As the Obama administration has recently hyped a tax credit as a way to help returning veterans seeking work, a local man has set up his own way to help returning vets, by giving them employment.

Sid (who withheld his last name for personal and professional reasons), a Navy veteran, started Spectre Firearms in 2007, as a way to turn a passion and hobby into a career. His dedication is now leading to the shops first expansion.

“This has always been a passion for me,” Sid said. “My dad was into guns when I was a kid.”

Sid has hired several returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans since opening. It’s his preference to hire former military. He said it’s a brotherhood and among brothers you always try to help.

“One of my old employees, he was like the manager around here, was wounded by an (Improvised Explosive Device) over there,” Sid said. “I gave him a job and he has since been able to move on to bigger things.”

Employees with a military background have more attention to detail, which is something important to firearm enthusiasts.

Ryan Dougherty, a former Marine and current member of the Texas Army National Guard, said the experience, the customer service and the knowledge of veterans is what makes the shop successful. Dougherty teaches the concealed handgun license course for the shop.

“There are gun shops like us, and then there are money shops,” Dougherty said. “There is a difference.

“We want to provide fantastic customer service,” Sid added. “To go above and beyond.”

Dougherty teaches the course once a month, for $120 per person. He has been teaching firearms training for nearly 15 years.

Besides selling guns and teaching courses, Spectre also does gunsmithing, sight installation and alignment and trigger jobs. They also sell ammunition and accessories, as well as suppressors and Class III weapons.

Spectre is located on Spring Cypress Road, just east of SH 249. For information, call 281-257-2245.

Cutline: Chad, an employee at Spectre Firearms and a former vet, shows off some of the inventory at the veteran owned store on Spring Cypress Rd.

Photo by Caleb Harris

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