Skip to main content

It's reported that Gander Mountain Sporting Goods is in the process of filing for bankruptcy.  The simply got too big too fast, and competition from the merging Bass Pro Shops and Cabelas was too fierce for a new, undercapitalized company. 

It's just another in a long line of sporting goods companies going into bankruptcy.

See:   http://www.brainerddispatch.com/news...nkruptcy-month

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

If the story you are alluding to doesn't sink the local Gander Mountain store then the opening of Academy Sports surely will.  I've just been in the Madison, Alabama, Academy Sports store but there is no way that the local Gander Mountain (and DI(c)K's sporting goods store) will make it with their current prices.     

From all appearances it appears that Gander Mountain sports gets less business than the store in the Target shopping complex but I just wonder how much longer that store will be in business in the local area what with the increased competition and what has to be increased rent they will be paying when they have to resign their lease given that according to many that's why Best Buy decided not to renew.   Most said that the Florence Best Buy store did good business or at least enough to support it's existence here but that the Company wasn't willing to handle the greatly increased rent/lease amount that the owners of the shopping center wanted from them.   

In the end you hear a lot of things but it doesn't take too much wondering to see that there are problems on the horizon for Gander Mountain if the local store is any indication.  They do have a great selection of firearms and ammo but their prices aren't the best and often are beat by other local vendors.  I still hate to see something happen to a large business like Gander Mountain or Sears for that matter.  As for Sear's though I felt that their days was numbered long before the local store started closing at 6PM rather than 9PM, I felt their days was numbered when Sear's was bought out by the person that owned and purchased K-Mart.

Last edited by gbrk
Mr. Hooberbloob posted:

I heard D1cks was expanding by opening a Field and Stream store in the same shopping center.

Are you talking about the location in the Target shopping center, in Florence?   I know that there is a lot of work being done on the store property that is adjacent to Target, itself, but I haven't heard what is going in there. 

I enjoy going in both D1cks as well as Gander Mountain but for the most part the stores aren't competitive with the local firearms dealers like Larry's.   Larry's is one of the best gun stores around the area and you can't beat Larry's for overall selection and variety but then they are in Huntsville and Madison.  Also I like the fact that Larry's has the indoor gun range.  I don't know when the new gun range is going to open in the Florence area but I am looking forward to it.  I hear it's on Cloverdale Road just north of the Underwood Elementary school location. 

As for GM's firearms pricing I also will say that I've purchased a gun that was not a good deal and I paid far more than I should have (which is my own fault)  and I purchased another firearm during a sales promotion and the price I paid was actually much better than even available at Larry's and all other local outlets so sometimes you are lucky and can find a real deal but I agree that most of the time they are more expensive.

 

Wouldn't surprise me whatsoever given the buying-in-bulk advantages of the big box stores that they could offer sales prices routinely compared to local vendors.  But they don't, preferring to hang on to the MSRP.  In these days of smart phones, comparative shopping is the norm.  Used be a dog-eared Gun Trader's Guide that got the d*I*c*k*erin' going.

Overall, it has also been my experience based on a great part as to who the local vendor was, that the locals knew more about their product and the laws pertaining to compared to their big box counterpart.  Then to, if there was a problem, when dealing with a local, more than likely you were talking to the guy who was going to fix it.

Sorry I missed the gun show in the Shoals at the fairground last weekend.  We had rabbit races at the farm.

Last edited by budsfarm
budsfarm posted:

Neither is Huntsville which is surprising.

I was very surprised, too, as I don't see that many patrons shopping at the Florence store that often but then maybe I'm just not looking at the right times.  I will say though that not long ago I was able to buy a new Walter .40 caliber pistol at a price that beat everyone else in this area as well as Huntsville, including Larry's Pistol and Pawn which is usually the most economical place.   I still think the Florence Gander Mountain's time is limited or written on the wall what with the new Academy Sports opening and Field & Stream well on the way.  There is just so much room for those type sporting stores in this size of a town.

Back to the Gander Mountain gun purchase, I don't know if it was just a special clearance, of the 40 caliber or not because the 9mm wasn't included in the sale but the price was, and still is, the best I've seen on the "Walter PPS" (around $335) but I will say it was the "old style" PPS opposed to the newer style which moves the clip release from the trigger guard to body of the pistol.  

A lot of buyers hate the way that the magazine releases on the old style PPS but after using it a while I really like it but the new style changed that to a more conventional type release.  The other thing(s) that I really like about the Walter PPS is how, like the Glock, it's so light and so easy to take down, but it's also very accurate and easy to shoot.   If I could change one thing and it's my chief complaint about it, I would change the safety.  It has the trigger safety which is a part of the trigger itself.  I would rather have a more positive click type safety that is more protective. 

The trigger safety that this pistol uses can (very easily) if you have it in your pocket and have anything else in your pocket, be defeated and actually allow the gun to fire.  While if you holster it there is an increased measure of safety just having it in your pocket sure puts the pistol and trajectory in a place that you, the user, would rather not have it pointed If an accidental discharge did happen.

Tango mike for the review.  You might start working these in with the restaurants.

I've been inclined towards another single stack.  I see that Cabelas has a PPS/9 for $405.  Disregarding how you may feel about the caliber for a moment, does the price sound about right? 

Nevermind.  I just caught your price.  And a good one, too!

Last edited by budsfarm

Add Reply

Post

Untitled Document
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×