Reports: Gander Mountain preparing to file for bankruptcy

[Smoke4320]

Reports: Gander Mountain preparing to file for bankruptcy
Katie DeLong
23 hours ago
Gander Mountain is preparing to file for bankruptcy, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

According to the Business Journal, a report from Reuters cites unnamed sources familiar with the matter.


Officials with the St. Paul, Minnesota-based hunting and outdoor retailer have hired Minneapolis law firm Fredrikson & Byron and New Brighton-based Lighthouse Management Group as a financial advisory firm as it prepares its filing, the Business Journal is reporting.


Gander Mountain officials declined to comment, with a spokesman telling the Star Tribune: “They’ve taken a vow of silence.”

[starmac]

Well, I hate to hear that, they are the one and only source I have ever found for the frog togg caps.

[Finster101]

Judging by the one in Orlando/Lake Mary I'm not surprised. I've always found them to be way over priced.

[timspawn]

I think there are three on I-75 between here and the FL GA line. I was in the one in Albany GA during archery season and again in November. Prices seemed in line with BP and Cabelas, at least for the stuff I was looking at.

[shoot-n-lead]

This is probably what Bass Pro/Cabelas wanted...and it does not surprise me. The one store we have within driving distance of us, is miserable.

[RogerDat]

Having prices in line with Bass Pro is hardly going to encourage me to shop there. I go to Cabela's down by Dundee from time to time and prices are not great but tolerable, I made one trip to Bass Pro to buy ship to store powder and I am convinced they had the hard to find powder because they were 20% more than anywhere else. Haven't been back.

Don't hit Gander Mt. more than once a year just not convenient for me and the times I have been there I didn't find what I went for. Still hate to see a choice go and reduction in competition won't help prices any.

[country gent]

My complaint with gander Mountains isn't just the prices they charge. The Local GM here changes their stock and or inventory quite often meaning what I buy there may not be in 6 months to a year.

[timspawn]

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/bass-pro-cabelas-deal-falling/?utm_source=Boomtrain&utm_medium=manual&utm_campaign=20170214

[DanishM1Garand]

Chapter 11 or Chapter 7 is the question.

They have poo for reloading, prices are sky high, selection is ecxerable. Seriously, a DPMS rifle for 1200 bucks? They wouldn't even talk to me about a Henry in .41 Magnum. "Nope, can't get it!". Yet they have two dozen Henry rifles in othe calibers.

The destructive dynamics of capitalism are at work here. Serve your customers or they will abandon you.

[tygar]

Ok by me! Havn't bought anything from them in years. Hi prices, poor stock, etc. etc.

[bob208]

I was in the local gm years ago. over priced poor service not much in the line of guns. I go to the local mon and pop gun shops. keep them in business.

[Moleman-]

Used to live near the headquarters in or near Bristol Wi. They also had a building in the parking lot where they sold returns or stuff that didn't sell at a decent discount. Had a friend working there that summed up how they lost their catalog division years ago pretty well. They grew and hired college kids who didn't know the business but knew numbers. They stopped stocking things that margins weren't good on even if it was something that got guys into the store to buy other stuff and vastly expanded clothing. They opened new stores and stocked them with merchandise from the catalog division. Guess what, not many people wanted an $80 gander mountain sweat shirt so some of the new stores went under and since they were stocked with catalog merchandise they took that with them. Had to sign a non-compete clause that kept them from having a catalog division for a number of years which only helped cabalas and bass pro grow. They never fully went back to limited clothing and concentrate on hunting/fishing stuff. The local ones here are almost 1/2 clothing. Camo clothing I get, but if I want jeans or shirts gander isn't where I'm going to get them. Their reloading sections are also pitiful. Their used gun prices are high, but so is the local cabalas. I will hate to see them go as I do stop in there a couple times a month on average, but often walk out without what I went in to buy. Still beats going to the grocery store or a shop the Mrs picks out.

