Gun Store Closings

I'm doing my part to help Fox Firearms go down the tubes.

Redcobra said:

I thought Gun Connection closed and the owner moved to Texas??

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We decided to keep the MD store open and opened a new store in Texas.

rpker said:

when is select fire going to close?

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When there are no longer any SIGs available to do house clearing.

I've seen the fully cocked store location in Essex, but it never opened , I don't know what that's about , it's been empty for some time now ...

Buff7mm said:

Add Moore's in Allegany County to the list.

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I miss them.

Docster said:

Christian Soldier also was not a 'full time' gun store. The hours were variable around the owners regular job.

The list looks more and more like closings of the marginal stores (hobbyists, part timers, etc) than actual fully functional, full service, full time gun shops.

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Yup, I think Big Brad's in Parsonsburg shut down as well.

Bart's is closing from what I understand. The next generation of the family is supposedly not interested in running it.

I really liked the people at Constitutional Firearms. They were always friendly to my wife and me. They were located only a mile from my house, so there were lots of "impulse" buys. We were always checking in there on the way back from our weekly grocery shopping or after we would visit another store in the shopping center there.

5.56blaster said:

I think customer service killed as many as the new gun laws.

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Yeah, this. There's been a handful of shops I've visited in MD, only 2 really acted like they wanted me there.

Yea I don't know why, but there a lot of firearm stores with poor customer service. And I don't mean poor like they don't care like a big box store employee, I mean openly hostile. Suprised me a good amount. Maybe because I look young?

Two Cents:

Look, let's face it. A lot of gun shops in MD are not really in the business of selling guns and ammo. A great many of these owners are subsidizing their gun hobby with a storefront.

I use to go to Just Guns (and I can't remember what it was before that), Walter's and Christian Soldier. I could not help but feel that they were not too interested in actually doing business. They had what they had when they had it. Here is the price, lump it or leave it.

I now take most of my business to Freestate. They actually treat you like a customer.

When I am closer to DC I go to Atlantic Guns.

Here is the secret to running a good shop:

Know your customer base. Just because the same 70yo Fudd has been buying guns from you for the last 50 years, do not base your entire inventory on his personal tastes (or yours!). Know what is going on in the industry. It seems like a lot of MD shops were very slow to start stocking ARs and Glocks even though Evil Black Guns have been dominant in the market for the last 20 years or so.

Offer actual deals. Where are all the police trade-ins and surplus guns? About 10 years ago I bought a Yugo M59/66 SKS in Excellent condition with all the accessories for about $125 out the door. That same gun is selling for over $500 on Gunbroker today. At one gun show, some smart guy who "gets it" was selling Tula Mosins for around $100. He had two cases on the floor and they were selling fast. Cases of ammo - same same.

Don't gouge. Along with 'know your customer' and 'know the industry', remember how the internet will change your business. Why should I pay your retail price for whatever you are trying to hawk that day, when I can just pay your transfer fee and get EXACTLY what I want online? When you fail to offer a deal you just end up sitting on inventory you cannot sell.

ABC - Always Be Closing. If you are not winning you are losing. No one should walk out of your shop without buying something - ammo, pepper spray, a surplus gun. When someone says "just looking" they are looking for a good deal! Always have a deal going that makes it easy for people to buy. If all I see is overpriced guns and random junk I am likely to not want to come back to that store. If I see a bunch of stuff I want at a good price, I will come back waiting to look for the next deal. Again, going back to the Freestate and Atlantic examples, I usually go in there with at least three guns competing for my attention and at least one ammo deal.

Have a good attitude. Yes, I know the General Public is a PITA. And I am sure you have to deal with every yokel and yahoo with and internet connection. That said, they walked into your store. Are you there to do business or not? Give me a reason to buy something - not a reason to leave. My personal pet peeve is don't try to Tacticool Ted me. I have been there, done that, have several t-shirts. Most likely you have not. You sell guns, I buy guns. I am not impressed with your regurgitation of some nugget you read on ARFCOM. Unless you have first hand experience with the particular subject matter, save it. That guy with the plate carrier at Just Guns was particularly annoying. I had just gotten back from Afghanistan and he was spouting off some nonsense about guns used by Special Forces. Dear God, make it stop.

