MK Airsoft opens amid fanfare

MEDINA — Gabriel Schuster, an avid airsoft player, was tired of driving up to Cleveland to play his favorite game. So the Brunswick resident opened his own 33,000-square-foot indoor field last weekend at 220 N. State Road in Medina. Schuster said it sold out on both Saturday and Sunday. On site is a pro shop and multiple buildings and bunkers to use for the area of play, including a two-story building. Schuster, 30, describes airsoft as a game where two teams face each other to complete an objective, such as planting a bomb or capturing a flag. It offers replica guns that shoot 6 mm plastic BBs. He said it's similar to paintball, but less messy. Once a player is hit, he or she is eliminated. "It's very lifelike," Schuster said. "Airsoft is slowly becoming more popular (than paintball)." He said his company offers gun rentals, masks, batteries and BBs. "We had a really good response the first weekend," Schuster said. "It's a matter of getting the word out there." Tickets are available every Monday for the upcoming weekend. MK Airsoft caps ticket sales at 65 tickets per day. They can be purchased online at mkairsoft.com. Admission is $25 for the entire day, or $50 if rental equipment is needed. MK Airsoft's hours are 5-10 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Schuster said 80 percent of the players have their own equipment. "The goal is to get new people in the sport," he said. "They can (eventually) buy their own equipment and come back." Schuster said it was a long process to get the building ready and he had to add a sprinkler system and bathrooms. "I just got my occupancy permit," he said. MK Airsoft is closed Monday through Thursday, but it's available for parties and law enforcement training. Clientele ranges from 10 years old and older. Some players show up in full military gear. "A lot more veterans are getting into it," Schuster said. "It's so realistic. You put an actual magazine into a gun." Contact reporter Bob Finnan at (330) 721-4049 or rfinnan@medina-gazette.com.