Photography by Amy J. Owen
Nestled inside Friedman’s Jewelers is an inconspicuous business that one local radio advertisement calls a “regional best.” Though Friedman’s is arguably the best estate jewelry store in the Savannah River area, the ad doesn’t refer to the jewelry transactions happening inside but to another operation in the back corner of the store: Southeastern Armory, the region’s best gun resource for anyone seeking a large and diverse selection of high-end firearms.
Though the words “Southeastern Armory” appear on the front façade of the building, the best visual cue that you’re at the right place is an older military truck — a World War II-style “deuce-and-a-half” decked with a few American flags — usually parked in the front lot’s prominent corner. In a way, this military truck, suggestive of The Greatest Generation, is emblematic of the quality and dependability of Southeastern’s service and products.
The Backstop
Many Augustans know well-respected businessman Donnie Thompson, owner of Windsor Fine Jewelers since 1975, so it was no surprise when he opened a second jewelry store (Friedman’s) in 2010. I asked Thompson what had inspired him to pivot into the gun business. He said that he had heard that you can’t make money in the gun business, “so you do it because you like it.” Although never much for hunting, Thompson always enjoyed shooting various targets. It so happens that two of his grandchildren like to hunt as well as shoot sporting clays. The same is true of his son-in-law, Jason Hawes, General Manager of both Friedman’s and Southeastern since 2012, when both stores opened, less than half-a-mile down the street from Windsor.
“The whole focus of this store as it grew,” Hawes says, “was to have an estate store and a gun store. We wanted to target the whole gamut of gun customers: those into various types of hunting, those who shoot for recreation, folks in law enforcement. At the beginning we didn’t have guns for all of that, but we grew into it. We had to get set up with major suppliers so that I could buy directly from them.”
A Long Shot
Getting set up with some big-name firearm suppliers, though, doesn’t happen overnight. For example, to be a Benelli dealer — a premier brand whose shotguns have legendary status — Hawes has to buy directly from Benelli since they don’t sell to distribution houses. The only hitch is that he must commit to buying a certain amount of product annually. So, in the beginning, to remain solvent, Southeastern did not carry all the high-brow brands. “It simply takes time to grow into that [level of business],” Hawes says.
Operating for the past 12 years, however, Southeastern accrued enough market success to expand its selection of premium-grade guns, including Benelli, to thousands of firearms. Hawes opined that this combination of quality with quantity, a long-won characteristic of Southeastern’s, attracts many customers: “I try to keep stuff here that you can’t get in the rest of the big-box stores, more of the higher-end products. So, [becoming a good gun business] is an evolution; it’s got to work its way up. Now I buy direct from almost all the manufacturers.”
“We help our customers; that’s what we pride ourselves in.”
–Jason Hawes
Shooting Straight
Hawes remains savvy by watching big-box competitors, the large chain stores, because competing with them can be challenging, sometimes impossible. “Often I can’t keep up with them,” Hawes explains. “They’re buying tractor-trailer loads for all their stores, and here I am — buying six guns. When they put some of their stuff on sale, sometimes there’s nothing I can do.” Sometimes.
What can he do to compete? He looks me dead in the eye, nodding convincingly, “Customer service. Customer service,” he says. “If you have a problem with a gun you bought from one of those guys down the street, they’ll give you an 800 number. But you have a problem with one of ours, bring it back to us. We help our customers; that’s what we pride ourselves in.” Sometimes when one of his customers has a problem, Hawes or one of his guys will troubleshoot it, literally, and send it back to the manufacturer “so that the customer doesn’t have to worry about it.”
Parting Shot
The Southeastern team prides itself on helping gun buyers of all levels, from amateurs to professionals. Their goal is to facilitate the “right” purchase while sifting through the often-tangled considerations of price, purpose and preference. You may discover that rather than getting your avid hog-hunting sister another birthday rifle, she might squeal with delight at receiving a thermal-imaging scope instead. Or maybe your brother, who loves watching Forged In Fire, might admire a sleek Benchmade auto knife. Can’t think of an apt gift for that military-history buff of an uncle who’s also a bit of a prepper? Instead of another large pictorial book or aircraft model, get him a 52-serving bucket of quality survival food. Or now that you’ve got kids in the house, if you want an easy-access way to store your brand-new GLOCK 29, then consider a biometric gun safe.
Whether for home defense, hunting, sport-shooting, collectibles or if you’re looking for a long gun, a handgun, a blade, or some after-market accessory — you will find a magnitude of options among the wares at Southeastern Armory.
Seen in the October 2024 issue of Augusta magazine.
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