Popular gun shop

[4x4]

Went to a gun shop today, one that everyone here has heard of but I wont name it (NO it wasnt Dons!).....Its a small place.....I guess some of the regulars think its OK to pull up chairs and sit right in front of the display cases......They were blocking about half of the guns....

I dont want to slam this place too hard, the employees always treat me right, their prices are fair and I have never had a negative experience.....But why would you allow people to sit in front of your merchandise? It doesnt make any sense to me. And it wasnt close to closing time or anything.

Anyone ever ran into this?

 

[drillsgt]

I know where your talking about and have seen this myself, I understand the frustration.

 

[cobber]

What is it about gun shops and "regulars" anyway? Seems like all the shops I go to have a posse hanging out.

Aren't there street corners or pool halls for these folks?

 

[jghelton]

we used to have one here where i live that it was the same way***always sounds like a bunch of wash women it there chatting ....and everytime someone would walk in then walk out they always had something to say about them . GLAD he closed his doors

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

I've ran into this too, and from your description, probably at the same place.

 

[pirate]

Wow, the days of talking shop over?

I know of a few gun shops that do this and love them for that reason. These are the places that aren't there to take every one of your dollars. They are there for more..Friendship.

Is it hard to say excuse me to someone blocking a case you want to see? Im guessing 99% of the time, they won't mind at all and probably excuse themselves. At least that is what happens when I ask them to move.

+1 to hometown shops who still chat it up!

 

[Integraholic]

I agree with Pirate. Just politely ask the guys to move. I also know where you're talking about, and I've spent more than a couple hours sitting there talking with those guys. I also try to make it a point not to sit in front of the displays, but that's just me. I guarantee if the guy sitting there is a jerk, I.E. saying no keeping you from the merch, the employees will say something. I pick that store over all the others BECAUSE I can go in there and shoot the crap with them. Heck, try it yourself sometime.

 

[45fan]

I stop by my local gun shop when ever I get a chance. Usually its just to chat with the owner, and see if there is anything good on display. He is a great person, and I have met more than a few local people that I have enjoyed chatting with as well.
As far as blocking the products, I cannot see where a simple "excuse me" wouldnt solve that issue.
Its not much different at the local hardware store either, so I guess its just a part of that small town charm that some just dont enjoy any more.

 

[jghelton]

dont get me wrong i love the conversation MOST times but my local shop that closed his doors seems all they did was talk about people all the time nothing ever positive that i heard either . Now on the other hand i go to Downham and Sons here in logansport and they have alot of regulars and man they are the nicest people around , friendly and just love to chat and drink all of dougs coffee lol ...they never stand in your way and if they do , you ask and they will move ...you have to have the regulars where would you be without them ?

 

[BBSparkle]

I think the point is, someone who is there to SPEND money that day shouldn't HAVE to ask someone there simply loitering to move.

I've spent plenty of time shooting the **** at the music shops, and I always make sure I'm out of people's way and move before they get close. I see it mostly as respect for the shop itself. Just b/c you go some place a lot doesn't mean you own the place.

 

[dead2rights]

I think a lot of people know where you are talking about. I can be found there just about every other week blocking someones view of fine firearms. I personally will never feel offended if anyone who is interested in firearms tells me slide down a bit. Another +1 to those little friendly gun shops that will keep the light on for ya!

 

[Armed Citizen]

Went to a gun shop today, one that everyone here has heard of but I wont name it (NO it wasnt Dons!).....Its a small place.....I guess some of the regulars think its OK to pull up chairs and sit right in front of the display cases......They were blocking about half of the guns....

I dont want to slam this place too hard, the employees always treat me right, their prices are fair and I have never had a negative experience.....But why would you allow people to sit in front of your merchandise? It doesnt make any sense to me. And it wasnt close to closing time or anything.

Anyone ever ran into this?

It is possible if you are referring to a southside small local gun store, that the person setting on that stool was me, as I have posted previously, I am recovering from a major knee surgery and at times have difficulty standing, at that time I was looking for a magazine that they did not stock. The gentleman helping me was on the phone with his distributor and was on hold. He is aware of my knee surgery and offered me that stool to sit down on for a few minutes, which was located by the display cabinent. If I was blocking anyone's view of the display and I would have gladly moved. no questions even asked. Sorry for the rudeness of my actions that this has caused you. In the event this happens to you in the future just say "hey bud can I look at those guns there, and I would have said no problem, sorry I was in the way".

If this wasn't the place this happened to you, than disregard my appology.
But, it could have possibly been someone else with some type of issue like mine.

 

[Dargasonus]

One of my LGS's ALWAYS has a half dozen younger people standing around teh cash register talking. Hard to get good service when employees are too busy talking to help you or show you guns. Haven't been back since last time it took me half a hour to get a box of ammo from behind the counter.

 

[Titanium Man]

Gee, I don't know if it's the gunshop I frequent?? Sounds a bit like it, but I don't let the regulars bother me when I'm on a mission.

I hope they talk about me when I leave, because I sure talk about them.

 

[curraheeguns]

I don't think it would be a slam on the gunshop at all to name it, it would be constructive critisisim. If it was us I would love to know. I know I have asked customers a couple times to back chairs off the displays.

Thankfully we won't be a "tight little gunshop" much longer and we will have dedicated space for hanging out and talking.

Corey A. Shaffer
Director of Marketing
Beech Grove Firearms

 

[lovemachine]

Which gun shop is this?

 

[Fishersjohn48]

I'd actually like to know which shop this is as I enjoy chatting with the regulars when I get a chance. Blocking the displays is another thing and nothing a polite excuse me won't fix.

 

[Squib]

Reading this thread has overwhelmed me with a ton of nostalga. I know I'm really dating myself with this. When I would visit my grandparents, they had a farm near Markle, my Granddad would take me into town and we would always stop at the general store "wet a whistle".

The hunting and fishing, guns and tackle, were at the back of the store in their own little section. It had a pot bellied stove, cracker barrel table and an odd lot of chairs. There were always a few folks there to listen to, and I remember it was not unusual for someone to take a rifle off the rack to check it out. And, the owner, Mr. Tenny, never said a thing. I sure wish I could spend a cold winter afternoon there just one more time.

 

[4x4]

I stop by my local gun shop when ever I get a chance. Usually its just to chat with the owner, and see if there is anything good on display. He is a great person, and I have met more than a few local people that I have enjoyed chatting with as well.
As far as blocking the products, I cannot see where a simple "excuse me" wouldnt solve that issue.
Its not much different at the local hardware store either, so I guess its just a part of that small town charm that some just dont enjoy any more.

There were 5 people sitting in chairs starting at one of the walls, lined up next to each other. I would have had to say "Alright everybody up, grab your chairs and march out of here" because theres really nowhere else for them
to sit unless they went behind the counter.

 

[indiucky]

At my shop there is a small table with chairs with gun magazines on it and a shelf full of gun books for the customers to flip through. There are also two stools in front of the display cases.

I love it when customers hang out. Many of them are older veterans and a place to sit while they tell their stories is why the stools are there. It's the least I can do for them. I don't care if they ever buy anything, I am just honored to have them come in the shop.

It may be a generational thing but when I was young this is how gun shops were and when I was opening mine that is what I was going for. Kids come in and sit on the old saddle I have for that purpose.

Gun shops should be a living, breathing entity and not a sterile grocery aisle.

All offered in my humble opinion ofcourse.

Rick