Joe’s Quest to Keep Others Safe
Joe Krawtschenko is the manager of The Gun Shoppe, along with being a Firearms Instructor. At first when you see Joe, he may seem a bit intimidating, but he’s humble, knowledgeable, and has a grin that shows his inner-kindness.
If you want the best firearm training and someone that will help you choose a gun that fits your needs, then Joe is the right person for you.
Joe has an impressive background, but very few people know how his road to becoming a firearms expert started.
After high school, Joe got his first real job working in security. It seemed that he had a natural talent for protecting others.
A police officer took Joe under his wing and said, “What are you going to do if you get injured? You need a background in something else.”
So Joe enrolled in college and studied technology.
Next, Joe was hired as a Park Ranger, which was less than glamorous, but the sheriff’s office made him an investigator.
You wouldn’t know it, but Joe didn’t touch his first gun until he was twenty-one, because of the strict anti-gun laws in New Jersey. However, he had amazing instructors and a natural gift to hit the target. Joe would practice so much that he would go through a 1,000 rounds a week.
A silly, yet devastating injury ended his investigating career. During the winter, he slipped on a patch of ice and broke his knee, which left him with only 30% mobility.
After much consideration, Joe decided to move to Florida and do contract work during hurricane season, along with being a bodyguard for wealthy business owners. He carried a Glock 19, or Sig 226, which was the best he could, since back then guns laws restricted what he could carry.
When a government agency called him about doing contract work with the Specialized Units, Joe left the United States to other areas such as Iraq. Although before he could leave, the process took nine months of background checks and training before he could begin his assignment.
Joe: “If you’re good at what you do, you’ll make money. If you’re good at fighting and shooting, you will get paid well.”
While overseas, Joe became a firearms subject advisor, police trainer advisor, close quarter battle instructor, along with many other training tasks.

Joe didn’t plan to sell guns, but he noticed gun shops with less qualifications were ripping people off, especially women. It was Joe’s goal to provide a small, boutique experience so that everyone feels comfortable.
Stop by The Gun Shoppe of Sarasota, meet Joe, and learn how to protect yourself in the safest way.