No gun shops but plenty of pot shops...

[Idaho45guy]

I live in a little town of 1200. I work in a college town of 30k 14 miles away. Across the border in Idaho from that town 8 miles away is another college town of 24k. This is a very rural area with lots of farmers and timber workers in multiple smaller towns within a 50-mile radius.

I grew up in the Idaho town. When I was a kid, my dad owned a gun shop. There was one other gun shop in that town along with two full-size sporting goods stores, a fishing shop, and a couple of gunsmiths in the phone book. Back then the population was around 12k. Across the border in the WA town, they had one gun shop and one Ace Hardware that sold guns.

Now, thirty years later, There is a Walmart in both towns, no gun shops, one sporting goods store, and the Ace Hardware has about 8 guns at about 20% above normal retail.

Ironically, Since passing legal pot in WA, the one town now has four pot shops in town and just OK'd the building of a 5th one right across the Idaho border.

It's a crazy world we live in... You'd think with firearms and ammunition sales through the roof, there would be at least one gun shop to service the 120k people living in a rural area with lots of hunting. :(

[MUSTANG]

Your data provides the answer. 30K + 24K = 54K Progressive/Liberal/Socialist/Communists who are either the educators (Indoctrinators) or the educatee's (Indoctrinated). Progressive and persistant eroding of freedom, liberty, and independent thinking since at least the early 1940's; with it's roots firmly buried in the Marx/Lenin/et.al "THINKERS" of the mid 1800's on into the 1930's. Mao Zedong said "Political Power grows out of the barrel of a gun". The Progressive/Liberal/Socialist/Communists want to reduce and then exterminate the ownership of firearms by the populace in order to implement an unrestricted governance because they solely control "The Power of the Gun".

It is not a fluke that gun stores tend to disappear in the vicinities of our nations Colleges and the public spaces predominantly controlled by those who are elected to office following the Progressive/Liberal/Socialist/Communists philosophies.

[Bent Ramrod]

These kids are going to need their anaesthesia when they get the real world they are voting into being, as opposed to the pipe dream they think will happen.

I went into Safeway recently to restock my supply of Lava Soap. Couldn't find it anywhere, and looked for a while, since they only devoted about 3 inches of shelf space for a stack of bars. Finally I asked one of the clerks, and he said they didn't carry it any more.

I looked at the Soaps area again. There was probably 35 feet of shelf space, all devoted to the Body Washes, Exfoliants, unguents and lotions the On-The-Go Manly Male needs nowadays.

Had to go way out of my way to Fry's to find some Lava Soap. Doesn't anybody work with their hands anymore? Besides tapping Computer keys or thumbing the screens on Smart Phones, that is.

"Legal," recreational pot is on the ballot in our state, too. If it passes, maybe most of the "activist" element will have what they really want and stay home and stay stoned for subsequent elections, and maybe allow an element of sanity to creep back into public policy. I remember when the Draft and the Vietnam War ended, most of the Protestors and Drop-outs dropped back "in," and became Yuppies. That was all the Change they really wanted, to be left alone. Many of these became productive, rational citizens. One can hope, anyway.

[Lead Fred]

NO guns shops in Seattle, but.....

http://kushtourism.com/washington-recreational-marijuana-retail-map-and-directory/

they have their own maps

[Hickory]

Our nation is past the point where the rule of law means anything anymore.
Slippery slope? I think we're off the cliff, in a free fall. I wonder what's at the bottom?

[Idaho45guy]

Your data provides the answer. 30K + 24K = 54K Progressive/Liberal/Socialist/Communists who are either the educators (Indoctrinators) or the educatee's (Indoctrinated).

It's worse than that. That is the normal population that doesn't include the students. Students for both colleges increase the population by around 36k during the school year...

[gnostic]

Selling guns is a low margin of profit, investment intensive business. Selling bud on the other hand, is a low investment and high profit business.

The owner of a local gunshop I frequent, tells me he couldn't stay in business, if he didn't also offer payday loans/Pawn shop services as well firearms sales.