[Petrol & Powder]

They also seem to put a LOT of capital into new facilities. Most of the GM stores I've seen are brand new buildings, on prime real estate in the urban ring of a city. Then they charge prices for merchandise that can found at other sources for much less. I don't know if the 1st post of this thread will prove to be true but it wouldn't surprise me if is does.

They've got a lot of money tied up in buildings and real estate and not a lot of sales to support it.

[Beagle333]

Gander Mountain = high price.

[Plate plinker]

No loss to me with the high prices and nearest store 40+ miles away.

[Lloyd Smale]

no sympathy from me. I hate that store. Prices are way to high, the gouge people during shortages. My wife knows more then the guys behind the gun counter about guns and loading. One other thing that really torqued me off and this might just be a local thing. But after the price of 22s went skyrocketing the people working in the store were buying them when they came in and selling them to there buddys and jacking up the price even higher and selling them to other people. I have to be desperately in need of something to walk in that store again.

[dragon813gt]

Less competition is never good for the consumer. That being said I've never stepped foot into a Gander store. There are none close to me. Their reputation precedes them so there is no reason for me to go out of my way for one of their stores.

[nagantguy]

Yep, trendy high priced and never seem to have what I want at any price anyhow! Good buddy and me went to one just before Christmas cause they had the new sig 320 or whatever one he's been drooling over, they had them about 175-200 over anyone else's price! While he was haggling on that I looked at the center display, magpul mags gen 2 on sale for 14.99, the local shop has them for $10.99 everyday

[GhostHawk]

Overpriced, service at ours was never that good.
When the service person I finally found figured out that I just wanted a couple of Hipoint Magazines not a new gun he waved me in the general direction and went back to his coffee and magazine.

Needless to say I won't go back anytime soon.

[Freightman]

The one here is over priced Academy is much better, plus they built way west of town to save city taxes but the store has an exit but to get back on I40 you drive 5 miles. Poor planing IMHO.

[bubba.50]

corporate greed & incompetent employees will do that to ya.

[LUBEDUDE]

I live behind a Gouger Mountain and rarely go in. When I do go, I will look around TRYING to buy something, but everything is full blown retail. No thanks

Also, their main push seems to be clothes. Of course, clothes have huge margins. Sorry, I'm not willing to pay $70-80 for a pair of walking shorts.

There will be less than a dozen cars in the parking lot. I think most of those belong to the employees. Then I will drive a quarter mile down the street and have to search for a parking spot at Academy.

[375supermag]

Hi...

I can only echo what others have said...Gander Mountain is way overpriced.
Used guns are priced at new prices and new guns are at or above MSRP.
When the Gander Mountain opened here in York,Pa. they had a pretty good reloading section but eliminated it after a few years.
They did re-start it a few years later but the selection was very small and the prices were outrageously high.
They do have a very nice clothing section if you want to pay high prices.
Customer service has deteriorated over the years to the point of being practically nonexistent.

I stop in now and then to see how things are going but I can usually find much better selection and prices at the LGS.
For outdoor clothing for hunting and hiking I can get better quality at Bass Pro Shops or Cabelas even if they are respectively an hour and 2-1/2 hours by car from my home. There is also a LGS (Shyda's in Lebanon, Pa.) nearby (1-1/2 hour away by car) that has excellent prices on new and used firearms and reloading supplies. They also have a huge clothing and outdoor footwear store in a separate area of the building. Great employees and excellent service.
There is also a LGS(Enck's Gun Barn in Myerstown,Pa) that caters to the Cowboy action shooters that has an excellent selection of new and used guns of all types at very good prices. They also have a very nice indoor shooting range and a couple of very good gunsmiths on staff.
I buy a lot of guns and reloading supplies at these two shops.

I doubt I will miss Gander Mountain if they go under. If they do fail, they will have done it to themselves by a bad business plan, ridiculously high prices and poor customer service. They treated their hunting/shooting clientele pretty much the same way as Dick's did with the same result...most of us shop elsewhere, although Dick's did open up the Field & Stream line of outdoor stores to re-capture that hunting/shooting customer base. Not sure how successful that plan has been...the store near me seems to be busy but the prices seem quite high to me.

