Sportsman's Warehouse/Bass Pro

[RICMIC]

I recently had a good reminder to support the small businesses. I used to buy most of my firearms and ammo at a locally owned gun shop, but after Gander Mt. and later on Fleet Farm moved into the area I found the prices and availability brought me to their stores. I had bought a rifle for my son's birthday back in 1992 and requested a serial # search from the old store because the gun had been stolen from my son's home and the # was needed for a search warrant for the suspect's residence. The owner of the shop had two of her staff searching old records for several hours, and found every gun that I had bought from them except for the one I needed. I offered to pay for their time, but she wouldn't accept it, so I did buy some things that I don't really need to at least show some support.

 

[JimP]

The local mom and pop stores are great if they don't get a big head. It has been my experience that they mark up their prices just because they can and that others let them get away with it. Years ago we walked into one of these type of gun stores and my friend wanted to buy some 7mm Rem mag ammo, when he looked at the price he almost fell over backwards. I looked at it and told him that I'd pick him up some that coming weekend at a large box store in a city 90 miles away. The clerk heard this and said that by the time that I drove that far I might as well as just pay his price. But since I was going up there anyway it wasn't going to really cost me anything more than time.

I went into another small store a few miles from me about 5 or 6 years ago to place a pistol on consignment. I figured that since the owner had a network of other stores throughout the state that I'd be able to sell it with no problem. Well, he looked over the pistol and offered me less than half of what it was actually worth and selling for. I picked it up and walked out. I dropped that pistol off at another gun store that does consignment last November. It sold over this last Christmas week for 4 times what that local small store had even offered me for it.

Now while I can understand that a small local store may have to charge a few bucks more or pay you a little less for items I also know that they don't have to have you bend over and take it without any lube.

 

[Muley bound]

I no longer go to Cabelas and I live 15 minutes from one. When they first built the store 15 years ago, it was great. They had all kinds of good stuff. But as time progressed, it got worse and worse, especially since bass blow took over. Even the people they hire now seem to be clueless. Scheels is about an hour from me. They seem to have a pretty decent selection and employees.
Living in the Midwest, there’s not a lot of stuff geared for the western hunting. So I’ve bought a lot of my gear online from small outdoor stores located in the western states. As far as guns and ammo and archery, I still support the couple small mom and pop stores that are left around here.