Demise of the Local Gun Shop

Another MA resident who has dealt almost exclusively with the LGS. Although I have been involved in a few FTF xfers, and bought one or two guns on line with the assistance of my LGS, the vast majority of my purchases have been straight from my LGS. This has been mostly guns and ammo, but also a few scopes, one of which I bought new from him rather than on line, because he had just ordered a gun for me from the factory and passed it to me for NO profit. Long story, but that was the SECOND time he had done something like that.

I deal with my LGS for two reasons, neither directly related to the incidents above. First, I recognize that if I want there to be a local gun store, somebody has to do business with him so he can make enough money to stay in business. I call this the dive shop syndrome. If you want to be able to buy cheap clean air, you won't be able to if you and everyone else buy all your SCUBA gear on the net.

The second reason I buy from my LGS is that I like used guns. Sometimes I like fixed-sight guns. I'd much rather buy a gun from a place where I can count on the gun's working.

I am quite sure that over the years I have SAVED a lot of money by sticking with my LGS. There are also other benefits from supporting the local store, but they may vary from place to place.
 
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I know of Five or Six LGS that have closed in the Kansas City Area in the past year. Most were not prepared for the panic rush of buying when it hit. They sold out of everything very quickly and then could not replace the merchandise that they sold during the the rush and many potential customers and regulars just quit going in only to be told "no we don't have any and don't know when we will get any". The rent and bills went on but they had nothing to sell. The LGS in the area that had deep inventory and deep pockets when the rush hit did just fine and are still doing well with less competition.
 
There are two LGS in my area. One has been there for about 30 years and has a fair amount of new and used,but his prices are high and he and his staff tend to be a bit unfriendly to most people. The other has been open for about 18 months and is run by a father and son,both nice and their selection is getting better as they go along.Their prices are about normal for the area. I have a Model 442 on layaway that was priced at $449. and when I was in last week they had a used 5906 for $399. The nearest Big Box Gun Shop is 50 miles away.
 
As Rastoff previously stated, accessories are where the money

is.

I visit a few LGS regularly, the two which are booming are

wall-to-wall accessories. Yes they have guns, lots of them,

but isn't it also a co-incidence that the stores that are

struggling are light on accessories?

As to the OP's mention of gun stores going out of business,

this is Florida, dude. Businesses come and go all the time.

Many businesses here are the culmination of a retired persons

pipe dream, i.e.-"when I retire, I think I'll try opening a

gun store in Florida...". When these businesses don't pan out

as well as planned, many retirees have already planned to cut their losses

before the store even opened, in the event of a negative cash flow scenario.
 
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flundertaker said:
I am just wondering peoples thoughts on the this subject. I have mixed emotions especially since its not because of Uncle Sugar or overly restrictive State laws but rather online competition. Here is the story. I live in Florida. We have pretty gun friendly laws and there certainly are no shortage of gun toting Floridians. In the last 2 months five (5) gun shops in an area I visit frequently have closed shop.

Action Gun and Archery (2 Locactions) in Melbourne
Ammo Attic in Melbourne
The Gun Lady in Merritt Island
The Shooters Den in Melbourne
Indian River Outdoors in Port St. John

The fact that these shops have gone out of business when gun sales continue to soar tells me that people are buying guns, just not from them. As far as competition, the only real new entry into the market has been Bass Pro in Palm Bay but they're prices are higher than these shops were and their selection is not that great. I can only surmise that most people are buying online. I have done this as well but not with any new gun, only used. The problem I see coming down the pike is that most remaining shops dont do transfers, or do so selectively. It would seem that those looking to save money may, in fact, have cut their own throat. The shops doing transfers have folded and now most left wont do them. Was it the cheap transfers that shuttered the shops? I cant say that for sure. Each of them had their share of issues, either inventory or prices typically. Maybe a couple of these shops got buried in stuff they ordered and paid too much for during the panic but didnt receive until after it subsided and the bottom fell out of the market on black guns. I try to support the LGS even if I dont buy a gun from them. I usually buy a box or two of their ammo, even when it is 15-25% more than I can pay online or pick up some cleaning supplies. I am wondering if I should have done more. I dont want all the LGS to go belly up but at the same time, some of the remaining ones have some policies and practices that are tough to deal with and support as a customer.

Anyone else see this happening in their area? Also how much additional (as a percentage) are you willing to pay a brick and mortar LGS for the same item you could get online, all in (taxes vs shipping, etc)?
Click to expand...


I'm not sure where you are in relation to Palm Coast, but my friend Louie just moved down there and set up shop.
He's a retired cop, Army vet, and all around great guy.
His business is Collazo Tactical Arms.
Louie will do right by you, there's no better 2nd A defender anywhere.

About Us!
 
I consider my gun collecting hobby as a "no cost hobby". I buy guns at a really great price, shoot them and enjoy them, then I sell or trade them for something I want more. I nearly always make a little money on the sale and only a couple of times have I lost a few bucks. The ammo and targets cost money but that is a different hobby, my "shooting hobby". I recently purchased a Remington 700 BDL 30-06 with beautiful walnut from Walmart for $377(it was mismarked) and I'm sure I can make money if/when I sell it since they retail for about $740. Before that I bought a Smith M49 from an individual for $350 and sold it on Gunlist for $500. I have bought a few used guns from pawnshops but out of the last 50 or so guns I have bought, only 2 or 3 have come from local gun stores, the rest from gun forums.
 
