Call me crazy but, as a young(er) guy of thirty-four, I don't think local gun shops are even interested in dealing to my demographic.
Living up in Maine these days, whenever I'm on the road due to work or travel throughout the state, I try to make it a point to stop in the local gun shops to see what they have, pick up some ammunition, targets, whatever it may be to help support these small shops that, really, just can't compete with the internet and larger stores that can buy in volume. The problem is, when you get right down to it, it's a group of "old" guys who aren't even interested in giving me the time of day. I'm not fondling guns, asking stupid questions, or making any sort of ruckus, but these guys don't even put down their cup of coffee to say hello.
Does this happen to others, or do I have the face of a serial killer? I always say hello when I walk in, comment on the weather or something innocuous, and am a polite customer - it's starting to get to the point though where I'm figuring "why bother" when I drive past these places. Heck, I know I'm spending more than I have to when I buy at the LGS, but an extra couple bucks out of my pocket and into theirs is, to my mind, a little positive karma!
Anyway, what are your folks' thoughts?
Living up in Maine these days, whenever I'm on the road due to work or travel throughout the state, I try to make it a point to stop in the local gun shops to see what they have, pick up some ammunition, targets, whatever it may be to help support these small shops that, really, just can't compete with the internet and larger stores that can buy in volume. The problem is, when you get right down to it, it's a group of "old" guys who aren't even interested in giving me the time of day. I'm not fondling guns, asking stupid questions, or making any sort of ruckus, but these guys don't even put down their cup of coffee to say hello.
Does this happen to others, or do I have the face of a serial killer? I always say hello when I walk in, comment on the weather or something innocuous, and am a polite customer - it's starting to get to the point though where I'm figuring "why bother" when I drive past these places. Heck, I know I'm spending more than I have to when I buy at the LGS, but an extra couple bucks out of my pocket and into theirs is, to my mind, a little positive karma!
Anyway, what are your folks' thoughts?