OP
OutAtTheEdge
Member
Yes, Wilmot was the original. Primarily the main office and warehouse for the catalog, and not much of a retail store as you noted.
Any Gander Mountain Alumni Here?
- Thread starter OutAtTheEdge
- Start date
Yes, Wilmot was the original. Primarily the main office and warehouse for the catalog, and not much of a retail store as you noted.
Maddog 521
Member
I've been in the Wilmot store many times. We bought a lot of fishing supplies on our annual trek to the Canadian lakes to fish walleye and northern pike. Great store
Simson-Suhl
US Veteran
Several years ago, I purchased a Buck model 110 knife, hi polished blade with the Gander Mt. Geese in gold. It also came with a wood platform to display the knife on a wall. No leather case. The only item this knife has ever cut is the air in my den.
I’m a Browning A Bolt guy. When they closed the first time all the rifles were heavily discounted. I stood at gun counter while employee helped another customer. It was slow, late morning, mid week. As I waited another guy came along. Told me he was looking for a deer rifle. When sales man finally came down he said how can I help you. I said I want that Browning. He says let’s see what caliber it is. I said I don’t care about caliber for $229. It was a .270 and has since become my favorite deer rifle. The other customer was visibly angry. He offered me double what I paid for it. I told him that would still be giving it away.
cherrypointmarine
Member
I was a very frequent visitor to the Lake Mary store , outside of Orlando , and it was always a pleasure . I bought a few guns there , but it was not for someone with no patience . The place was always crowded , plus the had the virtual range that all the local police used . I was sad to see it go , they certainly got a lot of my money . They used to have a sale on safes that were scratched and or dented once a year , picked up one of mine there . I have nothing but good to say about GM .
I liked Gander Mountain. When I commuted to DC from NC for a tour of duty every other week, I’d stop at the Gander Mountain in Ashland VA on the way through.
They had a nice selection of guns and accessories, and I got some good deals there over the years. I was sad to see it close. That’s probably been 11-12 years ago.
They had a nice selection of guns and accessories, and I got some good deals there over the years. I was sad to see it close. That’s probably been 11-12 years ago.
I shopped occasionally at the Lubbock TX location. Bought a Sig Sauer pistol there along with clothing, boots, and ammo. May have bought a couple of magazines there as well. That store had a gigantic gun counter far superior to the one at the very nearby Cabelas store. I was sorry to see it go.
kbm6893
Member
I go to the Galleria mall in Middletown and I used to go through Gander Mountain all the time. It’s a Home Goods store now and I’ve never walked in the doors. I miss it but wish it was replaced with a Bass Pro or a Cabelas, only to maybe get some reloading components every now and then.
For a real time warp, I bought my Ruger 10/22 at a Galyan’s in Westbury, Ny, for $179, back in 1999.
I used to shop at the store in Fredericksburg, Va.. I remember I bought a Model 39-2 there for $250.00. My wife and I bought a couple other guns there too. Took the class for our Virginia concealed handgun permit there.
I don't think I ever went into that store but once. It didn't last long though. Green Top, the big local store just a block or so away, and the Bass Pro Shop up at the next exit on 95 were just too much for them to compete with I suspect.
Green Top moved into the building after they closed and are still there. I'm in GT's two or three times a week. The Gander Mountain logo is still in the sidewalk at the entrance, and all the mounted animals are stiil there, except for a full mount bear I think I remember being just inside the front door.
I don't think I ever went into that store but once. It didn't last long though. Green Top, the big local store just a block or so away, and the Bass Pro Shop up at the next exit on 95 were just too much for them to compete with I suspect.
Green Top moved into the building after they closed and are still there. I'm in GT's two or three times a week. The Gander Mountain logo is still in the sidewalk at the entrance, and all the mounted animals are stiil there, except for a full mount bear I think I remember being just inside the front door.
The Kid
Member
I never had a GM close enough to visit but we used to buy from the catalog sometimes. My mom had a pair of neoprene chest waders she trout fished out of forever. I have two 100 percent wool plaid shirts that are Gander Mountain brand, I couldn’t count the number of game I’ve killed wearing those two shirts as they were my mid layer for years. Sadly both are worn thin and torn beyond repair now. Wish I could replace them.
I miss the days when the big catalog outfits were competitive on prices and sold better quality gear than was usually locally available. Now the ones that remain are high priced Chinesium.
I miss the days when the big catalog outfits were competitive on prices and sold better quality gear than was usually locally available. Now the ones that remain are high priced Chinesium.
I agree competition from the Bass Pro Shop a couple miles north probably killed, them. But for nice used firearms Gander Mountain had them beat.
I used to shop at Gander Mtn pretty regularly when we had them, particularly the one in Ashland Va that became Green Top. Always preferred them to Bass Pro and Cabelas.
Tell me more about Green Top. I’ve never been in there despite passing by at least 4x a year, 8x if you count the return. Always in a hurry going elsewhere.
We used to make the rounds in Orange County BITD.
The Gander in Middletown was pretty good. Thruway Sports was/is good? There was a little shop in Goshen, Bobs Gun Exchange, he always gave more than you expected on trades.
kbm6893
Member
Thruway is OK. Been quite a few years since I’ve been there. I work right around the corner from what used to be Bob’s. It closed probably 10 years ago and is now a CBD hippie shop, selling CBD oils and pot smoking implements. The last time I was in Bob’s, they had an NYPD S&W Model 64 NY-1 3” revolver. It was listed at $350! I didn’t buy it because Bob replaced the spurless hammer with a spurred one, but it was black, and it didn’t match! I didn’t know anything about how easy it was to rectify that and I passed on it! When my son was a baby I used to take him on rides so he’d sleep, and I wheeled him through Bob’s in his stroller! People looked at me like I was crazy!
I think the original BGE owner sold the place to another guy back in the late 90’s???
We used to go shooting in an old abandoned quarry in Goshen after first stopping at the Goshen diner for breakfast.
Then we went to BGE. The owner was a real kind gentleman, always willing to talk guns.
That was in the early 80’s. I lived in Westchester at that time.
Gander Mt was always a must stop when going through Eau Claire. They had the largest viewing selection at the time. Bought a couple of firearms at their old and new stores. An undervalued used revolver at their old store, and a overvalued 3 in Kimber 1911 at their newer store. It was the only store available to me that actually had the Ultra II in 45 acp, and still have/carry it.
OP
OutAtTheEdge
Member
Here's a photo of the once-proud gun counter at the Appleton store, days before the final closure, with one gun left on display.
And then the last day, just before we shut off the lights.
And then the last day, just before we shut off the lights.
kev74
Member
Reading about all the great deals we got over the years, I can't help but think I might know why they went under.
Make the stop. It’s worth the effort. The have an indoor range about two miles up the road too that’s worth some time.
