Death of the LGS

[Expat]

Methinks you may be a tad confused. The large retailer in Mishawaka offers: higher prices, miserably underknowledgeable staff, fixed inventory, no special orders, low-ball trade in offers, used gear at 95% of new prices. I most certainly see them going the way of some other large B&M retailers: Sears, KMart, KidsRUs, ToysRUs, FinishLine, Macy's, Men's Warehouse, Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant, Children's Place, Disney Stores, Family Video, JCrew, JCPenney, Lord & Taylor, Pier 1... and possibly more. All of them either out of business completely, in bankruptcy protection, or have sold their names to investment firms and gone belly up. Walk-in retail is most certainly dying. Safe bets?: grocery stores, medical entities, and personal services. You can't get a haircut online... yet.

Meanwhile, my local one-owner/one-shop gun store has a very knowledgeable staff, does custom smithing, will order whatever I want, within reason, for a small fee, handles FFL for my internet transactions, and is just a fun place to hang out. The one thing they don't have is ammo selection or price. But neither does the big guy. Which is why I buy ammo online. My guess is XXX little store will be in business long after YYY big-retailer is turned into nail salon.

Mods: I'd be happy to replace XXX & YYY with the names of the actual retailers for authenticity's sake. Not sure if that is Kosher, or allowable.

Midwest has been discussed many times on here, so have at it.

 

[Mij]

Midwest has been discussed many times on here, so have at it.

I’m knu here can you expound on Midwest’s reputation?

Methinks you may be a tad confused. The large retailer in Mishawaka offers: higher prices, miserably underknowledgeable staff, fixed inventory, no special orders, low-ball trade in offers, used gear at 95% of new prices. I most certainly see them going the way of some other large B&M retailers: Sears, KMart, KidsRUs, ToysRUs, FinishLine, Macy's, Men's Warehouse, Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant, Children's Place, Disney Stores, Family Video, JCrew, JCPenney, Lord & Taylor, Pier 1... and possibly more. All of them either out of business completely, in bankruptcy protection, or have sold their names to investment firms and gone belly up. Walk-in retail is most certainly dying. Safe bets?: grocery stores, medical entities, and personal services. You can't get a haircut online... yet.

Meanwhile, my local one-owner/one-shop gun store has a very knowledgeable staff, does custom smithing, will order whatever I want, within reason, for a small fee, handles FFL for my internet transactions, and is just a fun place to hang out. The one thing they don't have is ammo selection or price. But neither does the big guy. Which is why I buy ammo online. My guess is XXX little store will be in business long after YYY big-retailer is turned into nail salon.

Mods: I'd be happy to replace XXX & YYY with the names of the actual retailers for authenticity's sake. Not sure if that is Kosher, or allowable.

sir can you give us less knowledgeable members some insight?

Please, I’ve never been there. I would like to make an intelligent decision if I choose to visit them. And thank you



Where do I put the purple text?

 

[Expat]

I’m knu here can you expound on Midwest’s reputation?

sir can you give us less knowledgeable members some insight?

Please, I’ve never been there. I would like to make an intelligent decision if I choose to visit them. And thank you



Where do I put the purple text?

First you have probably a majority that complain about not being able to get someone to help them. Well they are busy most of the time. I had one particular guy that sold me a lot of guns. Needless to say, he was always happy to see me and take care of me. So I had great customer service in there.

Second, when a panic begins, they will be one of the first to jack up their prices. They put the word out to their sales people that they will not take less than marked price. Enforce the 3% on credit cards surcharge.

Third, they are also a distributor so some of their sales they have had are at prices that no local gun shop can match.

