interview and photography: MK
Every Saturday we’re spotlighting remarkable local females who could change the way we look at the world. This Saturday is Eva Fučka’s turn, a female entrepreneur, who opened her own gun shop in Opicina, Trieste.
Are you a Triestina?
I’m a mix of cultures. I was born in Trieste, I’m partially Slovene and partially Italian. My dad was born at the English governor’s house while Trieste was under the UK protection, because my grandma worked there. My mom is from Ljubljana. I grew up between Slovenia, Carso and Trieste. I don’t feel really feel Triestine, no.
Your last name is Fučka?
Yes, it’s pronounced Foo-ch-kah. It’s Czech. Every time I go back to the States, the airport security instantly remembers my last name. (laughs-ed.)
You own a gun shop in Opicina. That’s not a very common female profession.
True. I’m the only female gun shop owner in Italy. Every year I go to Las Vegas where there are other female gun shop owners like myself and it feels great to be part of that community. The first time I went there I was 18. I couldn’t go to a bar, but I could go to a gun fair, which I did. My dad was in the biathlon Italian national team and his passion were guns, so I grew up in this world. He is partially the reason I decided to open my own company. There are very few women in this business in Italy, and I’m the only one who actually opened her own company.
Why did you decide to open your own gun shop in Opicina?
I grew up in this environment, so it was a natural choice for me. Also, I wanted to have something of my own. In Italy you have to study and pass an important exam in the prefecture. I took this test in front of 12 people from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior. They asked me questions like how Kalashnikov worked. I knew the answers thanks to watching my dad passionately take care of his guns for years. Once I passed the exam, I started looking for a good location. You need to have a bullet proof door, alarm connected to the police station, basically the store needs to get the permission to be a gun shop. There are a lot of things you need to know. Eventually, I found a perfect spot in Opicina.
You must be really passionate about this business.
Absolutely. We opened in December 2020 and of course it was the toughest moment to open a business as we were in the midst of pandemics, but I have high hopes for my store.
What kind of guns do you sell?
Mainly for hunting. In Trieste there’s a club of hunters with about 500 members. Everyone here knows someone who is a hunter – I did my market research before opening the store.
Do you have any female clients?
Yes, I have one. I also sell pistols for competition shooting and that’s what she buys. But generally speaking, most of my clients are male and they are either hunters or athletes.
What’s the name of your shop?
Fuliber, it’s a play on words.
Have you ever felt judged for what you do?
Not judged but people sometimes don’t take me as seriously as they should. I have one male employee and clients tend to talk to him instead of me. When a male client enters he usually asks where my husband, dad or boyfriend is. It’s frustrating but I stopped carrying. Italians are not as open minded as they should be. In their minds, some jobs are still for men only.
Future plans?
I have many projects but can’t disclose anything just yet.
