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I usually conceal carry … I like it to look like your not typical gun person. It kind of throws people off.” She said she doesn’t want to be the person at the bank a robber might want to target first. “I want to be the surprise,” she said matter- of-factly. Arizona is a “constitutional carry” state, meaning you can open carry at age 18 and conceal carry at 21, provided you don’t have any felonies on your record. The state still issues gun permits Robertson said are valid in 38 other states. Minuteman’s top-selling handgun is the P365 XMacro 9-millimeter Luger. It is small, but not too small, Robertson said. “There’s enough gun to hold onto, and the weight absorbs recoil.” Maricopa customers’ rifle of choice? Anything with AR in the name. “They’re good for small game, target practice or just for fun,” Robertson said. As a woman, she said she knows what’s best for women seeking protection and security. In Las Vegas, she earned her NRA instructor certification and specialized in teaching women and children how to handle guns. “I actually have a pretty high percentage of female customers here,” she said. “The whole reason why I opened the shop was because ... I saw people driving out from Maricopa to Phoenix and Tempe. When her sons were playing soccer, Robertson said, “many of the soccer moms said they wanted to learn but they went to a gun store that was here and they were so intimidated by them. So, I just felt there was a need for something for new shooters, not just women.” Opening shop in January 2021 presented its own challenges, of course. During the pandemic, she recalled how the supply chain slowdown affected her: “I remember there was a day when I had just one box of ammo.” Supply is no longer a problem for the supply company, she said, and Minuteman carries all “common calibers of ammunition.” I don’t normally open carry — only when I’m working. If I’m out and about, I usually con- ceal carry … I like it to look like your not typical gun person. It kind of throws people off.” PEARLE ROBERTSON
OU COULD CALL THIS NAVY veteran mother of four with an arsenal of guns and ammo a “pistol-packing mama.” Top gun Minuteman’s Pearle Robertson puts it on safety when she arms the public BY JEFF CHEW Y But the soft-spoken Pearle Robertson, owner of Minuteman Supply Co., defies that definition. She’s far from a hard sell on personal weaponry and patiently fields questions from a journalist who wouldn’t know Smith from Wesson if it was pointing at his face. For one thing, owning a gun store that also sells hunting and survival gear was not her original lot in life. “I just happened upon it,” Robertson said behind the gun case at her storefront in The Wells plaza, 41620 W. Maricopa Casa Grande Highway, Suite 106. A year working at a Las Vegas gun range and a move to Maricopa changed all that for Robertson, who also worked at gun shops in Phoenix and Tempe before going solo. She also owns a second Minuteman Supply Co. in Ahwatukee, a gun store she bought last year and rebranded with Minuteman swag. Today, her Maricopa shop employs four local workers and Minuteman Supply Co. comes with an online presence for buyers who want to research and learn before they buy what otherwise might feel a bit intimidating. Online purchases must be picked up at the store, anyway, and coming to the store allows you to get a real feel for your purchase before you pull the trigger. Concealed or open carry? There’s a time and place for it, Robertson said. Open carry if you want to deter a potential threat. Concealed if you’re just running errands. “I’ve had my concealed carry for almost 15 years, open carry for more than 15 years,” Robertson said. “I don’t normally open carry — only when I’m working. If I’m out and about,
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Owner Pearle Robertson at Minuteman Supply Co. on Aug. 29.
InMaricopa.com | October 2024
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October 2024 | InMaricopa.com
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