A problem with shopping local

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BlueHeelerFl

BlueHeelerFl

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Treasure Coast, FL
I was off from work today so I headed to my LGS/indoor range for some shooting, but they were closed. Last week on the 24th I went there to see what they had in stock and they were also closed.

I'd be less annoyed if they had posted a sign listing their holiday hours when I was there on the 24th (their regular hours are written in magic marker on a piece of paper). And they were open during this past week as I saw cars in their parking lot.

Things like this are a problem with shopping local and why people end up at big box stores. Which is what I ended up doing. On Monday I went to Bass Pro to check on ammo and they had a Ruger American Ranch in 556 for sale.
 
Locally, many stores are now operating with odd hours. If they have no merchandise to sell it doesn't make sense to open the doors and pay for utilities and employees salaries. Big box stores have some of the same issues getting ammo etc. But BPS can justify keeping the doors open because they still have plenty of other merchandise to sell other than guns and ammo.
 
What's the best is getting to know your LGS owner/employees personally. Then, it's more of a, "hey, you want to catch lunch, and oh by the way did you get any new shipments of ammo?"

I was caught short on a new to me caliber by this recent craziness, and my LGS apologized to me when I paid their current pricing on it. I just replied, "you have nothing to apologize for you have to make money and your inventory shipments are far and few between these days and it's something I need/want."

Putting one in the others shoes and showing them that by actions and words goes a long way.

I know a lot of what I just said doesn't pertain directly to your situation @BlueHeelerFl but just some suggestions to all listening to this thread that being relational to a person that is in your interest circle is a good thing long term for both individuals. My LGS watches out for things I need, and I gladly pay a little extra to support them from time to time. Realistically I can find nearly all the wares they offer online for cheaper, but it's not always about the dollar as much as society makes us think it is.
 
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jmr40 said:
Locally, many stores are now operating with odd hours. If they have no merchandise to sell it doesn't make sense to open the doors and pay for utilities and employees salaries. Big box stores have some of the same issues getting ammo etc. But BPS can justify keeping the doors open because they still have plenty of other merchandise to sell other than guns and ammo.
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This store does have fishing gear and other items. And they do have an indoor range as well.
 
I wanted to grab some primers tomorrow at an LGS that I know has them (200 primer limit per customer) but I checked their website and they are closed until Jan 2nd. Ah well.
 
BlueHeelerFl said:
I was off from work today so I headed to my LGS/indoor range for some shooting, but they were closed. Last week on the 24th I went there to see what they had in stock and they were also closed

Things like this are a problem with shopping local and why people end up at big box stores.
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Hard to believe anyone would wonder why a LGS is closed on Christmas Eve. As for today, who knows. Could be someone there had a positive Covid test. Could be, like many smaller businesses, they shut down between the holidays to do inventory. Many of your smaller local businesses treat their employees better than the big box stores and it could be they gave them the week off. You are free to go to the big box stores and spend your monies, I'm guessing the LGS has no issues with it either, probably why they were closed. Small local businesses like this are really suffering right now, you'll be lucky if that place is still open a year from now. Give them your support, and have some cheese with your whine.
 
buck460XVR said:
Hard to believe anyone would wonder why a LGS is closed on Christmas Eve. As for today, who knows. Could be someone there had a positive Covid test. Could be, like many smaller businesses, they shut down between the holidays to do inventory. Many of your smaller local businesses treat their employees better than the big box stores and it could be they gave them the week off. You are free to go to the big box stores and spend your monies, I'm guessing the LGS has no issues with it either, probably why they were closed. Small local businesses like this are really suffering right now, you'll be lucky if that place is still open a year from now. Give them your support, and have some cheese with your whine.
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I concur with all of this.

