Gander Mountain, per Reuters, is on the verge of bankruptcy. If this doesn't go well for them, all of the company's stores will be closing, including ones in Illinois.
This does not come as a terrible surprise. At their Champaign, IL store, Gander seemed very proud of their merchandise, charging about 15-20% above other stores in the area marked their firearms and accessories. Frankly, their sale prices brought their guns down to everyday street prices for other nearby gun sellers.
What's more, I've gotten multiple reports of Gander Mountain staff (and even a manager?) giving customers a hard time for buying a case or two (1000 cases) of 5.56 ammunition. "Why do you need that much ammunition?! Nobody needs that much ammo!" The first time I heard that I brushed it off as a misunderstanding. The second and third times, I considered contacting senior management for a comment, but in the end decided it wasn't worth the time or trouble.
What's more, when our GSL members asked if we could put out some GunNews, they were flatly (bordering on rudely) told no. Why? Because it contained advertisements from GM's competitors they were told.
Given all of the above, I personally never spent a nickel in their store and I've bought a lot of guns from a lot of stores over the years.
Gander Mountain preparing to file for bankruptcy this month
U.S. hunting and fishing chain Gander Mountain Co is preparing to file for bankruptcy as early as this month, after an aggressive effort to expand its store base failed to pull in new customers, according to people familiar with the matter.…Gander Mountain, which bills itself as America's firearms superstore, has faced challenges capitalizing on a booming gun market. The Federal Bureau of Investigation carried out a record 27.5 million background checks on people seeking to buy guns in 2016, up 19 percent from the year before.
Gander also has stiff competition from rivals like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's Inc, which have been revamping their stores to attract customers with restaurants and shooting activities.
They're great for internet showrooming!
Maybe we'll get some good close-out prices!
I would question why anyone would bother with buying that much ammo locally. Better prices can easily be found on the internet, and you can still get free shipping at certain places, and pay no confiscatory sales tax.
They also don't ask you why you need that much…
Yeah but you've created a paper trail for yourself by buying online.
I am all about a deal! I too have been to that Champaign store. $649 for a new Glock did not impress me. They didn't even offer to kiss me, or my wife, if I bought it either!
Sam
I will say they had .22s in Peoria when nobody else did!
Gee, and all you had to do was drive 360 miles roundtrip to find 'em!
Um, Field & Stream has 325-packs on sale today for UNDER $20.
Buy ten thousand rounds NOW and you'll never have to worry about it again.
Gander had them on sale a couple weeks ago, but the limit was one pack of 325, when other times it was a limit of three. Hardly worth the trip.
Spot on, author.
I haven't bought a THING there.
Lovely store to wander around in, admiring the log-work, but buy something? Nah, I'll save a hunnert bucks anywhere/elsewhere.
Telling them? Nah, they don't listen. They KNOW BETTER than we peons.
I wonder if I could buy that store when they go belly-up and turn it into my HOME?
Well. Good to hear from our chief circle jerker. How you doin ?
I dunno. I like the one in Joliet. They got a good manager there and some good guys running the gun counter and they match Rural King prices plus an additional 10% off. They also let me bring my dog in to the store. Cabelas doesn't and they don't price match Rural King, then again, it don't matter – they're in Crook county.
I shopped the original store when it opened in Wilmot. Not much bigger than a large garage, fill out the order on the counter, ring the bell and a guy ( one of the owners) would pick your order.
In 2003 I applied for a gunsmithing position after I retired at the new Geneva store. When I asked the pay rate and was told $12.50/Hr. I told the interviewer that I wasn't driving 70 miles round trip for that, and that I would rather work in my own shop. CS there was usually lousey and product was high priced. My wife goes past it every day and says the parking lot is never full of cars. This doesn't surprise me.
Large flashy Brick and Motar store models dont work anymore compared to internet based stores. The cost is just to high.