Midwest Guns and Range closing???

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  • ECS686

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    Just got an e mail stating Midwest Guns and Range is closing. Did a search and didn't see any mention here yet.


    Anyone else see it?
     

    Bigtanker

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    NAtB7tj.jpg
     

    Expat

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    Sounds like its the Mishawauka branch?
    No. Midwest Gun and Range is in Elkhart.
    Midwest Gun Exchange is in Mishawaka.
    They are closing Midwest Gun and Range.

    I would like to know why they are doing this. Too expensive to run the range?
     

    Ggreen

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    No. Midwest Gun and Range is in Elkhart.
    Midwest Gun Exchange is in Mishawaka.
    They are closing Midwest Gun and Range.

    I would like to know why they are doing this. Too expensive to run the range?

    Part above said they were just ready to enjoy life
     

    Hoosierdood

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    Here's the thing about Midwest...

    The owner isn't in business because just he loves the gun owner community. He is a businessman, and this is a business. Thats not to say that is a bad thing, because you need to make money to stay in business. Anyway, the owner's focus was always to grow their wholesale business. I think it would surprise most of this forum to learn how many of their local dealers buy their stock from MGE Wholesale. Thats where the big money is at. The retail store barely pays the bills for the building. The range most likely lost money. The wholesale business was what supported everything else.

    Five years ago, MGE Wholesale moved to a whole new building, separating itself from Midwest Gun Exchange's retail store. Since then it has grown even bigger. If I were to take a guess, the owner is just making a business decision that will make him more money, since the range was probably the biggest drain on the business. Same reason why you dont see Midwest at the gun shows any more. It cost too much to load up a trailer, pay 5 or 6 employees, meals, fuel, hotels, etc. There wasn't money in it, so they dropped it.

    Just my opinion, having worked there for several years.
     

    4651feeder

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    Why is it I walked into the Elkhart location on multiple occasions only to be told something I saw in one of their flyers was available only at the Mishawaka location for the sale price?
    When questioned in-store, was told although they shared the same name, they were under entirely different management.
     

    ECS686

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    Why is it I walked into the Elkhart location on multiple occasions only to be told something I saw in one of their flyers was available only at the Mishawaka location for the sale price?
    When questioned in-store, was told although they shared the same name, they were under entirely different management.

    Sometimes a stand alone gunstore will have their floor sales and a totally seperate internet sales division etc. They share the same name but are different. Some would be surprised how much out of state sales FFL dealers advertise and do under the same stores banner.
     

    Hoosierdood

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    Why is it I walked into the Elkhart location on multiple occasions only to be told something I saw in one of their flyers was available only at the Mishawaka location for the sale price?
    When questioned in-store, was told although they shared the same name, they were under entirely different management.


    Same owner, but they carry completely different inventories, and operate as 2 different companies.
     

    PRasko

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    Good riddance?

    Last time i went there an instructor was teaching a girl how to properly handle what appeared to be an ar15. When i was loading a mag i backed up a few steps and she was pointing it dead down the line. My reaction to the instructor was, wtf? He said, dont worry it's not loaded.

    Packed up, left, never went back.

    The time before that was a father and 3 sons, who had zero experience with firearms, bouncing rounds off the ceiling and floor. Fighting over who got to shoot what, etc... not a range officer to be seen.
     

    PRasko

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    Since then it Same reason why you dont see Midwest at the gun shows any more. It cost too much to load up a trailer, pay 5 or 6 employees, meals, fuel, hotels, etc. There wasn't money in it, so they dropped it.

    Just my opinion, having worked there for several years.

    Just an fyi. I asked about this subject before at many of shows in the area, and the most popular reply was, they were blackballed. They would show up, buy multiple tables and beat everyone's prices by significant margins. Did it enough to **** off all the other sellers.
     
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