I'll give some examples from the other side of the counter. I owned a small business for 46 years until I retired about 3.5 years ago (trophies, awards and engraving). Many times I was a one man operation. My hours were 9-5 weekdays and 9-12 Saturdays, until I quit opening Saturdays about 30 years ago (by appointment only). Everything was fine until the first big box stores started opening, and then all of a sudden, people started expecting me to be open seven days a week, into the evening, early in the morning, etc. I didn't change a thing, and business was same as usual. I normally closed between Christmas and New Year's, because there just isn't enough business then to pay the gas bill, let alone make a profit. Also, when I realized my kids were growing up without family vacations, I calculated the slowest time of the summer months (two weeks after school closes, in case you were wondering), and started taking a week's vacation with my family every year.

You need to realize that many small businesses are family run, by economic necessity. And these families also deserve holidays and vacations just like people who work for large corporations. Sure, vacations caused many late nights for me, because I made sure any customer who had an event scheduled that week had their awards in hand before I left.

But I still got calls from people asking "Are you open Saturday? How about Sunday?".

Thanks for letting me rant.
 
buck460XVR said:
Hard to believe anyone would wonder why a LGS is closed on Christmas Eve. As for today, who knows. Could be someone there had a positive Covid test. Could be, like many smaller businesses, they shut down between the holidays to do inventory. Many of your smaller local businesses treat their employees better than the big box stores and it could be they gave them the week off. You are free to go to the big box stores and spend your monies, I'm guessing the LGS has no issues with it either, probably why they were closed. Small local businesses like this are really suffering right now, you'll be lucky if that place is still open a year from now. Give them your support, and have some cheese with your whine.
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I had no problem with them being closed on Christmas Eve.

I have a problem with them not bothering to place a sign on their door stating what their hours are during the holidays.

Between working my behind off as an "essential" employee and taking care of elderly mother who has cancer I don't appreciate having my valuable downtime wasted because a local business can't be bothered to notify their customers when they will be closed.

So you know what you can do with your ignorant whine comment.
 
Larry Ashcraft said:
But I still got calls from people asking "Are you open Saturday? How about Sunday?".
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You do realize a sizeable portion of the population works 9-5. Every job I have had required me to be behind my desk, in my exam room, or on the stocking shelves for my entire shift. There was no way for me to drop into a business that was only open 9-5.

At one point I had an hour plus commute each way to work. So unless I could find a business with Sat or Sun hours I couldn't get anything done
 
I like to support local businesses but I require that they earn it, just as I expect any business to do. A small LGS business might not be able to compete on price with Bass Pro Shop but they should be able to compete on service. If a given business offers the customer a worse experience than the competition it deserves to fail. I think that's called "The Invisible Hand" or something.;)
 
BlueHeelerFl said:
You do realize a sizeable portion of the population works 9-5. Every job I have had required me to be behind my desk, in my exam room, or on the stocking shelves for my entire shift. There was no way for me to drop into a business that was only open 9-5.

At one point I had an hour plus commute each way to work. So unless I could find a business with Sat or Sun hours I couldn't get anything done
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I'm not sure if businesses don't get this point or don't care. Half of my time is spent in "program mode" serving guests/clients and the other half is kind of admin/side projects. In the former time I work long weeks of long days, the other time it's 'banker's hours' 9-5. Due to Covid we spent more time 9-5 & M-F this year than normal, and I was surprised at how many things can only be done at the time I was at work. You kind of expect that from gov offices (insert gov joke here) but private businesses usually have to be more responsive to customer demand in order to succeed. I guess not everyone is though.
 
Barbaroja said:
Sure it’s frustrating but complaining about it and then trying to justify your frustration to people online. I think your starting to cut into your valuable downtime.
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At this point of the day my "valuable downtime" is about over and I'm relaxing since I have to be at work at 4am

But your right, maybe I'll save my time not be bothered with THR. I stopped posting here for about 10 years and didn't seem to miss out on anything important
 
BlueHeelerFl said:
I had no problem with them being closed on Christmas Eve.

I have a problem with them not bothering to place a sign on their door stating what their hours are during the holidays.

Between working my behind off as an "essential" employee and taking care of elderly mother who has cancer I don't appreciate having my valuable downtime wasted because a local business can't be bothered to notify their customers when they will be closed.

