Gander Mountain going out of business?

[DC Plumber]

Geez,

I went to Gander Mountain to get some Trail Boss. Their reloading department looked more sick than usual. Maybe ten 1 lb. cans of powder and the same for the bigger ones (4 pounders?). Maybe 20 boxes of Hornady, Speer, Nosler and Sierra bullets each. Terrible brass selection too. Now, I buy all of my stuff from Midway except powder because of the hazmat fee, so it's irrelevant, but I find it hard to believe non the less. Also, a box of Hornady 125g JHP XTP .357 bullets for 24.99 is a little nuts. No wonder online shopping is thriving. Or, maybe it's because online shopping is thriving that places like Gander Mountain are dying.

Is handloading that specialized of an industry that it's difficult for a brick and motar store to stock this stuff?

 

[HGM22]

I'm not sure what's up with Gander. With their prices I wonder how they stay in business.

 

[Remo223]

I'd probably guess they aren't going out of business...just trimming down on stuff that doesn't require an FFL to sell.

 

[Inksinme2]

gander mountain

the gander mountain by me had a 25% off sale on all of their reloading stuff, but they had nothing in stock so needless to say i didn't buy anything. i too order most of my reloading materials from midway, very reasonable prices and they ship faster than anyone i have ever seen.

 

[chevyman097]

I hardly shopped at Gander mountain anyways due to their ridiculous prices. But I did go in there before we got our Academy put in, just to browse and touch firearms : ).

After Academy went in our Gander Mountain started looking the same. Bare shelves, half the guns they used to, lots of clearance items.....ive been wondering if Academy is putting them out. Serves em right. Academy daily prices are better than Gander mountain "sale" prices. Not to mention the staff was nothing more than a bunch of teenage girls on cells phones and a few guys at the gun counter that didnt know crap.

Mosin Nagants for 149 bucks, psh come on.

 

[USAF_Vet]

I know a lot of businesses aren't ordering as much or as often due to the mark-up because of increasing gas prices. Gander mtn is not immune, and could learn to lower their prices overall. Wouldn't be overly upset tho, they are my last pick for guns and accessories.

 

[Shovelhead]

Gander Mtn opened a store in the Richmond VA area a couple of years ago,....their prices were .......
Then Bass Pro Shops built a store about 10 minutes away.

 

[HOOfan_1]

Gander Mtn opened a store in the Richmond VA area a couple of years ago,....their prices were .......
Then Bass Pro Shops built a store about 10 minutes away.

10 minutes...if you are walking. 2-3 minutes by car. Green Top is another 5 minutes by car from either of them.

 

[Old Fuff]

Most retailers will stock what they can sell for a profit, and close out what they can't and turn to something else. Maybe there's a lesson somewhere in that.

 

[Taurus 66]

Gander Mountain going out of business

It's never a good thing to watch a company go out of business, even though they may have had prices above and beyond competitive retail. I would rather they stay in business ..... so that we all have somewhere to go after a hard day at work just to browse, laugh, and loosen up.

I give my sincerest apology, but I'm not buying a standard out of the box Savage .22 WMR bolt action for $377 ... no umm, sorry!

 

[bubbacrabb]

Its just sad that we have to rely on all these mega sporting good stores anymore. I remember growing up I went to Gasways sporting goods in my little home town in Indiana. Guns, nightcrawlers, etc. Everything you needed to catch a fish, or kill a deer. Then came walmarts, gander mountain, etc. Nomore little man that knew everything about everything he sold. I do think the internet market is taking most of the business anymore. I know I dont buy anything that isnt online anymore it seams. I am on a first name basis with my UPS guy. Sad, but thats the new world I think.

 

[clutch]

If they are, I sure will not miss them. It is a clothing store for the most part anyway and they cater to those with enough money they don't have to use their brains when shopping.

Clutch

 

[Hypnogator]

10 minutes...if you are walking. 2-3 minutes by car.

Or, if it were in Northern Virginia, 10 minutes by car, 2-3 minutes if you are walking!

Been there, done that. Never again!

