Popular wisdom says retail stores are best built near high traffic destinations. And popular wisdom is often right. But we’ve found that when it comes to treating folks like family that’s best done at home. And for us, home is Enumclaw.
This is where we were raised. Where we raised our families. Where our families are raising their families. It’s tucked in the shadow of Mount Rainier and its residents are some of the kindest people you’ve ever met (even if we are a bit biased).
We didn’t set out to be the Pacific Northwest’s destination for the best gun safes and vaults. The store came from our founder, David Ballestrasse’s, passion for pre-1900 Winchesters.
In the early 1980s, David’s firearm collection outgrew his storage space. He needed a bigger, sturdier gun safe to house his collection. But what he found was neither the service nor selection he expected.
In 1986, David decided if he wanted better service and selection, he was going to have to make it happen. So he did. He placed a few safes in the corner of his sign shop — located on the very same property in Enumclaw where his grandfather has raised his family and built his American dream in the early 1900s.
By today’s standards, the initial shop wasn’t much. But it was the best local selection at the time. Additionally, David had the expertise and means to deliver and install safes. Over the years, this combination of service and quality has turned our family’s side hustle into a locally-owned and operated business.
Our 18,000-plus square-feet showroom showcases more than 200 unique safes, vault doors, and gun safe accessories. The warehouse houses hundreds more safes in stock and ready to deliver. And, our delivery crews are often booked more than two weeks out.
But our Enumclaw hub is more than just dollars and cents. It’s a family business. David’s wife Patty helps with the accounting. His son, David Jr., works with the sales team, assisting with strategy and business development. And, his daughter, Natalia, manages the store’s social media presence.
The close-knit ties of the Ballestrasse’s helped develop a family-friendly culture that’s felt throughout the entire staff. Delivery crews. Gun safe technicians. The sales crew. The marketing assistants. The accounting department. Everyone is treated like family — as is everyone who visits the store.
For more than 30 years we’ve been honored to serve the Spokane community, which is why opening a store in Spokane Valley feels a bit like coming home. Nestled beside the Dishman Hills Natural Area, our new showroom will give those in Eastern Washington, Idaho, and Montana easier access to view our selection of gun safes and vault doors in person.