I, too try to buy from my LGS whenever possible. When I say possible, I also mean financially possible.
Lately when I use them for a transfer, I cringe at what I know is coming. He'll ask if I checked his inventory first, I'll say yes, then he asks how much I'm paying. Usual response from him then is " Hell, they're givin' it away!" I remind him that nobody is "giving" me anything.
His prices have been as much as 50% higher on a couple. I can only do so much to help. His transfer fee is 5 min of writing or typing with no overhead involved. That works out to over $300 an hour. I thought I was doing him a favor by giving him that business.
I always pick up some ammo for it and cleaning supplies or even a holster, but I'm not rich. I have to shop for the best deal like most people.
I think it's just a matter of turnover and quantity sales, or lack of same. The same thing that caused a lot of family hardware stores to close up in the face of Lowes and Home Depot.
I don't know what, if any, solution there is. I guess diversify wherever possible and figure out what works locally.
In a small town there's only so many guns you can sell vs. nationwide.
Perhaps jump on the Internet bandwagon also.
To do it though, one of my locals needs to GET Internet, plus his only fax, and the other shop owner needs to figure out how to use a computer.
 
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There's one sportsman shop, guns ammo fishing clothing baits, about eight miles from me that's closing. Yet the older and larger ones seem to be doing well.

I guess the strong will survive.
 
I've purchased more than a dozen firearms over the past three years. Only one of them was from a LGS. The rest were on line purchases, with the exception of two I bought at a pawnshop. My primary interests are S&W 3rd Gen semi autos, & none of my local shops(at the time)ever had any. When I asked one counterman why, he said "No one wants those old tanks!". And yet, there I was in front of him asking if they had any in the back. Their prices weren't great on the stuff they did carry. They had a great range, though, & in the end that was all I went there for.
 
flundertaker said:
The fact that these shops have gone out of business when gun sales continue to soar tells me that people are buying guns, just not from them. As far as competition, the only real new entry into the market has been Bass Pro in Palm Bay but they're prices are higher than these shops were and their selection is not that great. I can only surmise that most people are buying online. I have done this as well but not with any new gun, only used. The problem I see coming down the pike is that most remaining shops dont do transfers, or do so selectively.
Click to expand...

Getting a transfer done does not necessarily require choosing between a LGS and a big box chain store. There are numerous places on the web where you can look up your local FFL holders, along with their specifics.

I seldom buy guns any more because I am retired on a fixed income, and I already have more guns than I will ever use up. Wanting to make a rare purchase, I looked up a local place, basing my choice on price and driving distance. It turned out to be one of those giant storage facilities where people store their boats, RVs, winter clothes, etc.

Its a 10 minute drive from my house. When I go in, the receptionist calls the manager down from his office upstairs, and we do the transfer immediately, and I'm on my way, with no BS.

The LGS I used to use (since 1969) is still in business, and doing fine. But they are at least a 30 minute drive away, plus another 20 minutes before a store clerk will even deign to talk to me. Sometimes they simply *won't* talk to me at all.
 
LGS's

Here 35 miles North of Tampa it's not just the LGS's going belly up. Poor planning/decisions, NOT using the net to sell guns as well as off the shelf, a lack of experience, not enough $ to sustain them thru the first year? It seems to be worse for bars/restaurants & other businesses opened on a whim. I look EVERYWHERE before buying a gun. Full retail + tax is my last choice, whether it's a Mom & pop or big box store. I find a lot of what I need from word of mouth or fellow members of my gun club, somebody always seems to know a guy. My purchases are spread out to wherever I get the best deal or is most convenient. I don't feel I owe anybody a living, unless they have done right by me before. A LGS that robs me when buying and gouges when selling, I have no sympathy for. I don't like paying taxes/ hazmat fees/ or shipping, BUT will do what I have to.
 
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I'm actually pretty happy with the fact that there are no big box gun stores near by. All the Cabelas and Bass Pro are a good 2 hour drive away. Been to Cabelas a few times and besides the sandwiches there really isn't anything for me. Guns are at least a $100 more than at my LGSs. The only thing I can say about Cabelas is that they have an amazing selection of ammo
 
We were losing some LGS in the area about 3 years ago. Now new stores are springing up like weeds. They are all flavors, everything from mom and pop to big box stores. The big box stores are full line with accessories and sell mostly the trendy guns. The mom and pops do sell new guns but try to offer other choices than the cookie cutter models found in the big box stores. Where the mom and pops excel is in used guns. They not only rely on over the counter but list online also. All the mom and pops do transfers in this area. The only purchases I do online is reloading components.
 
When purchasing my first gun, I went to a large local gun shop with my wife and son in law that had a range. I won't name names but it is in Westland Mi. and owned by former police officers. None of us were very experienced and asked questions about a few guns and were treated so badly, we all looked at ourselves and said we would spend $100.00 more and get it from somewhere else before buying from them. Guess we were too dumb for them to help. For the record, they were a little cheaper than Cabella's, but still high priced. I went to a local FFL and ordered from him...all my questions were answered and have since bought 2 more guns through him. I understand not all LGS are like the one I went to, but they really left a bad taste in my mouth and made ordering online or through my local FFL directly my best bet.. Best of all, my FFL gave me a price $75.00 cheaper than the LGS.
 
The last several years--when I get new guns--always at gun shows. I buy mostly only from sellers im friends with--so always get better deals than the average bear gets. :D

As a matter well--ill post about it in a new gun show thread ill post a bit later including good news.
 
It seesm to me that LGS's are like a lot of mom and pop operations, unless the next generation or two are looking to take it over and are being groomed for it, they are so to speak one generation businesses. The owners operate them until they depart this life, or are physically unable, or get tired of it, decide to retire-get a good offer for the property, e.g.
 
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