You already know what this place is. The New York Times just put it in print — Shooting Ranges Go Quiet Luxury in the Style section on July 22, with The Range LA as the centerpiece of the story.
Nothing about the club changed the day that story ran. But it’s worth pausing on what the Times noticed, because it’s the same thing you probably noticed the first time you walked in.
The Idea This Was Built On
Peter and Eric opened The Range LA two years ago after decades of shooting elsewhere around the city. Peter’s line to the reporter was the one that stuck: “I tell people we’re a club that just happens to be a shooting range.”
We’re a hospitality-based business,” Peter said. “I want hotel front desk staff. You can teach someone the mechanics of the gun industry. I can’t teach someone to be personable and nice and polite.”
You’ve probably seen that reality for yourself. Peter’s rarely behind the desk — he’s on the floor, checking in, remembering names. That’s not an accident, and it’s not something a reporter manufactures. It’s just what got noticed.
The New York Times spent real time in the club — the ballistic-rated lounge, the comfy leather seating, the coffee-table books you’ve probably flipped through between rounds. They compared it to an upscale fitness club more than a traditional range. Spot on.
It’s built for lingering, not just shooting. Calls between rounds, lunch in the lounge, a session with the armorer to talk through a build — that’s the real rhythm of the place, and it’s exactly what came through in the piece.
The Membership the Times Actually Saw
What stood out most to the reporter isn’t really surprising – there’s no single “type” who belongs here. They spoke with a physician assistant who’s moved into competitive shooting, a longtime Hollywood agent, a former professional wrestler, an 83-year-old who still comes in several times a week. Every age, every industry, every political persuasion — which is exactly what we envisioned – and what you’d find on any given visit.
The no-news, no-politics policy on the lounge TVs made the piece too. Small detail, but it’s the kind of thing that tells you this was never meant to be a place for taking sides — just a place to show up, have fun, and connect.
The New York Times piece positioned the club as part of a wider shift — with similar private clubs opening across the country, and one expert drawing a line back to the members-only sporting clubs of the 19th century. The Range LA is expanding on that momentum too, with location scouting underway in the South Bay and San Fernando Valley.
Read It for Yourself
The full story is up at nytimes.com. Bring a guest next time you’re in — there’s no better way to share this place than to let your friends experience it for themselves.