 

[grillak]

Pawn shops can be a little more fun. They get weirder stuff, and not every single customer they have to deal with is "gun people".

i bought my last 3 guns from a pawn shop. 2 sig p320s (both a .40 carry & 9mm compact) and a tanfoglio combat. VERY resonable prices and i could put them i layaway.

clerks were pretty much useless. thank god i didn't need there expertise.

usds is now my go-to for transfers and new purchases. i like their atmosphere

 

[grillak]

A two-fer thread killer

i see what you did there

 

[ditcherman]

i bought my last 3 guns from a pawn shop. 2 sig p320s (both a .40 carry & 9mm compact) and a tanfoglio combat. VERY resonable prices and i could put them i layaway.

clerks were pretty much useless. thank god i didn't need there expertise.

usds is now my go-to for transfers and new purchases. i like their atmosphere

Are there certain pawn shops around that carry more guns than others?
I always thought it’d be interesting to visit them but have never made time. For other interesting finds too.

 

[Expat]

The pawn shop here seems to think their guns are all priceless collectibles.

 

[Amishman44]

Not just gun shops, seems like a lot of businesses have gotten confused about how the customer/retailer relationship is supposed to work.

Yup...a lot of places have gone away from 'service' first to 'profits' first...and a lot of the younger generation does not know how to interact with customers in the general public and a lot of the general public does not know how to be a good customer! Both are learned skills...and respect-first still matters!

 

[wcd]

Yup...a lot of places have gone away from 'service' first to 'profits' first...and a lot of the younger generation does not know how to interact with customers in the general public and a lot of the general public does not know how to be a good customer! Both are learned skills...and respect-first still matters!

I would agree there some on either side of the counter that would do well to be a little more courteous. However, Respect first? No do not see it happening, Respect should remain something that is never given and should retain its rightful place as something that must be earned.

 

[Ingomike]

It is interesting to see all this discussion and try to put it all together. It appears to me the places to buy guns fall into a few types of retailers. Obviously there are exceptions.

Big box: usually big inventory of popular firearms with lower prices but also have impersonal and unknowing sales staff, next customer up attitude, corporate policies, woke policies etc.

Big LGS: big inventory, retail prices, busy places with busy but usually knowledgeable sales staff, next customer up attitude, corporate policies.

Small LGS: low inventory, cliquish, prices vary on customer relationships to the clique, can be very knowledgeable unless the owner is out and his cousin Larry is minding the store, customer experience varies day to day on mood of the clique, can be great if one joins the clique.

As for ammo sales, I suspect LGS would rather not handle bulk/case sales of ammo due to its low margin and just the sheer weight of dealing with it. So shooters buy online, give volume sales to online, allowing online to sell even cheaper, conversely the LGS sells less bulk/case and gets even less discount and it’s prices rise even more, used to have to sell ammo to support gun sales now do not. Bulk ammo users actions are shaping the ammo market.

Be sure to stack it deep, all this online purchasing means there is little ammo out there in local markets. It is typically in manufacturer/distributors warehouses, few places are stocking bulk/case sales inventory.

 

[Hookeye]

The more a shop sells, the better deals they get from suppliers.
Be it "allocated" firearms or general availability- guns or ammo.

So...a small shop has a tough go.

Too have inventory, IMHO, kinda puts a shop into the "next customer up" category.

As for cliquish........some folks spend way more than what people think.
Why shouldn't a store cut a better deal to a customer that drops a grand (or more) a month?

 

[Hookeye]

Want instant street cred when you visit a gunshop?
Don't ask to see anything Taurus LMAO

 

[Creedmoor]

The fall of the many local gun stores happened and happens with the business model of.
I will accept a transfer of a new or used firearm from a wholeseller that the ffl can order and make 10 -16% on and settle for 20-30 dollar transfer fee from the customer.

 

[Ingomike]

The more a shop sells, the better deals they get from suppliers.
Be it "allocated" firearms or general availability- guns or ammo.

So...a small shop has a tough go.

Too have inventory, IMHO, kinda puts a shop into the "next customer up" category.

As for cliquish........some folks spend way more than what people think.
Why shouldn't a store cut a better deal to a customer that drops a grand (or more) a month?

I have no way of knowing how much those hanging out in the shop spend but I can understand how a half a dozen person coffee club, in an otherwise empty shop, can make some uncomfortable particularly when those that should help the customer and make them feel welcome are too involved in their social club to help.

