RTBA LA has earned my lifelong business.
I have been to many an FFL where you almost feel like a burden... or a nuisance of sorts. Long lines, short answers, and little to no appreciation for the customer. Not to mention the blatant price gouging and advantage-taking as of late! For the longest time, I overlooked these shortcomings and continued to give these businesses my money... Why? "Because they're close in proximity."... "Because it's MY FFL."... "Because that's just how it is."... I'm sure many of you seasoned firearms enthusiasts can relate to this in some way or another. Well, I'm writing this review to advise you to stop. Stop supporting these businesses that couldn't give a damn about you or your property. Stop justifying being treated like you don't matter! The day that you pick up your gun, whether it be your first or fiftieth, should be celebrated! You should be able to make small talk with your fellow 2A supportive brother behind the counter! If it's your first time, you should be able to ask all the dumb questions you want without feeling stupid! Have some respect for yourself, and your hard earned money.
I gave RTBA LA a shot when a new-to-guns coworker showed me all the stupid questions he had been sending to Vache via email. I thought to myself, "Wow. To put up with this level of retardation? That's a man who values his customers." Lo and behold, switching over to RTBA LA turned out to be one of the best gun related decisions I had ever made, besides never buying a Keltec.
I don't know how it was pre-covid. But I can tell you that right now, Vache sets aside a block of time for each customer. He deals with them one by one, face to face. (Masks and social distancing etc of course) He works efficiently, but he takes his time with you. He makes sure that you're good, and that you have everything you need. His prices are EXCEEDINGLY reasonable, and he displays a genuine gratitude for his customers. Right off the bat, he could tell how proficient I was with firearms and showed me the appropriate respect. And I could immediately tell how much he appreciated my sexy rifle, as well as my business. Made me feel good.
Oh, and HE REMEMBERED MY BIRTHDAY, if that gives you any idea of what kind of person you're dealing with. It was my second time seeing this guy in my entire life, and he remembered my birthday! He pretty much ran out of his store as I was leaving just so he could hand me a gift and tell me he appreciated me. Not even my closest friends do that kind of stuff.
I usually don't write reviews unless I'm being bribed with free stuff, but I can assure you that this was in no way incentivized. I simply believe that the efforts at RTBA LA should be recognized, and that you should experience the level of service and satisfaction that they gave me. The shop is on the smaller side, but you can clearly tell that they hold themselves to a higher standard, unlike a lot of the other guys in the area. I will continue to happily go miles out of my way to employ the services of RTBA LA. read more