I am a recently medically retired veteran from the United States Marine Corps for injuries sustained while on active duty that could not be repaired after 6 surgeries and countless treatments. Looking for what I would do when I got out and how I could take care of my family while continuing my service to the community, I realized that I could apply my skills and open a retail store different than
all others. Small business is the driving force in the economy and no population has been more successful at entrepreneurship than Veterans. Veteran-owned businesses account for $2.85 Trillion of the $22 Trillion small business market. Veterans represent only 5% of the small business population, but yet produce over 13% of the revenue! Additionally, studies show veterans are 2.5 times more likely to successfully start a small business than non-veterans. So, with your support of a Veteran now, you will personally play a direct role in creating jobs, taxable revenue, and growing the American economy. And if that isn’t motivation enough, put simply, this is a chance for you to thank someone who has served by giving them the opportunity to find the American Dream that they fought and sacrificed to protect. Additional Letter from the Owner-
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am a Service Disabled Marine and small business owner. I currently own and operate a family owned retail shop in Fredericksburg VA. What we do is not what you expect out of your "ordinary" store. Because, really, Marines are not ordinary. We have a store that people feel comfortable coming to and just hang out. They come by to say "hi", grab a free soda or water and just shoot the breeze. But beyond even that we have created a store that crosses many lines. We bring into one store everything from knives, guns and ammo to motorcycle helmets leather vests and sewing. We take GREAT pride in being able to offer a one stop shop. We sew on patches not just to leathers but we also sew Law Enforcement patches on to tactical gear and even have sewed uniforms for soldiers. We can sew patches and save your pockets because we an old Singer Cobbler machine. We do repairs. We do custom. Being that place you can your questions and requests to and know we will get it done or find the people to get it done has been our bread and butter. My wife Melissa is our main seamstress with myself doing backup. We have done everything from sewing and repairing bags, leather purses and even shoes to making from scratch gun cases and memorial quilt made from Harley shirts for respite care rider. For us to be able to give back to the community is a continuation of our families history of giving to the community. In 2004 we founded GF Communities, Inc. . It was our way of helping out both the community and providing a pathway for my fellow service members of getting out to the community and off base. By looking for community projects and then lining them up with volunteers we served as the go between and tracked the hours of service. That tracking led to the awarding of MULTIPLE Presidential Service Awards over many years and many locations. Something we are very proud of. When we got to Virginia (on orders) I quickly worked to establish a local GF Communities leg and continued our service. This time with an adjustment. We now work to publish and promote community service when ever we can find it. From our own continued service of helping VETERANS thru the promotion of the monthly VFW dinners to helping as many Motorcycle clubs and groups as we can when they do their rides to benefit one charity or another. Last month we donated to the Men of Fire (Firefighter MC) for their charity items to be given and or raffled away. They chose our gift of a custom made ammo box (made by a MP Marine) as their Grand prize. We have helped the Warrior Brotherhood with their Bunny run by having them set-up right at our store to get the word out and collect donations. We are blessed by God that I am here when so many have given the ultimate sacrifice and many more have lost the battle now while at home to suicide. Our business while not big or flashy or even well known, has come to be a shining spot our community. It has given me hope and kept me from the darkness of pity when no one would hire an injured and crippled (looking) Marine. This business was started as an idea for a range for our community. And we started off selling t-Shirts and paper targets from the back of our truck and at yard sales. We slowly built, adapted and grew. Listening to our customers and our community as to what it was they wanted. So when the dream of the range fell off we did not dwell on the bad but looked at it as the sign of things to come. Or as Marines say, we adapted and overcame. The GF Range, LLC became GFR, LLC and we are a retail, service disabled veteran owned small FAMILY business, that does not know how to quit or give up. Which is appropriate given our motto is; "Failure is not an option!"
We look forward to working with many more organizations, clubs and groups as we go forward. We hope to bring a new kind of small business to the area that is not just about making profits but about making our community stronger. Simply put as our sister company GF Communities motto says; "Because it's the right thing to do!"
Rex I Gonzalez
Owner-
GFR, LLC
Fredericksburg, VA 22405
GF Range -
"Failure is not an option!"
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Administration-
Fredericksburg, VA 22405
GF Range - GFRange.com
"Failure is not an option!"
GF Communities - http://GFCommunities.com
Building communities, making them stronger, " Because it's the Right
thing to do"
