MANSFIELD — Josiah Walsh said an entrepreneurship bug must have bitten him at a young age.
“I remember selling candy door-to-door when I was like 6 years old,” the teenager and owner of Deathrow Airsoft said.
Walsh was part of the last Young Entrepreneurs Academy at the Richland Area Chamber, which was redeveloped into the Young Leaders Institute. He received more than $1,000 after presenting Deathrow Airsoft to a panel of local business leaders.
“I was able to use that money for website design and building up my inventory,” Walsh said.
Nearly two years after completing the YEA program, Deathrow Airsoft is still going strong. Walsh converted his parents’ pole barn on State Route 546 into the shop’s headquarters — selling new and used airsoft guns, pellets, vests, helmets, masks and customized parts.
Walsh said he had an airsoft-themed party for his 12th birthday a few years ago.
“We got a bunch of small, spring-powered, single-shot guns,” he said. “Then, some of my friends got some of the fully automatic ones, which are fun.”
A Mansfield Christian student, Walsh’s family lived in Grass Valley, California until moving to Mansfield about five years ago.
His father owns Walcraft Cabinetry and Elyon Cabinets. Josiah is the oldest of five siblings and said his 6-year-old brother asks about what he sells after each customer visits.
“Malachi comes in and asks, ‘Josiah, what you sell?’ sometimes when I’m still talking to customers,” he said.
Walsh buys used airsoft guns off eBay or Craiglist and fixes them up to resell.
“When you’re buying online, you don’t always know if it will work or not, so being able to buy in-person and shoot the gun to make sure it works gives people some peace of mind,” he said.
“And, if I’m buying a used gun from someone else, I’m able to do the same thing if they’re in the shop.”
Walsh aims to build mobile Deathrow Airsoft & airsoft field
Most of his customers have been from central Ohio, and either teenagers or middle-aged men.
“Some dads come in with their kids occasionally,” Walsh said.
Deathrow Airsoft recently became a licensed wholesaler for Elite Force Airsoft, so it also sells new airsoft guns in addition to used equipment, 3D-printed parts and customizations.
“I have diagrams of specific parts we can print, or anyone can tell me the custom attachments they want and I’ll get it printed,” Walsh said.
Walsh also runs a blog on his website, including highlights on the differences between airsoft and paintball, a guide to airsoft sniping and different gun upgrades.
Caleb Skrobowski, a customer turned graphic designer for the business, found Walsh by searching “airsoft stores near me” online.
“I’ve played airsoft since I was really little with my family, and we needed some new equipment so I searched, and Josiah’s place came up,” Skrobowski said.
“Since his business is in a barn, I pulled up in their family’s driveway and thought ‘this can’t be right,’ but his mom told me I was in the right place. I was immediately impressed by Josiah’s professionalism and how knowledgeable he was.”
Skrobowski has a degree in graphic design and art, so he offered to help Walsh with some website design and social media.
“I really enjoy helping small businesses, so I was happy to help him out,” he said. “Josiah’s super fair with prices and treats his customers really well. You can tell that by talking to him and walking into the shop.”
““I have diagrams of specific parts we can print, or anyone can tell me the custom attachments they want and I’ll get it printed.”
— Josiah Walsh, Founder/ CEO of Deathrow Airsoft
Deathrow Airsoft has almost 20, five-star Google reviews. Walsh said he wants to grow the business while still in school and eventually build an airsoft field for games.
“It’s difficult since I’m still in school, but I’d like to build a mobile business to bring equipment to people’s houses for birthday parties and stuff,” he said.
“I think it would be neat to get some paintball or splatter ball equipment too for younger kids.”
Deathrow Airsoft is online at deathrowairsoft.com and on Instagram @deathrowairsoft. Walsh opens the shop by appointment, and customers can contact the business at 27jwalsh@gmail.com or 419-612-1946.