 

[ErikO]

I remember growing up on the Gander catalogs. Now Cabela's is much closer since there aren't any Gander Mountains in eastern MO.

 

[aubie515]

Gander Mtn used to be good a long time ago...last few years...their prices are even more than Cabelas...and I don't find Cabelas to offer great deals.

 

[12131]

I'm sure GM sells more than just guns and ammo.

 

[BigN]

There are three Gander Mountains in my area. One is 2 hours east, one is 2 hours west and one is 3 hours west so I don't go there often. None of them sells any reloading items. When I happen to go to those towns for whatever reason, I like to stop by and fondle the guns though. They all have a lot of guns in stock, however inflated the prices are.

 

[earlthegoat2]

GM has been on the downswing for years. I watched them go from a very enjoyable and competitive place to a store that has become the laughing stock of retail.

If they go under, I will not miss them as they do not provide anything you cannot get somewhere else.

Since I dont live in their zone anymore I wont be there to witness it.

 

[rogertc1]

I have got may good deals on used and new sale guns from GM over the last few years. One of the few gun stors in my area other than a TruValue hardware store. One shop has a few guns and specilizes in archery and another has nothing but old men who hang around and BS, Most of my guns come from Gun Broker and Buds.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

Their prices are so high, it's like they dont exist anyway.

In the past I went in so many times thinking, "this time it will be at least reasonable" and willing to spend a little more just to get what I'm looking for......... NOPE. The last time I was in there, they were selling steel cased wolf, 7.62x39 for more more than double, nearly tripple the going rate.

At this point I wouldn't even bother with a going out of business sale. I'll bet their clearance 75+% off would almost put them in line.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I would rather they stay in business ..... so that we all have somewhere to go after a hard day at work just to browse, laugh, and loosen up

That's what the LGS is for. Gander can sink like they ought to and I won't shed a tear. You can't carry less merchandise than any other major retailer and gouge customers like that and expect to stay in business. I've bought about 4 things from them in the 8 years or so they've been open near me, and only because they were closeout items. If I'm going to a big box, it's Sportman's Warehouse or Bass Pro.

 

[Spot]

Well, that's where I got my Zavasta M-57 Tokarev when they had them on sale; with tax, $216.50. Couldn't argue the price on that one, as to the rest of the store's pricing... yes, it's up there.

 

[onebigelf]

For mailorder reloading supplies, Powder Valley is far better than Midway. So is Widener's.
Tight markets hurt businesses that are not competitive first. That pretty much describes Gander Mountain.

John

 

[Mr.Davis]

Changing over one's product assortment, or being low on stock justifies this kind of thread title?

Gander Mountain going out of business?

Did you ever consider that they might be running low because they're selling all the materials they can get? What percentage of Gander's business do you think comes from reloading supplies?

Come on, people, this is how rumors start. Clever way to get some thread views, though.

 

[DC Plumber]

I'm not sure about starting rumors, everyone else posting seems to think the same way, granted it's a small sampling. Interesting enough, there is a Fleet Farm one mile way. There wasn't a parking spot available. I had to park way at the end by the guard gate into the back yard. The store was packed. Though they don't sell reloading supplies, their fishing department is huge. When ever I plan a day trip to the big city, I always stop at Fleet Farm, Gander Mountain and Culver's to get a good burger. I suppose there are some thing you can't get at Fleet Farm that you have to go to Gander to get.Hmmmm, there's another interesting thought, if Fleet Farm sells guns, they should be able to sell reloading supplies, heck they already sell guns and ammo. I'll have to call their store manager.

I don't wish for any business to fail, but it is survival of the fittest. I too remember the good old days of going to an old man's sporting shop and buying 22 ammo. We had one a few miles from my house as I grew up. Long gone now.

I'm sure reloading supplies are a small part of Gander's business, and I'm quite certain that at those prices, they aren't selling everything that they can get their hands on.

Isn't the internet great? We can discuss business trends from coast to coast while sitting here in our pj's drinking coffee. I need another cup, be right back.