[flyingrhino]

I'll look forward to a going out of business sale. I only shop there on rare occasion and usually just to buy deer corn. Field and Stream came in here about a year ago and they are much better than Gander. Just waiting for my Bass Pro that is almost 2 years behind schedule.

[Blackwater]

Folks, it's very hard to make a buck in the sporting goods business. It's been purposely made that way as much as the folks who've run things in DC could make it. And all the anti-business philosophies so scrupulously held by so many there have made it harder and harder to succeed in ANY business for about 40 years now. I feel sorry for them, though I've never ordered anything from them that I can remember. And the Wal Mart mentality of getting everything at the very cheapest price possible has hit the big outfits pretty hard. They HAVE to build ONLY in areas where there's a large sportsman's population in order to effectively both serve them, and yet stay in business. They operate on, ultimately, a razor thin profit level, after paying all the personnel and bills and all the display stuff. The constant squeeze they and most other businesses have been subjected to have been like a python's death squeeze. Now that we have in office a President that actually WANTS businesses to prosper, maybe at least some of it will be alleviated, but I wonder if it'll be in time to save GM and many more businesses who've gotten in trouble, often from misreading the signs that point to future possibilities. If Congress fights restructuring our tax system, and continues to spend in a manner to make drunken sailors blush, we will see MUCH more and much worse things to come. We are at such a critical juncture in our history right now, that if we don't reform ourselves, and learn from past mistakes that sit and glare at us, and bid only that we just SEE them, we'll likely not have the opportunity to reform them later.

Many cannot imagine the fall of the USA. But we're no different than any other country in history. Our fall is NOT inevitable. It will come ONLY if we neglect the things that our forebears attended to intelligently and honorably and honestly. Only time will reveal how we're going to deal with it all.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

As a reloader, it seems to me, that Gander Mountain really made a couple bonehead moves.
They had reloading supplies, then about the time Obama was elected, they closed that stuff out and quit stocking it in stores (in MN anyway). Then about a year after the Sandy hook shooting, during the shortages, they attempted to start stocking it again at stupid high prices.

Now, it's not that I was much of a customer before, but I always double check pricing with other suppliers, when I place an order of sporting goods from where ever ...but now only look to Gander Mountain, if they are having a "fire" sale...which looks to be on the near horizon.

[WILCO]

Folks, it's very hard to make a buck in the sporting goods business.

It's much easier to bash a corporation than to understand the nuts and bolts of business and basic economics. I like Gander Mountain. I vote with my wallet. If they have a product I want, I'd buy.
Failing that, I've walked. Hopefully, the management can save their organization. Would be nice to see them continue. Our capitalistic history is replete with big corporate names that have gone the way of dinosaurs.

[OverMax]

Knew some day it would happen. Holiday Gas Stations and Holiday Sports Stores owned the Erickson family here in MN bought out their #1 competitor> Gander Mtn years ago._ (GM) being a family held enterprise located in Wi._ The Ericksons quickly replaced their Holiday Sports Stores logo with new Gander Mtn badge. Although Gander Mtn did at one time compete with Cabela's quality and pricing in catalog and counter sales. Gander {as I believe} were unable to maintain the effort due to the infusion of cash Cabela's got with their selling out to Bass Pro recently. Its a shame. As Gander Mtn employs allot of folks all across the country. I will miss the Super Gander's Store recently built close by me. It was a dandy place to browse and {for me} reasonably priced .

[Walkingwolf]

I honestly don't know how much of these places stay in business. The overhead of these type of stores is huge, they all operate on leases, and loans. I can get whatever I need from small shops, who own their stores, and merchandise. I worked for a marina a good number of years ago, that got too big for their britches. They were so far in debt for everything that eventually they could not stay afloat. The failure of mega stores, IMO, is actually good for mom, and pop stores.

[shoot-n-lead]

I did a lot of business with GM 20+ years ago when they were a catalog company. I bought a lot of stuff from them because selection and prices were good. The catalog went away...for a long time, I had no dealing with GM...then they started coming back and built this store about 125 miles away...what a disappointment the store has been.

