Gander Mountain Files for Bankruptcy

[hoshour]

Gander Mountain announced that it was filing for bankruptcy and closing 32 stores. You can find the list of closing stores here http://www.twincities.com/2017/03/10/gander-mountain-bankruptcy-stores-closing-says-it-needs-to-be-sold/

With Cabela's selling to Bass Pro, Eastern Mountain and Sports Authority filing for bankruptcy and now Gander Mountain, outdoor gear retailing is a pretty tough business. The list of survivors is getting smaller.

 

[NDguy]

Not surprising to me, the store here in ND is terrible. I don't believe I have ever bought anything from their store because they are nearly always 15-20% higher than any other store and refuse to price match unless it is in town. Meanwhile I bought a pair of Salomon Quest 4Ds at Scheels and they price matched Amazon, saving me $100. That and they can't keep any employees for long because of low wages and low or no commission.


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[go_deep]

I agree with NDguy. Use to live by one, the prices were rather high.
Hate to say it, but I rarely buy from in store. Search the internet when I have time, find the best deal, and buy it. No need to dedicate a day to travel, and hope I find what I want.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Don't shop with them at all. But agree with Dave about all the changes in the industry. I have been a long time Cabelas customer and still like them a lot. Used to Shop a lot at Herter's when there was no online shopping, just catalogues. (bet most of you don't remember that!) Don't care much for Bass Pro either.

 

[kidoggy]

never been a big fan of cabelas. always found their guns to be high priced and their boots to be of sorry quality. can most always find a better deal elsewhere.

I did buy one .54 cal blackpowder rifle from gander some 25 years ago but have not dealt with them other then that one occasion

 

[Eberle]

Here in Oklahoma Academy is hard to beat. They are usually cheaper than everyone, even Wal-Mart.

 

[hoshour]

Speaking of the industry, you might know that Dick's Sporting Goods has new division called Field and Stream that has been opening smaller stores for outdoor gear.

Well, I read where the CEO said a while back that for every $1 buyers spend online they will spend $5 in a physical location and that those who buy from both channels spend 3X as much as those that use only one. I found that interesting since I do nearly all of my shopping online.

 

[Tim McCoy]

Kind of sad. I remember Herters too CC. Netcraft and a few others as well. Cabela's has Herters as one of their brands now I think. I shop Cabela's all the time, their sale prices can be very good. If the Cabela's Bass Pro merger is approved, it could make things very interesting for the remaining competitors. Give them Walmart like buying power, I suspect, in the outdoor segment.

 

[JimP]

Where I live it is 120 miles to the east or west to find a real outdoor store and unless I need it right now I'll order it on line. I try to find places that have free shipping also. We were suppose to get a Sportsman's Warehouse in Glenwood Springs a number of years ago but there was a pissing match between them and the town about signage so for now we are doing without one.

A couple of weeks ago I was in a Cabela's in Denver and while I was looking at a few things I had over a dozen employees walk past me without even a glance at me to see if I needed any help, the same with a few Sportsman's Warehouse. You almost have to bring in a rope to get someone to help you.

Way back when, I used to do a lot of shopping with Gander Mountain. They had better quality that either Cabela's or Bass Pro, but then Cabela's bought them out and they were out of the catalog business. Now when I look at their on line merchandise it looks way over priced.

 

[Gr8bawana]

A couple of weeks ago I was in a Cabela's in Denver and while I was looking at a few things I had over a dozen employees walk past me without even a glance at me to see if I needed any help, the same with a few Sportsman's Warehouse. You almost have to bring in a rope to get someone to help you.

I notice the same thing whenever I'm in Bass Pro. The employees will walk right past you without even acknowledging your presence.
Even if they don't ask if you need any help, a simple good morning would suffice.
The thing I don't like about online shopping is that you can't tell how clothing really feels and fits. I will never buy boots without being able to try them on.

 

[kidoggy]

Where I live it is 120 miles to the east or west to find a real outdoor store and unless I need it right now I'll order it on line. I try to find places that have free shipping also. We were suppose to get a Sportsman's Warehouse in Glenwood Springs a number of years ago but there was a pissing match between them and the town about signage so for now we are doing without one.

A couple of weeks ago I was in a Cabela's in Denver and while I was looking at a few things I had over a dozen employees walk past me without even a glance at me to see if I needed any help, the same with a few Sportsman's Warehouse. You almost have to bring in a rope to get someone to help you.

Way back when, I used to do a lot of shopping with Gander Mountain. They had better quality that either Cabela's or Bass Pro, but then Cabela's bought them out and they were out of the catalog business. Now when I look at their on line merchandise it looks way over priced.

well speak up man. alls ya got to do is say ,YO I NEEDS SOME HEP OVER HERE! i would rather they ignored me till I needed them. but I am not a needy person.

 

[kidoggy]

I will . if they don't fit right when new they will after a couple good hikes. if they don't, get em good an wet an walk em till they fit.
I wouldn't recomend this for just anyone. some have tender feet and easily blister. my feet are so callused ,I doubt I could get a blister if I were actually trying to do so.

 

[JimP]

well speak up man. alls ya got to do is say ,YO I NEEDS SOME HEP OVER HERE! i would rather they ignored me till I needed them. but I am not a needy person.

I did after being ignored. I am also the type of person that knows what he wants and usually knows where to find it, but at times I do have questions and don't want to have to go find a sales person to get them answered.

Perhaps I expect too much from a person that is just walking past me that works in the store

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

After several terrible experience buying boots on line, I will NEVERbuy a pair without trying them on and walking around the store in them for 15 or 20 minutes. Clothes are sometimes a pita too. XL to some mfgrs is really L, so I like to try them on too.

 

[swampokie]

Not a shock at all. I think just about anyone that shops there regularly will be filing bankruptcy. Prices outrageous and academy stores being built next door to most of them was the nail in the coffin.

 

[packmule]

Speaking of the industry, you might know that Dick's Sporting Goods has new division called Field and Stream that has been opening smaller stores for outdoor gear.

Well, I read where the CEO said a while back that for every $1 buyers spend online they will spend $5 in a physical location and that those who buy from both channels spend 3X as much as those that use only one. I found that interesting since I do nearly all of my shopping online.

We had one of those open in our mall 4Q '16. They run some pretty good sales on high end stuff.


Gander running a CVS/Walgreens competition with Academy hasn't helped them any. Most of ours are sitting right across from an Academy.

 

[hoshour]

After several terrible experience buying boots on line, I will NEVERbuy a pair without trying them on and walking around the store in them for 15 or 20 minutes. Clothes are sometimes a pita too. XL to some mfgrs is really L, so I like to try them on too.

You're right. Boots are the one thing I always buy in a physical store. Sizes and widths are all over the place. The widths in different places in the boot are also different, like the heel. I've seen as much as two sizes difference for about the same fit.

Even in clothing, sizes vary slightly. For example, a Sitka jacket is usually going to fit closer than a First Lite jacket and the sleeve length and jacket length will differ. And, Sitka slides over Sitka just fine but it may not slide over a First Lite layer very well.

 

[shootbrownelk]

After several terrible experience buying boots on line, I will NEVERbuy a pair without trying them on and walking around the store in them for 15 or 20 minutes. Clothes are sometimes a pita too. XL to some mfgrs is really L, so I like to try them on too.

Well Cowboy.....2XL is NOT a very big Chinese guy.

 

[mallardsx2]

I hope they still honor my layaway of my wife's new shotgun I got for her birthday....I'm going to call them today.

 

[HuskyMusky]

they say trump is killing gun sales...

kind of ironic I find.

no longer any rush to go get that gun...