The Small Town Sporting Good's Shop

[OldSchool]

Almost every small town around here used to have one and the folks that ran them lived hunting, fishing and trapping just like their customers. They weren't big and most didn't carry a lot of inventory, but the people that ran them knew most of their customers personally, knew what everybody liked and kept it in stock.

The guy that ran the one in the town near me would sell you single shells, or a couple shells of a few different kinds if you had a gun you wanted to pattern. You could stop in and weigh a bird or a deer, shoot the bull for a while and get an idea of how the other guys in the area were making out. When you went there, it was as much stopping to see a friend as it was shopping.

Now a days I have to drive 30 miles each way to buy what I need at one of the big chain stores, from people that don't, a lot of time, know the difference between a shotshell and a rifle cartridge and talk to somebody else on their cell phone through the entire transaction. I guess the little guys couldn't compete with the big chains, but I sure miss the small town shops and all they had to offer.

Bob

[Turkeyman11]

 I agree completely.  The guy that is usually sells guns and sporting goods equipment at our local Walmart was nowhere to be found the other day.  As I moved on, I spotted him stocking shelves in the cookware area.  I asked him if he could come and get me some 20 gauge shells from behind the counter he said it would be about 20 minutes.  What???  Not his fault, I'm sure the big box store just wanted him to be productive.  Anyway the owner of our remaining "little store" just recently passed away and I'm not sure what's going to happen to it.  Already miss stopping in to buy some powder and just shoot the bull....

[tomstopper]

We used to have the around my area as well. I remember being paid $5 a day as a youngster to go and sweep and mop the store rite before closing 3 days a week and during deer season before I could hunt, I would help him with the processing. When I wasn't in the woods or at the river fishing, I used to just hang out there and watch them fix bows, fix guns, rig fly rods etc. I learned a lot listening to the guys who came in. This was a very memorable time in my life and I wish I could still hang out at a place like that. I still chuckle when I think of the select few guys that knew if the put .75 cents in the soda machine and hit the out button, they would get an ice cold PBR. Conversation & friendly service was just unmatched compared to the major name brand stores that have ran these small places out. Just sad.

[OldSchool]

We used to have the around my area as well. I remember being paid $5 a day as a youngster to go and sweep and mop the store rite before closing 3 days a week and during deer season before I could hunt, I would help him with the processing. When I wasn't in the woods or at the river fishing, I used to just hang out there and watch them fix bows, fix guns, rig fly rods etc. I learned a lot listening to the guys who came in. This was a very memorable time in my life and I wish I could still hang out at a place like that. I still chuckle when I think of the select few guys that knew if the put .75 cents in the soda machine and hit the out button, they would get an ice cold PBR. Conversation & friendly service was just unmatched compared to the major name brand stores that have ran these small places out. Just sad.

I had to laugh when I read about the soda machine. I forgot about the fridge in the shop here that had the worms and beer in it. Thanks for the reminder.

Bob

[guesswho]

Yep.  I can remember guns and shells in on the same isle where anyone could get to them and not locked up behind the counter.   Motsinger's Hardware Mulberry Fl.   I can remember as a kid probably 10 years old or so and he would sell us 22 shells for a penny a piece.   I'm not sure what the laws were back then but he would sell shells to kids who's parents didn't object.  He hunted the same WMA as we did.   You could call him and ask him to bring shells or whatever and he'd bring them to camp with him and settle up the following week.  I'd trade my cell phones, computers, 4-wheelers , fancy guns and shells in a heart beat to go back to those times.

[MK M GOBL]

Both sides of the coin again for me... When I was growing up we had a few of the same type sports shops around, bought my first gun (.22 Glenfield 66) there and still have it today. As I got older I worked at a bow shop to earn $ to buy my first bow and other hunting equipment, took another job (construction) which paid a bit more as I got older. A "bigger" store came to town and two of those shops closed down after a few years... As timed passed I ended up working at the "big" store and eventually to a very large retailer that I am with now and just started my 15th year with. One thing I like about "our" store is I am in a small town and the 2nd smallest of the stores. I know a lot of my customers, some even became came very good friends and hunting buddies and I know most of my fellow workers, I took a lot of those early years work ethics and values with me and my "customers" appreciate it. I always take the time to talk about some hunting and fishing with them share some tips and see how it's been going.