[shoot-n-lead]

I honestly don't know how much of these places stay in business. The overhead of these type of stores is huge, they all operate on leases, and loans. I can get whatever I need from small shops, who own their stores, and merchandise. I worked for a marina a good number of years ago, that got too big for their britches. They were so far in debt for everything that eventually they could not stay afloat. The failure of mega stores, IMO, is actually good for mom, and pop stores.

Helping mom and pop stores is fine...as long as your town has these stores and even if it does, the selection is not nearly what is available in the big stores and online. Also, Bass Pro and Cabelas has been around a long time...and there are regional stores like Scheels that have been around for years, too...so, I guess the big companies have shown longevity. We don't have much in the way of regional chains down here in the south.

I am in a small town...90% of my buying is online.

[44man]

We lost our sporting goods store some time ago. They had EVERYTHING and it not, they would get it. I always got a discount on a new gun and prices were right. The store was always packed.
The reason they closed was the owner got old and retired.
Now gun shops opened in a lot of places but they do not sell reloading stuff. I have one store left that has primers and some powders. If I want a gun I will go there first. I used to buy things from GM catalogs but when they opened stores I always walked out empty handed.
The days of Herter's is gone.

[waltherboy4040]

Seemed like their selection of stuff kept getting smaller and the employees were horrible to deal with. My local one turned into a giant clothing store with sporting goods stuff, they won't be missed.

[w5pv]

I have purchased a few things but not much they were always overpriced,the items I did purchased were not in stock anywhere else.

[Triggernosis]

I hate it for them because more competition is better for the consumer. I buy based on two criteria: service and price. The local GM offers me neither.

[bulletbaron]

Same thing in NW Indiana, they wanted to be "THE" handgun seller around here, WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!

[dbosman]

These? http://www.froggtoggs.com/mens/accessories/caps-hats-visors.html


Well, I hate to hear that, they are the one and only source I have ever found for the frog togg caps.

[Kraschenbirn]

Not a big surprise: got a GM here a couple years ago and, since the "Grand Opening Week", it hasn't done squat. Only things I've ever bought there were couple bulk-paks of Fed. .22s and a pair of Merrill hiking shoes...both "on sale" items. Stopped in a couple weeks ago...on a Friday night, no less...to check on something I saw in their sales flyer (it was 'out of stock') and, I swear, you could've chucked a couple frag grenades without endangering more employees than customers. Part of GM's problem here is that, about a year after they opened, we got a full-blown Dick's/Field&Stream 'superstore'...every bit as over-priced as GM but a better selection of equal (or better) quality goods.

Bill

[Geezer in NH]

I did a lot of business with GM 20+ years ago when they were a catalog company. I bought a lot of stuff from them because selection and prices were good. The catalog went away...for a long time, I had no dealing with GM...then they started coming back and built this store about 125 miles away...what a disappointment the store has been.

Yep their ads in the shotgun news made me buy lot's from them but they went retail. Did not work in the long run

[Morgan61]

Used to like going to the Gander mountain store when they were still in Wilmot, Wi.
Not so much now. I'll buy inexpensive items like Hoppe's #9, cleaning patches or some fishing jigs but that's only because the new location is convenient for me.

[salpal48]

This Is another sign That Brick & Mortar store are going to be a thing of the past. With the high cost Of a Physical store, Insurance , Salaries, and expenses. this is going to continue. Since Most american Do not support any store unless It is Cheap, it does not pay to stay open.
Since 99% of the Online store are strickly Fulfillment ( direct from Manufacturer) , There is no outlay for Stock, Minimal and Non Informed staff. It's a Home run For Them but Bad for the working Public . Remember No stores, No jobs, No income. No money to buy anything

[Finster101]

"This Is another sign That Brick & Mortar store are going to be a thing of the past."

I think this is because everything built is the size of a super walmart. Scale things down and it may work.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

We used to stop in the Eau Claire, WI store on the way to the BWCA to get what we needed. Bulk bins of jigs and tails lined the walls. Stopped in the Duluth store a few years ago expecting to do the same, the bulk bins were gone and we could hardly find what we needed. Ended up buying a few overpriced packs of odds and ends to get by, but we were very disappointed. Walmart would have been better.

