This Texas Gun Store Is Part Firearms Museum (Photos)

Bronze Samurai Warrior
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I was walking through a big strip mall a few days ago in Houston, Texas. There's a large sporting goods store that I wanted to visit there, and it's set way back in the mall. To get there I had to pass by what was, until mid-2019, a big book store. That space sat empty until a month ago, and I did a double-take when I saw that it was now occupied by a gun store.

Bronze Samurai Warrior
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But it's not just any gun store. Collectors Firearms is a family-owned business. They were at the southeast corner of Fondren Road and Richmond Avenue for many years but had outgrown that space.

The new location is at 7626 Westheimer (at Voss). I'm not good at estimating square footage, but I would guess they have at least 20,000 square feet.

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When I walked through the front door, I gasped. Glass cases filled with antique handguns give this place a museum-like atmosphere. Antique military helmets fill other glass cases. Sheathed Japanese swords guard another.

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Straight ahead of the entrance are two bronze statues of Japanese Meiji period bronze Samurai warriors from the mid-1800s. (The Meiji era of Japanese history went from October 1868 to July 1912.) These bronze pieces are magnificent.

They are quite special and rightfully stand at the very center of the store -- a place of honor. One of the managers, a gentleman named Mike, is an expert in Japanese swords. He's been selling and studying them for over 30 years, and he told me the story of the two samurai soldiers.

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Mike said they paid $140,000 for the set of samurai. They were previously owned by a local club, and were found laying on their sides on the floor of a closet. "They weren't even wrapped,"Mike told me, "and they on the bare floor."

Clearly, the club owners had no appreciation for art or history. "Luckily, they were still in great shape." Collectors Firearms gave them a good home.

Over the years, they've gotten the occasional offer to sell them. I asked how much they would sell them for. "A lot," said Mike, "and there was a man from England who offered over $300,000 for them." For that amount of money, they were ready to let them go. "But he backed out," said  Mike. I could sense that deep inside he was glad they weren't sold. I felt a connection between him and the samurai in the way he spoke about them. They really are stunning and if you're in Houston it's worth the trip to Collectors Firearms just to see them.

See great photos at the store's website collectorsfirearms.com.  They also have a great YouTube channel and are on Twitter and Instagram.

Here are a few photos that I snapped in the store. Click to enlarge.