The Gun Rack is Gone. I didnt know that. Too bad.

Armati said:

Offer actual deals. Where are all the police trade-ins and surplus guns? About 10 years ago I bought a Yugo M59/66 SKS in Excellent condition with all the accessories for about $125 out the door. That same gun is selling for over $500 on Gunbroker today. At one gun show, some smart guy who "gets it" was selling Tula Mosins for around $100. He had two cases on the floor and they were selling fast. Cases of ammo - same same.

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You have to make money on the guns or it doesn't matter how many you sell.

ericoak said:

Yea I don't know why, but there a lot of firearm stores with poor customer service. And I don't mean poor like they don't care like a big box store employee, I mean openly hostile. Suprised me a good amount. Maybe because I look young?

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I ran into this very problem at Barts. That's fine, I took my business elsewhere. Bought my Glock online. Won't be upset if they close.

RepublicanJD said:

I ran into this very problem at Barts. That's fine, I took my business elsewhere. Bought my Glock online. Won't be upset if they close.

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What has surprised me many times is how poorly my wife has been treated by venders at gun shows and some gun shops. One perfect instance was at one of the gun shows at the Howard County fairgrounds last year. My wife and I were looking at an M1 Carbine that a vender had for sale. I gave it a cursory look, but since it was going to be her rifle, she wanted to be the one to give it a thorough once-over. The salesman made a rather disparaging comment that I was wasting my time having her check it out because she probably didn't know what she was looking for. I was really proud when she started pointing out all the things that were wrong with it, like the non GI hammer, the head-space was off (closed on a no go gauge), the muzzle showed considerable erosion, etc. Some other venders wouldn't even really talk to her, but would readily talk to me. When we experience those types of people, we definitely go elsewhere.

Has anyone heard anymore about Fred's re-opening?

RepublicanJD said:

I ran into this very problem at Barts. That's fine, I took my business elsewhere. Bought my Glock online. Won't be upset if they close.

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You weren't the only one. My experience at Barts is the singularly worst customer service encounter that I've EVER had. Until that day, I never had someone be openly insulting, condescending and nasty to me. As someone the far side of 50 years old, it certainly wasn't because I'm young.

The ironic part is I've heard how good Jack Bart is at providing shotgun fitting and all-around customer service. I can state from directly painful experience that some of his employees do not subscribe to the same philosophy.

JoeR

CrazyIvan said:

What has surprised me many times is how poorly my wife has been treated by venders at gun shows and some gun shops. One perfect instance was at one of the gun shows at the Howard County fairgrounds last year. My wife and I were looking at an M1 Carbine that a vender had for sale. I gave it a cursory look, but since it was going to be her rifle, she wanted to be the one to give it a thorough once-over. The salesman made a rather disparaging comment that I was wasting my time having her check it out because she probably didn't know what she was looking for. I was really proud when she started pointing out all the things that were wrong with it, like the non GI hammer, the head-space was off (closed on a no go gauge), the muzzle showed considerable erosion, etc. Some other venders wouldn't even really talk to her, but would readily talk to me. When we experience those types of people, we definitely go elsewhere.

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Not a problem at Freestate. I was with a lady friend who is looking for a revolver. She is new to shooting, so it was a bit different from your experience, but they took the time to show her why a Taurus, Ruger, and S&W are all different. She asked lots of questions, and they never got tired of answering them. She even learned all about speed loaders.

She didn't buy that day, she wanted to go read reviews of the Ruger and S&W on the Interwebs. She read her reviews and will be going back to Freestate to buy in a couple of weeks.

clandestine said:

Bart's is closing from what I understand. The next generation of the family is supposedly not interested in running it.

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I heard the same thing. They are closing when their lease is up apparently. Going to be a big gap in the high end shot gun arena unless some other LGS steps up.

High prices and lack of inventory drove most of them out. You most be competitive in the gun business. Some store owners act like they are doing you a favor by existing. That means I don't go there again.