[RugerFan]

I remember when they went through bankruptcy in the 70s, but came out of it. I think more competition is good and I hate to see them go. Plus I really like the GM brand gun slings.

[Murphy]

Gander Mountain moved into Texarkana, Texas about 7 or 8 years ago. Killed just about every small gun shop within a 30-40 mile radius, then set their prices.

I've always said they named it Gander Mountain for a reason. Take a GANDER AT THEM PRICES!!! And, they employed 'sales personal' who pretty much knew nothing about anything they were selling firearm related.

I feel for the employee's, but that's about all.

Murphy

[starmac]

That is odd, GM moved into Amarillo 8 or 10 years ago maybe even longer, and I was sure glad to see them. They had decent prices on fishing and hunting goods except firearms. They sure didn't hurt any local gunshops in that area, that I an aware of.

[funnyjim014]

We have one in Buffalo, always empty and sky high prices. Now we have a micro cabels and it's even worse. I would rather go to a mom and pop store any day of the week. At least the money stays local and they at least they know what guns they are selling

[woodbutcher]

[smilie=b:Been in a GM store twice.My first and last.Had a couple hundred bucks to spend.Sort of did a sight seeing pass through the place.The clothing shelves looked like a tornado went through the store.Rod displays about the same.Inquired about a couple of fishing items that I was thinking about purchasing,and the clerk got a deer in the headlights look on his face.Said thanks and walked out never to return.The camping gear displays were just as bad.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[jonp]

Not surprised. The one near me is overpriced and has tons of North Face, Patagouchi, Under Armor etc and other weekend warrior gear but not much sporting stuff plus the firearms are very expensive. I went in once because it is next to a Total Wine and my eyes popped at the gun prices. I even checked the price of one pistol with my smartphone and it was better than $100 over a different retailer. Didn't stop one guy at the counter from buying, though. It is strange because I used to shop in the one in Warsau, WI on a frequent basis and the people in the gun section were excellent with the prices not unreasonable. They got caught up in the Audi and Volvo crowd who like to dress like they are assaulting Mt Everest next weekend when driving their kids to daycare.

As another mentioned they are another version of Dick's and I agree: Much high priced clothing but little outdoor gear at a reasonable price. Yuppies buying that stuff are shopping EMS. If your going to buy that stuff shop online at LL Bean. Quality gear and lifetime no questions asked return policy.

[Half Dog]

High prices: Yes
Great place to walk around and look: Yes

[rosewood]

Have shopped BPS, Cabelas and Gander Mountain. All are over priced. Folks just pay for the name. Only time I buy anything is if they have a sale or are the only ones that have it at the time. Most of the local gun stores that sell reloading stuff are 10 to 20% cheaper than those 3 stores. Academy is typically good on prices also. I shop there a lot. I will say BPS typically has a better selection than Academy, but Academy is about moving products. If it sits too long, they put it on clearance.

Rosewood

[Walkingwolf]

"This Is another sign That Brick & Mortar store are going to be a thing of the past."

I think this is because everything built is the size of a super walmart. Scale things down and it may work.

Exactly, stop paying rent, and interest on borrowed money. Two local shops in Sanford are doing very well, they do not have everything but will work on getting it. Ed's in Vass has all my reloading supplies. I have asked if their stock was on margin, nope they owned all their stock. Two stores are owned completely by the company, the third is a small store with a low rent.

Yuppie stores are getting in trouble, people have lost interest in shopping in mega stores. They look for what they want, and then get it where they want. We have had a rash of new boutique chains in Sanford, I occasionally go into them, they are dead. Rent for a store in the 40,000 square feet on the beaten path used to be around 2 grand, that has probably doubled. Light bills tend to run into the thousands of dollars. Employees earn more than the daily sales, except for Christmas.

