Get Protection and Peace of Mind at South Florida’s Only 5-Star Range – Nexus Shooting

■ BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Get Protection and Peace of Mind at South Florida’s Only 5-Star Range – Nexus Shooting

Whether you are looking for a fun new sport or hobby, an exciting idea for your next date night, or peace of mind protection for yourself and your family, Nexus Shooting can assist multiple needs. The unique state-of-the-art facility is one of the world’s most advanced gun store and range.

The facility features Nexus Lanes, a live fire digital video targeting system which creates a unique training environment. Their friendly and professional staff is available to assist and make each guest feel safe and comfortable. Instructors teach new techniques while always promoting safety and new defensive techniques.

Located conveniently in Davie, the award-winning range offers more than just a retail showroom. They offer their customers a safe, high-tech shooting range, training and licensing classes, and an overall exclusive experience regardless if one is a novice or a professional.

We sat down with co-owner Bernard Hsiao, MD. PhD. to learn more about Nexus. How did you, a physician, get involved with opening one of the world’s most advanced gun ranges? (laughs) It does seem far removed from my role in medicine, doesn’t it? Most people are surprised that I had actually never shot until just a few years before opening Nexus. Once I started though, I was hooked. I’m an extremely competitive person and became intensely involved in local pistol matches. I was practicing several times a week, often shooting thousands of rounds.

Over time though, I noticed I was strangely becoming short of breath during my regular exercise routine. I realized I was inhaling gun smoke and the toxic by-products due to the inadequate ventilation of the ranges I was shooting in. My respiratory function was being compromised, and I was getting lead poisoning!

I took a hard look at the gun industry and asked several questions. Why are there no regulations protecting shooters from suffering the same ailment I did? Why are gun ranges and stores frequently dirty and unsafe “holes” in the wall? Why are we still shooting at paper targets in the 21st century? How can we make shooting more fun? Why do gun store “experts” treat women and novice shooters with such disdain? The concept of Nexus emerged to provide the answer to all of these issues. How has Nexus addressed the toxic gun smoke? Not only will our ventilation system protect you from the toxic byproducts of shooting, but the HEPA filtration and laminar air flow are also superb at affording protection from the respiratory droplets of COVID-19. The air pumped into the range is actually cleaner than the air outside, so shooting with us is actually one of the safer activities you can enjoy during the pandemic. You also mentioned safety. What sets Nexus apart? Safety is our number one priority. We have range safety officers on the range to assist our members and ensure everyone’s safety. Each member is separated by bulletproof walls. We also have multiple ranges, so you can come in with your friends or family and shoot in complete safety and privacy. How has Nexus made shooting more fun? Since the gun’s invention, we’ve been making holes in paper targets which is boring and not great training. My brother and partner in Nexus, Michael Hsiao, has a background in programming. We leveraged his expertise to make shooting more exciting through technology. Thus, our advanced virtual range, the Nexus Lanes, was born. You shoot your actual gun and real ammo at interactive video targets, like zombie games, skill drills, asteroids, etc. The computer provides instant feedback, scoring and analyzing each shot. We also have a standard paper target range for those that prefer a traditional experience. Seems like a great partnership. Was it just you and your brother that started Nexus? Our third partner, Christopher Longsworth, brought the final piece of the puzzle with his background in real estate development and architecture. All the projects in his portfolio are highly regarded as being at the cutting edge of modern architecture, such as Strata at Plantation, and Koi Marina and Residences in Pompano. It was through his vision that the striking architectural design of the building and high-end retail showroom came to fruition. Our guests call our showroom the “Apple Store” or “Guggenheim Museum” of gun stores because of the spacious, clean and welcoming environment. What else distinguishes Nexus? It’s really the experience we offer. Shooting is the “new bowling”, a family friendly activity. We’re not here to just sell guns. Nexus is the only five-star range in South Florida rated by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. We received this prestigious award by providing an unparalleled shooting and shopping experience, as well as superb customer service. We carry one of the largest inventories in the country with thousands of guns in stock. We also have hundreds of rental guns, so you can try before you buy. Our training program is also extremely comprehensive. Our instructors can train anyone including someone who has never touched a gun before to experienced shooters, security personnel, and even law enforcement. We focus on the needs of female shooters too. Half of our staff is female, including our store manager. We have female instructors also. Nexus seems very high end. Is it expensive to shoot there? That’s a common misconception. Even though we are a five-star range and offer the highest level of amenities and quality, we aren’t even the most expensive range in Broward County. It’s like driving a Ferrari for the price of a Toyota!

■ Nexus Shooting is located at 2600 Davie Road in Davie. Hours of operation are MondayFriday from 10am - 10pm; Saturday from 9am to 10pm; and Sunday from 9am-8pm. For more information, please call 954-587-8005; send an email to info@nexusshooting.com or visit www.NexusShooting.com.