[Hardcast416taylor]

When I was a lad `way back then` it was the standard bill of fare for every hardware store (remember them?), gun shop, general store (remember them?) and just about anything else that called its self a store sold guns and ammunition. We had a general store out here in `cow country` and every Summer we placed our order for bird season and fall deer hunting besides the .22`s for just about anything small and furry. Our supplier dispatched a large delivery truck for our ammo order. The order filled our store room besides the back part of the store. By January the jam of boxes was gone and we only had a few boxes of some shells left behind the counter. Our large inventory of all types of .22`s, shotguns and deer rifles was also down to just a few of each left. I recall this type of ritual went on for over 30 years. Our store is gone today, the big box stores did that in the `80`s. The plentiful game is also depleated due to clean farming and herbicides and pesticides used now. Maybe it is a good thing I am fading so I won`t be around to see the final end of sport hunting and the old stores.Robert

[jsizemore]

My buddy has a gunshop in a small town just outside of Raleigh. The internet and Walmart have about run him out of business. He told me if he didn't owe so much he would shut it down. Most folks come into his shop, handle the merchandise, and then hit the internet cuz they can save $20 on a nightforce scope.

Folks here in NC used to grow tobacco since it paid the most per acre. Soy beans, and peanuts ain't gonna get you rich unless you got 1000's of acres or a regular job on the side. $1000-1500/lb for a crop sure makes economic sense. Folks around here made moonshine even after liquor was legal cuz it paid better then farming.

I'm not saying I condone any of it, but I can sure understand.

[Blackwater]

Idaho45, the only thing "wrong" with you is that you have your eyes open and haven't been taken in by the cynicism, haughtiness and faithlessness that seems to predominate today. Our parents EARNED the essentially bright and promising future they had to look forward to, and kept in check by their diligence and willingness to stand up for what's right when it was needed. Today, people have a "Let George do it" type attitude, and they EXPECT life to be a "bowl of cherries," and think all they need to do to "change" things is to sit and fume and moan and complain until someone else comes along and makes things like they want them to be. This is and has always been a disastrous attitude for ANY people to have! And political correctness has been allowed to change our attitudes into what it is now! It is MUCH more powerful and significant than most folks will EVER give it credit for being! And as Sonny and Cher sang so long ago now, "And the Beat Goes On."

[PS Paul]

By design, the more people who use legal weed, the more gun restrictions placed on them. While high, they won't care about silly things like honor, selflessness, duty or self-reliance. And ever closer to Marxism we march.

[horsesoldier]

I end up just going to Lewiston

[OS OK]

No gun shops but plenty of pot shops..."The Demonizing morphing of America!"

[castalott]

I will cast (pardon the pun) us all in the same mental age if not the same age in years. The world I grew up in is gone. Yes, there are a lot of good people yet in this world... But not so many Godly and Great People as years past.

The Great Depression affected my entire family. I could argue for the better! Everyone planted a garden and preserved it too. Made their own clothes and fixed their own house and car...on and on... Times were hard but the people were Good!

I live in a farming, logging, and oilfield community. Coal mines weren't that far away either. The work ethic is still good except for the younger bunch.

I have a buddy who has retired twice but still gets many calls to come to work. They know he will show up rested, clean, unimpaired, extra experienced, and ready to give his considerable all.

Any 21 year old with his attitude ( and the proper license) would be put to work instantly. No takers as you have to work in the hot fields...


Ok... rant off... I hope things aren't s bad as I imagine sometimes....

Bless Us All

Dale

[OS OK]

I remember going to the in-laws every year before school started, swapping clothes outgrown for ones to wear in the upcoming year. We certainly didn't give up on a garment just because it had a little wear or belonged to someone else, it was new to us.
I used to spend my lawn mowing money for the new look, 'Madras shirts' boy they were colorful! The die would morph with every wash. Danged expensive to...$1.79 .

Ahhhh...the good old days, I miss them.

[castalott]

I miss them too.... If I could go back to say ...age 18 and know what I know now... I probably would make a whole bunch of different mistakes....

[Parson]

My buddy has a gunshop in a small town just outside of Raleigh. The internet and Walmart have about run him out of business. He told me if he didn't owe so much he would shut it down. Most folks come into his shop, handle the merchandise, and then hit the internet cuz they can save $20 on a nightforce scope.

Folks here in NC used to grow tobacco since it paid the most per acre. Soy beans, and peanuts ain't gonna get you rich unless you got 1000's of acres or a regular job on the side. $1000-1500/lb for a crop sure makes economic sense. Folks around here made moonshine even after liquor was legal cuz it paid better then farming.

I'm not saying I condone any of it, but I can sure understand.

whats the name and address of the shop, plan on being out there for Christmas, thx

[toallmy]

Gun ownership is still legal , while pot shops are illegal , strange how the laws work .