The one I see about the best business in is Tractor Supply, but then it is never packed, a few customers at a time. Granted profit margins are extremely high they still have to make enough profit to cover their extreme operation costs.

This is why Sears, and K Mart are dying, Target is not making money, even Walmart store earnings are down. Amazon is growing, and small retail stores with intelligent business skills are returning.

It is no different then buying a house. Buy outside your means, and you will have a hard time keeping afloat. We as a couple owe absolutely nothing, but we do not live like royalty either. Cars are used, but paid for, home is simple but paid for. If I decided to run a business it would be no different.

[Mal Paso]

Gander, Bass and Cabela's imagine a sort of careless spending that is in short supply. The highest customer concentration in Cabela's is the Bargain Cave.

I went to the Bass Pro in Phoenix and wondered why. Another Costco to swallow Dick Price's, Price Club? But you need some core draw like lowest prices. I shop Cabela's for tall size clothing but if that went away....

[44man]

I used to go to Bow Hunters Warehouse in PA. Always packed to the doors. Made good money and prices were cheap. Cabelas bought them out. Now it is $100 or over for a dozen arrows. $1000 for a bow instead of $ 250. Add sights today and other stuff and it can be $2000 to shoot a deer. Archery will die. Wood arrows and feathers are out of sight too. I can make a bow free from osage but have no arrow wood or feathers.

[Blackwater]

"Brick and mortar" stores will NEVER go out of style. Too many folks want to SEE what they're buying before they'll reach for their billfolds, and try on clothing for fit. NObody likes packing things up and sending them back because they don't fit.

But the REAL reason big businesses like GM or any other go out of business, is because of 3 reasons:

1. Bad management;
2. Bad management; and
3. Bad management.

I've seen a lot of yuppie types, all wrapped in confidence and claims that they were gonna' show the whole world how "it ought'a be done." Then, once they opened to big crowds attracted by their initial hoopla, they decided they had it "made in the shade," and began to play away from the store, and spend all that "big money" they were making, without realizing that all that "big money" was NEEDED to keep the chain of supply going and the prices low because of paying cash. Most wholesalers now have a graduated scale in their pricing, and the more promptly a given business pays, the lower the prices they get on merchandise so they CAN sell for less. This is a cycle much like the one Pearl Buck describes in her book, "The Good Earth." And it's been going on for many millenea now. It's sad to see another of the giants in sporting goods bite the dust. Nobody gains from that in any sort of way.

Look at the extreme hubris Remington showed in their bragging that they were REALLY gonna' show how Marlins OUGHT to be built, and then, the first run wouldn't even function, and the folks in charge at the time were so sure (ignorantly of course) that they were "perfect," that they sent them out to the gunwriters wihtout even testing them for function! That lil' fiasco cost Remington some BIG bucks, that subsequent buyers will have to pay gradually in the form of higher prices.

Harvard business school has, IMO, really pulled some true boners, and some of the philosophies they've popularized have been among their worst. It's almost as though the leaders there INTENDED for things to go down, instead of up! But I'm just one dumb redneck down in the swamps, and what I think doesn't matter as much as a bucket of spit, so ... the beat goes on, and folks think all they need is "confidence," and all will be well. There are MANY ins and outs in ANY business, no matter what its size. Ignoring that is a glaring fault that any really good and competent businessman can only shake his head at.

[toallmy]

I haven't purchased anything from Gander Mountain since the mail order business stopped . Possibly late 80s or early 90s . I still hate to see a business close , even if the business stopped supplying me .

[Smoke4320]

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/02/16/gander-mountain-issues-statement-on-bankruptcy.html

Gander Mountain (http://companies.bizjournals.com/profile/gandermountain/230612/?mkt=charlotte) responded Wednesday to rumors that the hunting and outdoor retailer would file for bankruptcy.
Reports surfaced over the weekend that Gander Mountain Co. was preparing to file for bankruptcy, perhaps as soon as this month. It started with a report from Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/article/gandermountain-bankruptcy-idUSL1N1FV1O2), which cited unnamed sources familiar with the matter.



