsoft get going again. But no one is stopping anyone from sending more funds to push it above the amount she specified since the more resources available, even better for a fast recovery.

It is in the interest of airsoft community that airsoft businesses stay in business so that local players get supported for what they need. Airsoft thrives in communities where there is a central business, either a skirmish site or an airsoft shop, or both and thus, they play a vital role in the overall scheme of things in airsoft.

Go to GoFundMe if you believe that Gorilla Airsoft plays that vital role.