MK M GOBL

[Bowguy]

Thank God where I live Theres still a few. One minutes from my house. Every Sunday morning you can find some honest to goodness old timers that understand where we came from. The stories, friendship, etc are a big part of it. I hope they stay in business forever

[born2hunt]

Over the past few years we have lost our small sporting goods store and hardware store. I would buy everything I could from them even though most times I could order off line cheaper. The ole "first name basis" and a friendly conversation goes a long way. Now the Bass Pro and bigger Ace Hardware have moved in and those days are long gone. 

[Clif Owen]

I remember some of those stores too. Sure wish I could go back in time to revisit. Last time I went in Academy and asked about a shotgun; I had to listen to the clown tell me what a bad choice it was and how superior his choice was. I'm sure he meant well but I really wasn't in the mood to listen to it.

[357MAGNOLE]

There is a couple back in my home town still.  Not sure how much longer they can hang on for, the people that own them love what they do and will probably sink every last penny they have into it to keep the doors open.  I try and shop those types of stores whenever I can, but many times they don't have what I am looking for and they are expected to order in bulk or else it costs me 25% more than i would pay at the Bass pro.  25% can be alot of money when you think about buying a gun or high quality glass.

[OldSchool]

I see that I'm not alone. Times change, and if we don't change with them, to some degree at least, we get left in the dust, lol.

MK M GBL,  I hope you, or anybody else here that may work at one of the big stores didn't take offense at my post, it wasn't intended that way. If the store I'm talking about would hire people with the knowledge of the outdoors, the respect and courtesy that you and the others here put forth, I'd probably see things a little differently. I'd still miss my old shop and the guy that ran it though.

Bob

[dirt road ninja]

I'm not as old as some folk on this thread, but I can remember the local stores around the house. They like some one mentioned would sell me shells and .22 bullets when I would ride up on my bike. I also can remember riding my bike with a 20 gauge or .22 through the neighborhood to shoot rabbits on undeveloped land near the house and the police would stop me only to see what I shot. Now my kid would be told something for shooting cans in the cannels by the house with a pellet gun.   

[turkeyfoot]

We still have couple near me one is just what you described and good place to support the other I don't give my business to very poor people skills. Its really about the employees that make a shop way to few have good old folks running them these days

[MK M GOBL]

I see that I'm not alone. Times change, and if we don't change with them, to some degree at least, we get left in the dust, lol.

MK M GBL,  I hope you, or anybody else here that may work at one of the big stores didn't take offense at my post, it wasn't intended that way. If the store I'm talking about would hire people with the knowledge of the outdoors, the respect and courtesy that you and the others here put forth, I'd probably see things a little differently. I'd still miss my old shop and the guy that ran it though.

Bob

None taken Sir, I have had the experience of working for a number of shops from Mom & Pops to an Archery Pro Shop, a "bigger" outdoors store to one of the largest outdoor retailers there is. There are days when the stress of my job makes me wish I was back 30 years ago in the little old store talking to the locals. Biggest thing with the knowledge is that it takes time to "learn" it all, I was pretty green back then at 17 knew a little about hunting and fishing and they gave me the chance to learn, (A LOT) of that learning came from those who visited the shop, Dad/family and friends. My biggest struggle anymore is "work ethics" hate to say how most of these kids are anymore but if I find one who grew up working on a farm seems like the family has a lot of those values instilled in them. One of my main points I "train" is if you don't have the answer get help from someone who does, be honest about it and nobody will fault you for that.

MK M GOBL

[shaman]

I've got small gunshop or two left, but I have to drive a ways to get there.  Some folks even know my name, and know enough to ask how the hunting has been.  However, these places are getting rare.   My favorites started closing 30 years ago.

Here's a pic of my current favorite, 



Hibberd Armory in Cleves, Ohio. 

What we have now are 3 monster stores, Bass Pro,  Cabelas, and Field & Stream.  Once in a while I get out to them.  Bass Pro is the closest.  It's like an amusement park, but the counter monkeys can be dumb as rocks.

For the most part, I've given up on that end of things, and now do most of my shopping online.  For shooting the bull, I go places like here and  24HourCampfire.com