So you know what you can do with your ignorant whine comment.
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Sorry about your inconvenience. Try calling before you waste your time, or check their website. Not a tough thing to do.
 
There's a local dealer in the country by me, he has clearly listed hours but he doesn't really care. He'll tell you when to come by if you call and then when you get there he'll be all locked up with a note on the door to come back later. One time I came at prescribed time and shop is locked with a note, come up to adjacent house and ring bell. I go to the house and he says he probably won't be open for another hour. Mind you I live 20 miles away. I'll never give him another chance after trying too many times already.
 
BlueHeelerFl said:
Their website and Facebook page both stated that they were open.

And another condescending comment.
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Not meant to be condescending, stating what seems normal to me. I am fortunate to have 3 LGS near me that I do business with. Around the holidays, I call before I go there if I'm not sure. And once ladt year when I did go to one of the LGS and they wete closed when normally they would be open,came to find out that the owner lost his daughter in a car accident the night before. Just saying don't rush to judgement and maybe make a phone call first.
 
A small local in Zephyrhills, posted on their Facebook a Black Friday sale all week. I was off Friday so id figure id stop in on my rounds. I get there, theres a sign on the door "gone fishing". Well that's a bit annoying saying you're having a sale til Saturday but you aren't open. I stop in Saturday the next day. Nope still "gone fishing" and they are closed Sunday and Monday. 2 weeks later I took a Tuesday off just to use vacation time. I drive thru the parking lot sign on the door "closed deliveries only". Tuesday the next week the same thing. Came to find out they closed up shop. Though I did come to learn they closed for health reasons, but a post on a Facebook would have been great, maybe thank them for being open and selling me a handful of guns. I had to find out from other LGSs
 
buck460XVR said:
Hard to believe anyone would wonder why a LGS is closed on Christmas Eve. As for today, who knows. Could be someone there had a positive Covid test. Could be, like many smaller businesses, they shut down between the holidays to do inventory. Many of your smaller local businesses treat their employees better than the big box stores and it could be they gave them the week off. You are free to go to the big box stores and spend your monies, I'm guessing the LGS has no issues with it either, probably why they were closed. Small local businesses like this are really suffering right now, you'll be lucky if that place is still open a year from now. Give them your support, and have some cheese with your whine.
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This!
 
BlueHeelerFl said:
You do realize a sizeable portion of the population works 9-5. Every job I have had required me to be behind my desk, in my exam room, or on the stocking shelves for my entire shift. There was no way for me to drop into a business that was only open 9-5.
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Yes, so did I. You did read my post, didn't you?

Also, did you read this part?
Larry Ashcraft said:
(by appointment only)
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I bent over backwards for my customers, and I think my 46 years in the industry proves that. I don't remember ONE TIME that my customer didn't receive their orders on time. In 46 years. I have met customers at 11:00 PM on a Friday night, if that was their schedule.

What I'm saying is; remember that your retailer is also a person, with a family, and that is as important to them as it is to you.

But, go ahead and patronize the big box stores. Just realize if you don't show up next week, they won't even notice.
 
BlueHeelerFl said:
I'd be less annoyed if they had posted a sign listing their holiday hours when I was there on the 24th (their regular hours are written in magic marker on a piece of paper). And they were open during this past week as I saw cars in their parking lot.
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This would annoy me as well. They ought to post their holiday schedule, and I'd probably mention that to them next time that I stopped by. But I would also probably assume that they are running minute-to-minute, as are most private / independent gun shops, and customer service is getting understandably a little thin. In short - I'd cut them some slack until they proved that they didn't deserve it.

BlueHeelerFl said:
And another condescending comment.
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So any comment that doesn't overtly sympathize with your position, even if it offers a suggestion for how to -avoid- getting frustrated, is not helpful but is condescending?

BlueHeelerFl said:
But your right, maybe I'll save my time not be bothered with THR. I stopped posting here for about 10 years and didn't seem to miss out on anything important
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But this isn't condescending?

OK then.
 
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