Iconic Gun Store's that are OOB

Old TexMex · #51 06-27-2019, 10:30 AM

Joe Millers in downtown Corpus Christi. It was a gun shop and liquor store. Closed when Downtown CC died mid ‘60s.

“Shrimp and Guns” in Aransas Pass, closed when the gulf boats all moved to Nicaragua in the 80’s.

Nevada Ed · #52 06-27-2019, 11:46 AM

Back in the 40's and 50's in Mill Valley, Calif, it was the......

Green Frog Grocery.
A gentleman had a license and he would order weapons for my father.
As I grew up, we would walk into the sporting goods store that was across the street
from the GF and pick up our new weapons.

Ah.........
the good old days.
A shake of the hand, cash on the table and a free box of ammo.

Quite different , today !!

desi2358 · #53 06-28-2019, 02:10 PM

Sportland Guns (originally Wammes) in downtown Bellefontaine Ohio. Big shop that replaced Paul Wammes earlier small shop on the east side of town. Always had a great selection of new and used, lots of accessories. Could always find something neat there, they were also into distribution and often had some great police trade in guns to separate me from my money. After the owner died in a car wreck the retail store closed and they became just a distributor (Acusport) and recently that went out of business too (sold out to Ellett Brothers and looks like that is closed now too). A real shame they didn't keep the retail store open, nothing like it left in the area anymore.

AKtinman · #54 06-29-2019, 08:58 AM

Warshal's Sporting Goods in downtown Seattle.

Kaufman's Sporting Goods in Astoria, Oregon. I purchased an '03 Springfield from Hank for $50 in 1966, about 3 weeks pay for an E-3 back then.

Hank suggested a load with the 150gr Hornady and IMR 4064. That proved to be a great load. After using up the first can, Hank said I could save a dollar if I purchased a pound from his bulk drum in the basement rather than buying a new one pound can. I left the store with a brown paper bag of 4064 and an extra dollar in my wallet

ladder13 · #55 06-29-2019, 09:46 AM

Grannicks in Greenwich Ct. A gun store above a pharmacy, run by the same family.
My first intro to EBR’s, though that had everything from Charter Bulldogs to Colt Pythons.
Talk about a fun shop. Long gone. The pharmacy remains. Being Greenwich, all high end clothing stores took over the main drag.

usmc2427765 · #56 06-29-2019, 11:42 PM

The original Alexanders Gunshop in Houston,Tx, it was located on Milam street and had everything from a Dance Brothers Revolver to Adolph Hitlers stationary. The owner died in about 1969 and the business was sold. Great old time gunshop.

rbmac52 · #57 06-30-2019, 08:46 AM

Bought lots of Smith revolvers at these stores:

The Grant Boys (aka Grants for Guns) in Costa Mesa, CA.

The Stockade in Westminister, CA.

And my favorite, Cheshire & Perez, in Monrovia, CA.

All closed down now...

ancient-one · #58 06-30-2019, 11:53 PM

Gibson's Discount had a little bit of everything plus a good sporting goods section. They were in several cities in OK and I don't know what other states. I bought my .243 Winchester rifle from them along with lots of Hornady HBWC, powder and primers for my 38 Spec. handloads.

Old 44 Guy · #59 07-01-2019, 01:04 AM

Frontier Gun Shop, Lafayette, Ca. Back in the 50's I kept Kurt Hasse in business. Kept a running tab that I paid off each payday.

Joe Kent · #60 07-02-2019, 01:57 PM

Ray's Hardware, Jackson Armory, both in Dallas. Collectors Firearms, Fountain Firearms, both in Houston. Trail Creek Trade in St. Louis Mo is a great collector shop! Simpson's Firearms in Galesburg Ill. is one of the very best collector shops with over 12000 guns on hand at any given time. I have done business with all of these people and could not be more pleased.

Double-O-Dave · #61 07-02-2019, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Cholla

I miss both Bob Chow's Gun Shop on Mission St., San Francisco, CA ... AND ...Bob Chow. The construction co. I worked for moved its headquarters from So. Calif. to San Fran. I was just perfecting my home shop attempts to build custom Colt Govt. M. 1911s for USPSA competition. On my first trip to San Fran. I made time to visit the shop. Bob was sitting on his stool at the rear of the shop. I visited with a very gracious host for over an hour. We discussed every aspect of customizing the Colt that I could think of. Over the next few years I visited the shop every time I was in San Fran. I enjoyed the shop even when Bob wasn't there. Sadly, my company obligations took me to the East while Bob was still alive and I wasn't able to travel to his funeral. I felt his death as a personal loss. .......

Many years ago I found a Colt Python for sale in a local pawnshop. This one had an aftermarket finish - not the famous Colt bluing, and was decently priced. The one thing that shook me and made me hesitate buying it was that it was marked "CHOW". I knew Bob Chow was famous for his 1911 work, but wasn't sure if he had worked on that Colt Python. The pawnshop clerk had no idea who I was talking about and made some derogatory remark about Chow's ethnic origin. I left the store and never went back, but I always wondered if that Python had been worked on by Mr. Chow.

Regards,

Dave