Jennifer and James Naive don’t like to do anything halfway. So instead of opening one business, the husband-and-wife duo opened two.
The Naives are the owners of both Next Level Ranges, a high-tech shooting range, and Brass Social, a casual neighborhood restaurant and bar. The two businesses are located in the same 40,000 square foot facility at 11800 Electron Drive off Blankenbaker Parkway, hoping to offer a little bit of everything to their customers. Having owned a small gun store previously, the Naives dreamed of something bigger, and were able to make it happen with the two businesses.
“We’re a little crazy,” Jennifer says. “We were already selling guns, so our next step was to build a larger store. We needed to expand to a larger store anyway and adding a range sounded way more fun. Including a restaurant just fit for us.”
“We decided to do both because we always wanted to open a restaurant,” James adds. “We had looked at restaurant spaces in the past. It was one of those things that just worked for us. We wanted to do it, and this was a really good excuse.”
Next Level Ranges and Brass Social opened to the public last November and have progressively seen more and more customers come through its doors. Next Level Ranges takes up most of the space inside the building, featuring advanced shooting lanes and a full-service pro shop, while also providing space for dedicated training and family friendly events, all while promoting safety at every turn. Customers are able to visit both or either of the businesses, with many taking advantage of the convenience to eat and shoot at the same location.
“People come into the restaurant not even knowing they’re in a building with a gun range,” Jennifer says. “You can’t hear them firing and it’s a very cozy atmosphere. We have a really good lunch crowd. We’re starting to pitch a lot more date nights, so people come over and shoot and then come in to have dinner. For safety, we scan IDs in the restaurant anytime anyone orders alcohol, so that locks them out of the range and they’re not able to shoot the rest of the day.”
All levels are welcomed to try out Next Level Ranges. The range offers modern classrooms for skill building with state-of-the-art lanes and computerized systems that can help sharpen the abilities of even the most expert shooters. Classes offered include everything from basic handgun safety to advanced pistol courses and practical shooting, among others.
There are 12 fixed lanes designed for precision shooting and eight lanes offering full-tactical shooting. Next Level Ranges offers a wide selection of gun rentals so customers can try out the most cutting-edge firearms available. They even offer personal lockers providing secure storage for your own firearms. The wide range of space and technology allows Next Level Ranges to offer something for everyone.
Memberships start at $49.99 a month and are divided into Standard, Premier, Elite or Corporate options. All levels of membership unlock various perks around the range, including early lane access and exclusive event invitations. Members also receive guest passes, free or reduced rentals and special savings on training and gear. Corporate members can benefit from team building opportunities and tailored privileges to elevate workplace experience. There are also family level memberships offered that can let the whole household take part in various activities.
“We really built what is considered the next generation of ranges,” James says. “Our ranges are much different than anything else. The targets can move around and react to what you’re doing. We have video game systems to test your reactions. We’re able to go downrange and do barricade work and obstacle work with firearms. Most places don’t have the facilities for that.”
Brass Social was designed as a casual restaurant that provides a fresh and creative menu along with craft cocktails and Kentucky draft beer. Every dish is crafted from fresh, locally sourced ingredients, including its signature hamburgers, which are produced with premium beef from two trusted Spencer County farms. The Naives, alongside executive chef and co-owner Brandon Mitchell, share a passion for creating a dining experience that is both welcoming and unforgettable. Other menu items include a series of salads and wraps, club sandwiches and salmon entrees.
“We’re focused on using local ingredients,” Jennifer says. “Almost everything is scratch made in our kitchen and tastes really fresh. Our menu is online for anyone who wants to check it out. We have a little bit of everything because we love food. Brandon had to reign us in because we were all over the place at the beginning. It was nice having him with his past restaurant experience be able to narrow that down for us so it made sense to our kitchen staff.”
As a family owned and operated business, the Naives strive to treat their employees and customers like family as well.
Employees can cover roles in both spaces, with all pitching in to do whatever is needed. They want all their customers to feel welcome when they come inside with an atmosphere that is fun for all ages.
“We are very family focused,” Jennifer says. “We treat our employees that way and we’re very welcoming to families. We have family memberships that teach gun safety at a young age. If you have guns in your house, your kids should know the safety aspects of guns too. We have some women only classes, so females aren’t as intimidated coming into a class with others who already know everything. Our space is very bright and open and modern. Everything is high-tech and clean. All of our employees are super friendly and open. We want everyone who wants to learn about the safety aspect of firearms and become more proficient to come see us.”
As both businesses continue to grow, the Naives are already looking ahead to the future of what more they could offer to their customers with the space available.
“We do have about two more acres we could build on,” Jennifer says. “As we grow, we plan to expand and offer more of whatever everyone is looking for be that more training or membership space. We do work with a lot of police departments, and they bring their teams to train with us. If we continue to grow that portion of the business, we may do advanced training there. We don’t know for sure yet. It may never be anything.”
Hours at the two businesses are similar, with Next Level Ranges opening every day at 10 a.m., closing at 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and an hour later on Friday and Saturday. Brass Social opens at 11 a.m. daily, closing at 8 p.m. Sunday, 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. This allows patrons to visit the range first and still have time to get dinner after it closes.
For more information on either business, call 502-203-0294 or visit nextlevelranges.com and brasssocial.com.
