HAMPTON, NJ (May 21, 2016) – Rising gun sales have triggered a new trend in furniture fashion — coffee tables, cabinets, headboards and hutches with secret compartments for firearms.
‘Gun concealment furniture’ sales, once the province of solitary craftsmen making custom goods have gone mainstream, allowing firearms owners to maintain easy in-home access to hidden handguns and rifles.
“There are a lot of people who don’t want a big iron safe,” said Dan Ingram, owner of NJ Concealment Furniture, based in Hampton, N.J. “There are a lot of people who don’t even have room for one, but they still need someplace to safely store their guns.”
Ingram, a longtime cabinet maker, started building the special furniture four years ago after getting inspiration from the online gun community.
“At the time, I was on a lot of online gun forums and there was a constant complaint,” he said. “People wanted something with quick access when they needed their weapons to keep their homes safe which is why they bought the guns in the first place.
Furniture maker Dan Ingram says more people are looking for alternatives for storing firearms in the home.
Ingram’s first design was a simple nightstand with a side compartment to hold a pistol. From there, he began designing and fabricating other items, such as wall shelves, coat racks, desks and hutches. Soon the specialty line became the company mission.
“I eventually closed my main cabinetry business,” he said, adding that he has seen more and more interest in his products as gun sales have gone up.
His products draw a steady stream of curious future customers at gun shows, Ingram said.
Shelves like this one have proven to be one of the more popular and most affordable options.
Small and large furniture manufacturers alike are coming up with more creative ways to design furniture that not only provides safe keeping, but also easy access.
Major outdoor outfitters including Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops sell ottomans, benches and other furniture with built-in, locking gun compartments.
But it’s the specialty gun safe manufacturers that have stepped up to the plate and delivering more than just novelty in gun concealment furniture. A company out of Utah, called QuickSafes, is one of the companies that have resonated with consumers. Winning repeated accolades at SHOT Show, the annual industry show in Las Vegas, NV, their product line earned them the distinction of Top 5 New Products.
But what sets these products apart from just a hidden storage compartment? A key challenge for manufacturers is to make the furniture as secure as a traditional gun safe, to ensure against household accidents or children getting their hands on the weapons.
“I grew up with my dad in law enforcement, so we were always used to a shotgun in the bedroom,” Tom Parker, a local gun show attendee said. “But my nieces and nephews did not grow up that way, and I realized that I needed a way to safely store my gun when they visit, and still get to it quickly in the event of a home invasion.”
In fact, this unfortunate situation was put to the test during a home invasion last month when a burglar attempted to kick in Tom’s front door in the middle of the night.
“I was startled and frightened beyond description,” said Christine Parker. “Tom was out of town on business and it was just me and the children. A few weeks before that, my husband had installed a shotgun lock by the nightstand…I never dreamed I would have had to use it.”
But Christine was able to defend her children and her home from the intruder without having to fire a shot. The shotgun lock installed by Christine’s husband is accessible with a RFID wristband which she keeps on her wrist at all times. “I grabbed my shotgun and racked it…and that was enough to spook off the intruder.”
“We are getting more and more inquiries every day for our products” a QuickSafes representative told 411Press.com. “There seems to be a growing demand, and I think it’s tied to people’s concern about the economy, the political and social environment, and where things may be headed.”
Still shaken, Christine is thankful nothing worse happened and recommends that all mothers and parents use a quick access lock or safe. “I could never live with myself if anything ever happened to my children – by an intruder or by accident.”
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