 

[Amishman44]

I would agree there some on either side of the counter that would do well to be a little more courteous. However, Respect first? No do not see it happening, Respect should remain something that is never given and should retain its rightful place as something that must be earned.

Our basic rule for our kids is "In everything you do, show respect...and in everything you do, be respected!"

To not show respect first, is a fail in life, and you can't always help how the other individual responds and, if it's inappropriate, feel free to simply walk away!

 

[Hookeye]

I have no way of knowing how much those hanging out in the shop spend but I can understand how a half a dozen person coffee club, in an otherwise empty shop, can make some uncomfortable particularly when those that should help the customer and make them feel welcome are too involved in their social club to help.

I never feel uncomfortable.....my money is same color of green as anybody else's.
But I hear ya, if the help wants to jaw jack w regs and ignore possible new business.........let em pay for their error.

Got no prob w mom n pop atmosphere/social club, kinda like it myself..........but staff and even the regs, need to remember its a business first.

 

[Ingomike]

I never feel uncomfortable.....my money is same color of green as anybody else's.
But I hear ya, if the help wants to jaw jack w regs and ignore possible new business.........let em pay for their error.

Got no prob w mom n pop atmosphere/social club, kinda like it myself..........but staff and even the regs, need to remember its a business first.

I was trying to summarize the points for and against each of the main types of options to buy guns. I do like in this thread that many have found a situation they like. I am bummed some have not found that situation for themselves, but I am firmly against the thin skinned negative posts about LGS’s for much of anything less than near criminal or negligent actions.

One man’s they are a cliquish bunch of a-holes at that shop, they are priced too high there, or they don’t have anyone that knows anything, is the best place in the world to another member. I have shops I don’t care for, but have friends that love that shop, or a friends kid works there, I would never post a negative thread about them. We need all kinds of shops for all kinds of people, find what works for you.

 

[wcd]

Our basic rule for our kids is "In everything you do, show respect...and in everything you do, be respected!"

To not show respect first, is a fail in life, and you can't always help how the other individual responds and, if it's inappropriate, feel free to simply walk away!

Variety is what keeps this forum Interesting. From my life’s experiences for our family Respect is Earned Never Given.

I do not consider this to be a fail. Others may see it differently? And that is fine. I am not saying that people need to be an *** hat when interacting with others. Our families sop has always been courtesy comes free of charge and people are treated politely, unless their actions dictate otherwise.

 

[wcd]

I was trying to summarize the points for and against each of the main types of options to buy guns. I do like in this thread that many have found a situation they like. I am bummed some have not found that situation for themselves, but I am firmly against the thin skinned negative posts about LGS’s for much of anything less than near criminal or negligent actions.

One man’s they are a cliquish bunch of a-holes at that shop, they are priced too high there, or they don’t have anyone that knows anything, is the best place in the world to another member. I have shops I don’t care for, but have friends that love that shop, or a friends kid works there, I would never post a negative thread about them. We need all kinds of shops for all kinds of people, find what works for you.

Agreed thin skinned post may be unwarranted.

But let me elaborate on a recent interaction with a lgs that we were unaware had changed ownership.
They are in a reasonable drive from our home so we used to go there a lot. A few weeks ago I called on them trying to get our son set up for a class because he was on the Island at the time so I was trying to help him with getting signed up.

Conversation went like this i would like to reserve a spot in the next HCP class for our son.
Arrogant Know it All behind the counter He Has to be 21 to take the Class.

Me no I believe that he can get his HCP at 18 because he meets an exception to the 21 or older rule. I explained he is active duty as such he can get his HCP.

Long story short we will not be going back there again,

 

[Route 45]

Variety is what keeps this forum Interesting. From my life’s experiences for our family Respect is Earned Never Given.

I do not consider this to be a fail. Others may see it differently? And that is fine. I am not saying that people need to be an *** hat when interacting with others. Our families sop has always been courtesy comes free of charge and people are treated politely, unless their actions dictate otherwise.

Courtesy and respect aren't the exact same thing, but I think that most people consider courtesy to be a basic level of respect.