Ogden firm acquiring Schanze's gun store

Totally Awesome Computers owner Dell Schanze is selling his Totally Awesome Guns & Range.

The Kearns business is being sold to Impact Guns, which operates a retail store and indoor range in Ogden and also has an online sales division.

"Impact is an established store now expanding their presence farther south," said Clark Aposhian, who managed the Kearns store before and after Schanze acquired it and will continue in the post under Impact Guns.

"They're putting a huge amount of money into remodeling and, basically, changing direction, style and attitude. It's going to be a premier gun store," he said.

Aposhian said Impact Guns has submitted its change-of-ownership paperwork to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and he anticipates approval within the next week.

Schanze declined comment.

Aposhian said there was no connection between the change of ownership and reckless-driving and brandishing-a-weapon misdemeanor charges filed against Schanze for an altercation with neighbors in Draper on May 21.

"Dell has been looking to move from the gun store for some time now and to redirect his energy in other places," Aposhian said, adding "the Draper incident probably brought more people in than it drove away."

Aposhian said Impact Guns will broaden its appeal, expanding its range of firearms and services for hunters and target shooters.

"We'll do gunsmithing and black powder guns. We'll provide firearms training — we offer ladies-only classes for self-defense — and instruction for everything from basic pistol to carrying concealed weapons," he said.

Schanze is best known for TV ads in which he is a pitchman for his chain of computer stores.