CITY MALL: What’s in Your Arsenal?

Editor's note:  at the request of the owner, we did not take any pictures of guns or ammunition as he did not want the focus to be on weapons. That said, they do offer as the article states, a variety of supplies for hunters and those seeking personal protection.

You may have thought the little white building just north of the Muskego Centre mall on Janesville Road and Racine Avenue couldn’t hold much of interest, unless you’re a deer hunter shopping for ammunition.  You may be surprised.

Somar Tek is in the business of selling self-defense, protective and other gear used by law enforcement, firefighters, plumbers, pest control specialists, and even Jane or John Q. Public – people like you and me.  Their top seller is pepper spray.

“Nobody else sells it,” said Tim Koch, who has owned the business for the past five years since his dad, Sonny Koch, passed away. 

And he names an unexpected line-up of buyers.   “People who walk their dogs, jog or ride bikes on recreation trails, nurses, waitresses, people who walk through parking structures at night” are interested in the self-defense tool, Koch said.

“Pepper spray is one of those things, better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it,” he said.  The spray sells at $11.99 and buyers must be 18 years of age and show a photo i.d. to purchase the product.

Demand is also high for rechargeable or non-rechargeable flashlights that provide better than average lighting, Koch said.  Costing from $60 to $100 on up, “once you own a good flashlight, you’ll never want to use your garbage flashlight,” Koch said.

There’s body armor, flares, binoculars...shelves lined with gear you might not expect to see in a city of Muskego’s size and that might make James Bond himself a better spy.  

Somar Tek is open from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm daily and Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm.  Patch readers may call (262)679-1460 for more information or directions to the store.