In its statement, Gander Mountain said it had undertaken a "best-practices approach to review our strategic options specific to positioning the company for long-term success."

“As a privately held company, it is our longstanding policy not to comment on our business affairs," the statement reads. "Unfortunately, recent speculative news articles have caused concern among some of our customers, employees, and trade partners, and require us to make a rare exception."
The statement, which didn't specifically mention bankruptcy, goes on to say that Gander Mountain is "subject to normal economic cycles, changes in our industry and shifts in consumer demand that require us to adapt our business accordingly."
The retailer has retained Houlihan Lokey (http://companies.bizjournals.com/profile/houlihan-lokey/135050/?mkt=charlotte) as independent advisers. Houlihan Lokey, which has an office in Minneapolis, is a global investment bank with expertise in mergers and acquisitions, financial restructuring, valuation, and consulting.

Gander Mountain is owned by Gratco, a firm owned by Gander CEO David Pratt (http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/search/results?q=David%20Pratt) and the Erickson family, which also owns Holiday Stationstores (http://companies.bizjournals.com/profile/holiday/324404/?mkt=charlotte) Inc. They took the chain private in 2010 (http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2009/09/28/daily1.html) and aggressively expanded the store count to more than 160 locations, with more than 50 stores opening in the past five years.
But the company has had trouble taking advantage of a boom in gun sales, and it's been pressured by increased competition from the likes of Cabela's and Bass Pro (two retailers that plan to merge in a $5.5 billion deal).









(http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/jobs/details/137836)




(http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/jobs/details/137690)






(http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/jobs/details/137686)

[country gent]

One thing I can say about our Local Bass pro is being disabled they are the only store that has brings me a power cart out when they see me working to get in the store. GAnder Mountain here dosnt even have a power cart but they do have a couple manual wheel chairs with out a cart or basket on them.

[Blackwater]

Country gent, I used one of those when I had surgery on my ankle, and was in a cast. Very helpful! The Savannah Bass Pro has 3 I think. Tried to get a friend to use one recently due to some problems he had, and he was too prideful and obstinate to use it. We left early instead. Love the guy, but he's as hard headed as I am. How we get along is a wonder! ;)

I once sent off an order with some VERY hard earned money I'd made during the summer break from school, to a co. called Parker Bros. They went Chap. 13, and later went out completely, and about 3 or 4 years later, I received a chek for about 10% of what I'd sent in for the goods I'd wanted. That was almost a whole summer's worth of work, so it still smarts, after all these years. I just hope those who get hurt, and people and businesses WILL get hurt in this, suffer minimal losses. I hate to ruin their chances of coming out of this, but I'd certainly not send in any money unless I had the goods in hand. Just a word to the wise.

[Smoke4320]

Blackwater you are very correct .
One of the reasons I posted this .
Even if they don't go under if you have ordered and paid for something it "could" be held up quite some time

[44man]

One thing I found all my life was you could not get work unless an expert first. Companies would not train you. Went to a machine shop to get a job, was told the old timer would train me. NOT! They are long gone now. I was a mechanic and got work but had experience. No experience and forget it, question is how do you get it? I went to United Air lines and was trained for the jobs. Not common at all now. I got to know planes and could even fix them since I hung out with maintenance. Of course I could not work on them but still knew. Never went to an aircraft mechanic since you got bounced all over, Honolulu to Chigago, Denver, etc. Moving all the time. Die of old age before getting home.
To work in a gun shop or sporting goods, you need to know everything. One customer turned away is a loss. If you sell a gun, better know it inside out.

[mold maker]

Nothing unforeseen. 75mile round trip made twice to look at yuppie clothes, sold by yappy personnel without knowledge. Gun related merchandise at too high prices and not what I wanted.
Only served to make me proud of what I bought somewhere else.

[6bg6ga]

Their building a new store not 5 miles from me and its probably 85-90 % complete.

I am questioning the credibility of their going bankrupt. It would be logical to think if there were financial problems they wouldn't be going further into the hole with more debt.

