Byrna Technologies to expand retail footprint into Fort Wayne
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Massachusetts-based Byrna Technologies Inc. is planning to open a series of retail stores in locations across the country, including one in Fort Wayne.
The personal defense technology company currently has a manufacturing operation in the city, announced plans to expand that facility earlier this year.
Byrna manufactures “less-lethal” personal security products, including pistols and rifles that shoot pellets, as well as defense sprays and backpack body armor.
The company said in its quarterly earnings report that the new retail locations will build upon its original store in Las Vegas, which opened two years ago and has $1 million in annual revenue.
“These new stores…will provide valuable market data for future expansion,” CEO Bryan Ganz said in the earnings report. “Each store will feature a shooting range for customers to experience our products firsthand, supporting both revenue growth and brand awareness, complementing our continued success in DTC sales.”
The other planned locations are Nashville, Tennessee; Scottsdale, Arizona; Salem, New Hampshire; and Pasadena, California.
Byrna said it has signed a lease for the Fort Wayne retail location, though a specific address was not provided, nor did the report specify how many people would work at the store.
In February, the company announced it opened a second assembly line at its Fort Wayne manufacturing facility and increased the local workforce by 25%, though no employee numbers were given.