[dragon813gt]

By design, the more people who use legal weed, the more gun restrictions placed on them. While high, they won't care about silly things like honor, selflessness, duty or self-reliance. And ever closer to Marxism we march.

You want to pain everyone w/ an even broader brush. It always amazes me that "freedom loving" people don't want their guns taken away but are fine w/ restricting people from putting something into their body. I don't think you realize how many people use cannabis. The stereotype of the lazy stoner couldn't be more off base. On the other hand the stereotypical angry white male gun owner sure seems to be prevalent here.

If there was a market for a gun store than someone would step up and open one. There is obviously no market for it. As others have stated the profit margin is extremely low. If the business isn't already established it's going to be very hard to make a profit and stay in business.

[WILCO]

I wonder what's at the bottom?

http://www.elist10.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/proverty-problem-third-word-country.jpg

[jsizemore]

whats the name and address of the shop, plan on being out there for Christmas, thx

Pm sent.

[Parson]

Pm sent.

Thank you, will try to mention your recommendation

[afish4570]

I too noticed it was hard to find Lava (a hand soap with a fine sand great for cleaning a working mans hands)....After searching *I discovered that Walmarts had it in the Automotive section near the WD40, Brake Fluid, Carb cleaner etc. afish4570

[PS Paul]

You want to pain everyone w/ an even broader brush. It always amazes me that "freedom loving" people don't want their guns taken away but are fine w/ restricting people from putting something into their body. I don't think you realize how many people use cannabis. The stereotype of the lazy stoner couldn't be more off base. On the other hand the stereotypical angry white male gun owner sure seems to be prevalent here.

If there was a market for a gun store than someone would step up and open one. There is obviously no market for it. As others have stated the profit margin is extremely low. If the business isn't already established it's going to be very hard to make a profit and stay in business.
I couldn't care any less about what people put in their bodies. But if you think the Fed Govt isn't itching to restrict pot users from possessing firearms, think again.

generalizing about pot users? Perhaps. But a greater percentage of stoners want to be ruled by a leftist government than not, I would reckon.

[Mica_Hiebert]

Dave's golf and gun in Colton is a good one. Plenty of shops in lewiston as stated. North40, sportmans, lolos, orchards gun, diamondback shooting range, snake river arms in lapwai theirs a new shop behind the lesschwabs truck shop in lewiston too but I forget the name. I despise Moscow/Pulman, I call Pulman "sleeper cell" I am so glad lewiston got a Winco foods so now I never have ANY reason to visit that liberal ethnic melting pot... I am guessing from your milage posting your either from potlatch, troy or Genesee?

[Idaho45guy]

I bought a house in Palouse 3 months before that new gun bill was voted in... :( Pullman is 14 miles away, Moscow is 15 miles, and Colfax is 15 miles away.

Grew up in Moscow, lived in Genesee for a few years. My dad and then my uncle owned the Husky Sport Shop in Lewiston Orchards.

[Mica_Hiebert]

I too purchased a home on the wrong side of the border but I pay less taxes in Washington, and schools have a little more funding. daves golf and gun in Colton is probably your best bet bout 30 minute drive.

[dtknowles]

I couldn't care any less about what people put in their bodies. But if you think the Fed Govt isn't itching to restrict pot users from possessing firearms, think again.

generalizing about pot users? Perhaps. But a greater percentage of stoners want to be ruled by a leftist government than not, I would reckon.

I don't think Stoners think much about what kind of government we need. I don't think all pot users are Stoners either.

Tim

[PS Paul]

I don't think Stoners think much about what kind of government we need. I don't think all pot users are Stoners either.

Tim

I think you're wrong. Stoners often have, in my observations, the "single-issue mindset" where they espouse the "legalize it" mantra. I've always stated State and Fed govt should just legalize it and they would no longer have anything to talk about!!
My statement about lack of selflessness, etc is more of a generalization about society at large than pot smokers, I suppose. I've smoked a little myself in my youth, so I'm not naive about pot usage and frankly, I witness how much more damage alcohol does to people and society versus pot.

[white eagle]

Our nation is past the point where the rule of law means anything anymore.
Slippery slope? I think we're off the cliff, in a free fall. I wonder what's at the bottom?

Hillary

[dtknowles]

I think you're wrong. Stoners often have, in my observations, the "single-issue mindset" where they espouse the "legalize it" mantra. I've always stated State and Fed govt should just legalize it and they would no longer have anything to talk about!!
My statement about lack of selflessness, etc is more of a generalization about society at large than pot smokers, I suppose. I've smoked a little myself in my youth, so I'm not naive about pot usage and frankly, I witness how much more damage alcohol does to people and society versus pot.