[TCoggins]

Our GM store has started carrying reloading gear, but while they carry die sets, they have no shell holders, case prep tools, or reloading presses. They have a few bullets and powders. Tons of 9mm, 40 S&W, 223 and 300 Blackout brass, but that's about it. When I inquired about the other bits you need for reloading, I got the "deer in the headlights" look.

If I buy a set of dies, I am going to need to order the rest of the gear, so I might as well order it all. Seems like every department is stocked like this.

Well, at least they have load mouth know-it-alls behind the gun counter.

Thankfully, we still have a few local gun shops that get my business.

[jonp]

Nothing unforeseen. 75mile round trip made twice to look at yuppie clothes, sold by yappy personnel without knowledge. Gun related merchandise at too high prices and not what I wanted.
Only served to make me proud of what I bought somewhere else.
When I came out of the Gander after seeing a gun clerk tell a customer something really stupid I told the wife the same thing I had said in WalMart one day. I had a mind to get a job at that place so at least one person there had a little passing knowledge of firearms.

[jonp]

Exactly, stop paying rent, and interest on borrowed money. Two local shops in Sanford are doing very well, they do not have everything but will work on getting it. Ed's in Vass has all my reloading supplies. I have asked if their stock was on margin, nope they owned all their stock. Two stores are owned completely by the company, the third is a small store with a low rent.

Yuppie stores are getting in trouble, people have lost interest in shopping in mega stores. They look for what they want, and then get it where they want. We have had a rash of new boutique chains in Sanford, I occasionally go into them, they are dead. Rent for a store in the 40,000 square feet on the beaten path used to be around 2 grand, that has probably doubled. Light bills tend to run into the thousands of dollars. Employees earn more than the daily sales, except for Christmas.

The one I see about the best business in is Tractor Supply, but then it is never packed, a few customers at a time. Granted profit margins are extremely high they still have to make enough profit to cover their extreme operation costs.

This is why Sears, and K Mart are dying, Target is not making money, even Walmart store earnings are down. Amazon is growing, and small retail stores with intelligent business skills are returning.

It is no different then buying a house. Buy outside your means, and you will have a hard time keeping afloat. We as a couple owe absolutely nothing, but we do not live like royalty either. Cars are used, but paid for, home is simple but paid for. If I decided to run a business it would be no different.

Ed's has good prices on the reloading stuff. Bought some Fiocchi primers from them at the gunshow for a good price and thought their firearms were very reasonable. Never got the chance to stop into their store, though.

[Blackwater]

It seems that the folks who really know firearms, don't much like running a store. It's rare to find a really knowledgeable person owning a shop, and those that do, are often panned for giving good advice. It seems that today, many want to believe what they want to believe, and don't much care if it's really right or wrong - only that it's what they WANT to believe. I wish I had a nickel for every time I've heard "Well I don't understand why that would matter" in a gunshop! There's marketing types, and there are gunny guys, and most of the world is manned by the marketing types, and most of those are only passingly familiar with the tools and processes we use and love. Their only motivation (the marketing types) in learning is to identify new markets, so they won't miss out on more sales. There's some real reasons for that. Money doesn't "stretch" well, and in fact, the last time I pulled on a dollar bill, it tore in two! So there ARE realities that sports stores must face, but the lack of knowledgeable folks in some of them is pitiful, and shows a near total lack of understanding of who they actually serve. If there's a way to make the situation better, I'm not aware of anyone who has found it. I'm just lucky we have two "sports stores" in this town, in addition to the big box stores. One is a hunting and fishing store, the other is a shooting only shop, that does some gunsmithing. They're not set up to do a lot of 'smithing, but they stretch their space and facilities pretty well to do as much as possible. The guys who run the shop know their mettle, and can make good, knowledgeable recommendations, and at least know enough to keep some folks out of trouble, and that is no small thing. I deal with the shooting only shop the most.

They have an Ithaca M-37 Deerslayer now that I want. Those things have gotten HIGH in price! I try to drop in at least once or twice a week, hoping not to miss out on the trades that come in. They have by far the most interesting guns come in there! THAT is what I call a REAL "gun shop!"