This thread seems to have boiled down to three areas of complaint:
HOURS: I had won some money gambling and, as is my practice with any significant winnings, I buy something permanent. I had been looking at a used gun at an LGS we'll call Bozo's Guns. I left my home at 10:00 Saturday morning to go buy said gun from Bozo. Closed. No Saturday hours at all. I motored out to Really Cool Gunstore about twenty miles away. I was able to get a nicer, cooler gun, brand new in the box, for over $50 less than Bozo wanted for his used gun, the gun I would have bought had he only been open.
PRICE: I had a birthday come around and was told to pick out a gun within a given price range. I motored out to Really Cool Gunstore (Bozo's having closed its doors--can't imagine why...) and found almost exactly what I was looking for. Any attempt to dicker want nowhere, this being a new gun. I decided to check the local Wally World and found EXACTLY what I wanted (but it had to be ordered) for almost 25% less. I ordered there.
ATTITUDE: Bubba613, don't expect to see me in your store. I have been shooting for over fifty years (got my first BB gun Xmas of '59 and fired my first real bullets from a .45 pistol New Year's Day of 1961, also a 30-30 with the help of an adult and a .410 shotgun). I have qualified with all contemporary US military small arms as well as anti-tank weapons and served for two and a half years in the field artillery on 105's and 155SP's. I don't need your supercilious attitude.
That being said, Bozo's was good for an attitude--the place was located in the same mini-mall as the storefront church I attended and, after contributing hours to church improvement projects, I frequently stopped in there. Yes, I bought things, practically every time--a box of ammo, a magazine or two, y'know, kinda like stopping in a place on the way from here to there buying a drink and using their restroom--keeping my eye out for that one major score. One day I was looking for ammo for a new-to-me milsurp rifle. I asked about his price for a certain manufacturer and was told that they didn't make that caliber. I'd just been to a gunshow the previous day where I'd bought a couple of boxes of that caliber by that manufacturer and still had the ammo in the car. I went out and got a box and brought it in to show him and he threw me out of the store.
In the nearby city, there is a gun store we call Grumpy's. They are exactly the kind of gunstore everybody thinks about when talking about a long-established LGS. If you're a chin-fuzz boy with piercings and multiple tatoos, looking for the latest in tacticool stuff, they've got no time for you. Their customer base tends toward the old, fat greybeards. Fortunately, I AM an old, fat greybeard and they happen to be in love with my red-haired wife, so I have a great time when we go in there. Information is good, but not 100% solid (I was once told that a Western Auto shotgun was made by Remington.--it was actually a Savage/Stevens). Still, I've gotten a few deals there both on reloaded ammo and used guns.
In another LGS--also having gone out of business since--I got the opposite attitude. Chin-fuzz, tattoos, piercings, tacticool cargo pants and holster for the square black autoloader...I asked my question about a Ruger. Explosion, histronics and drama! "I wouldn't have one of those POS's in my shop..." et cetera. I pulled $1200 out of my pocket (another good night gambling) and showed him the bills on my way out. His crys of "Wait..." followed me to my car.
In short:
1) If you're open when I have money to spend, I'll likely do so with you.
2) If I can beat your price sigificantly, I likely will.
3) If you cop an attitude with me, I know the way to the door and it works both ways.
Besides, as someone pointed out earlier, buying from the big box stores ALSO supports the local economy and they pay WAY more taxes...
My $0.02. YMMV
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