You could be right, I don't even know if Stoners are still the same as they were when I was younger. They certainly did not care about politics. The Hippies who were active in the legalize it movement were a different class and certainly of a very liberal bent. A lot of the Hippies became Yuppies and only some stayed liberal.

Tim

[.45Cole]

I have lived in Colorado all my life and I never was into pot. When it was legalized there weren't tons of people walking around stoned. Instead the people who smoked up at home now do the same but aren't paranoid, and most grow their own. The legal system isn't flooded with 20something's being processed for smoking a joint, and the large drug busts are down (as you can get better weed than Mexican right down the street). The tax revenues on pot are HUGE and fund all sorts of stuff. People still buy guns and are pretty right leaning, but everybody already has 4-5 guns/bows and really don't buy more.

As stated before, simple market where you are: no demand for guns and large demand for pot. Starting a gun store may not be a smart idea there, but a pot shop...

[CLAYPOOL]

ILLINOIS is SURE keeping a "LID" on who can open a "POT STORE" and/or even apply for the license....... with just a small spelling change that becomes INCENSE that may be spelled wrong , but you get it... as bad as the state is in debt, you would think they would be Gung Hoo to open as many as possible. I mean we are broke .....

[Idaho45guy]

I have lived in Colorado all my life and I never was into pot. When it was legalized there weren't tons of people walking around stoned. Instead the people who smoked up at home now do the same but aren't paranoid, and most grow their own. The legal system isn't flooded with 20something's being processed for smoking a joint, and the large drug busts are down (as you can get better weed than Mexican right down the street). The tax revenues on pot are HUGE and fund all sorts of stuff. People still buy guns and are pretty right leaning, but everybody already has 4-5 guns/bows and really don't buy more.

As stated before, simple market where you are: no demand for guns and large demand for pot. Starting a gun store may not be a smart idea there, but a pot shop...

Never thought I'd actually see someone on here argue that more pot shops than gun shops is a good thing...

And how do you come to the conclusion that everyone has 4-5 guns and aren't buying any more? Where are you getting your information?

Here are some facts:

http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/06/news/guns-fbi-background-checks/index.html

Guns are selling at unprecedented levels this summer, which means 2016 is well on its way to breaking the all-time record for background checks. Background checks conducted by the FBI totaled 1,853,815 in August 2016 (file:///C:/Users/aarsmith/Downloads/NICS_Firearm_Checks_-_Month_Year%20(4).pdf), a 6% increase from August 2015.

That's the most checks ever in the month of August since the FBI started conducting background checks in 1998. In fact, every monthly tally this year has hit an all-time high, meaning that 2016 is on track to be the record year for background checks and, by proxy, gun sales.

[jonp]

The rule of law comes from the top down. When those in charge do not respect or follow the law and are not prosecuted those looking up at them from below take notice and modify their behavior accordingly

[snowwolfe]

Legalizing weed is coming to your state in the next 10 years whether you like it or not. It's about time states start making money from something that in the past cost them money in terms of lost LEO time, arrests, and taking care of prisoners.

[.45Cole]

4-5 wasn't a set number, moreover just a guess at what people start to divert play funds to other areas (I've slowed down around 13!). Around here there are a lot of guns passed down and large estate auctions with tons of guns. I don't doubt that gun sales are on the rise, but I would argue that the total number should be normalized by the population to gauge a real increase per capita. The taxes off pot here make a large difference, and some small struggling towns turn to pot tax revenues to keep going after the energy busts.

I'm not against gun sales just wanted to point out that pot is a business nowadays and from what I observe, for the better.

[Hickory]

When lottery's became legal, it was a self-imposed tax on the poor to fund schools.
When pot shops become legal, it will be a self-imposed tax on drug users to pay off the state's debt.
I like self-imposed taxes, because I don't have to pay them.

[Greg S]

Yea but the problem is since the start of the Lottery in Oregn, they have learned to siphon off those lottery proceeds and now the schools are broke again. Don't ya just love it. Give the liberals alittle slush fund that isn't earmarked or just sitting for a rainy day and they'll find a way to spend it.

[flint45]

Anyone I have knowen who was a pot head was also a stupid liberal.Would never want to shoot with them ever, can't trust them very bad judgement. Pot makes people stupid.