Gallery Sportsman’s Club blends craft libations with safe firearms practice

By Jay McKinney

From the moment they enter the doors at the Gallery Sportsman’s Club and Range, shooting enthusiasts of all levels are wowed. While many indoor shooting ranges cater to the basic need of providing a space to shoot, the Gallery has elevated the experience and become a social hub in Lakewood.

Operating in a former Office Depot building, the Gallery sets itself apart from other ranges with its expansive and inviting layout. In addition to the 15 lanes provided for shooting, at both 20 and 25 yards, it houses a full retail store, a room for educational classes and certificates, the Trigger Press coffee shop and the Barrel Room, which is a full restaurant and bar.

While there are similar ranges in other states, the Gallery is the first of its kind in Colorado and its opening was oddly inspired by a bad experience at a shooting range. When the Gallery’s co-owner, Megan Hymanson, visited a shooting range she felt very unsafe after noticing an uncased firearm pointed in her direction that did not seem to concern any of the safety officers.

“I had this icky feeling in my stomach, and I didn’t even want to shoot, so I waited for everyone to finish and I didn’t really want to go shooting again,” Hymanson says. “Then a friend brought it to our attention that there was a new concept of ranges that were popping up around the country that had bars and restaurants in them. So, I said let’s find one in Colorado then if I don’t feel comfortable shooting, I can sit somewhere and wait for you guys.”

After discovering that Colorado did not have one of these ranges, Hymanson and her husband Mark saw a business opportunity and began doing some research. Their vision to bring one of the ranges to Colorado slowly began to turn into a reality. Last year, Megan, Mark and their friend David Grasso opened the Gallery at 1350 Colorado Mills Parkway. The owners are proud to bring Colorado the first range of this kind and promote the hobby of shooting in a safe environment.

It costs between $22 and $27 per hour of shooting and $18 per hour for an additional person to share a lane. However, the Gallery also sells memberships that cost $49 per month and provide perks such as unlimited range time, discounts on training, discounts in the Barrel Room, and free entry to any of the social events hosted.

While the range is the primary attraction opening at 10 a.m. daily, people are more than welcome to just stop in for a morning coffee or watch a game in the evening. No matter what type of visit it is, people can count on amazing customer service and a sense of community.

“We wanted to create a local community where people can come hang out and make friends and meet people and it’s working the way we expected it to,” Hymanson says. “It’s funny because there really isn’t a mold of the type of person that’s coming here. We’re getting people from all walks of life, which is awesome.”

As part of its mission to build community, the Gallery has committed to partnering with local brands. Its Trigger Press coffee shop uses Vail Mountain Coffee and aside from wine, the Barrel Room serves beers and spirits strictly from Colorado companies. The highly localized food menu rotates seasonally but also includes a handful of staples.

When visiting the Barrel Room, the comfy couches and big screen TVs can make one forget that they are within a shooting range as they sip a beer. But as expected, safety is paramount and there are very strict protocols in place when it comes to shooting and being served alcohol.

Anytime someone is entering the shooting range or the Barrel Room, their ID is scanned, and the customers are carefully monitored. As soon as someone sits at a table in the Barrel Room where alcohol is served (even if they didn’t drink it), they are not allowed back into the shooting range. The Gallery’s employees are also highly trained to look for signs of alcohol on patrons who may have had something to drink prior to stopping in.

Despite the highly politicized debates surrounding guns, the Gallery focuses on the hobby of shooting. They encourage people of any skill level to come by and pursue the hobby on their own terms. If that means grabbing a coffee and simply watching others shoot before you ever hold a gun, that can be done.

“The biggest thing to help fight the stigma is the physical build of this place,” Hymanson says. “If you go to most other ranges across the country, they’re dark and dingy and if you want to watch someone else shoot it’s usually through tiny portholes. We wanted to physically lower that barrier by having floor-to-ceiling ballistic glass so if you have an apprehension, you don’t need to go into the range at first.”

Along with the shooting range and outstanding restaurant and bar, the Gallery continues to build a sense of community through a variety of events. They offer a popular brunch on the weekends, hold monthly whiskey tastings featuring local distilleries, and are planning other social events like a pig roast and cigar rolling classes.

Jay McKinney grew up in Sedalia and graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. During his free time, he enjoys playing golf, shooting pool and hiking throughout Colorado and neighboring Utah.