Gun shop lost???

[Expat]

Thought I was the only one that remembered Norms

It was too far to be a regular hang out, but I stopped a couple times as I would be passing by. I bought a Remington 30-06 off of them, that I can remember.

 

[Dentoro]

Wanamaker.

 

[Crusader17]

There used to be a gun shop in Twelve Mile. I remember my dad taking me a few times, I fed the shop "guard" dog a few too many treats.

 

[deo62]

There used to be a gun shop in Twelve Mile. I remember my dad taking me a few times, I fed the shop "guard" dog a few too many treats.

The Gun Room, Steve was the owner. Nice guy

 

[Old Dog]

Galyans when they were in the old red barn in Plainfield. Real pot bellied stoves and wooden barrels with surplus trapdoors at $12.95 and Mausers for $11.95. Say 1964?

That is one of my favorite childhood memory spots, wall to wall and 10 feet tall. Had a bunch of other stuff too.

Roy Knight's in Connersville. Roy was a bench rest expert and custom gun builder who would share his knowledge if you asked.

 

[Liberty Sanders]

E. Christopher Firearms in Miamitown, Ohio. Started going there with my Old Man as a kid. He always had a fantastic collection of classic guns in the place.

I made my first gun purchase there on my own when I was 16, a Berdan style black powder rifle from the old Replica Arms Co.

 

[BGDave]

If Paul were still running it, it would be doing just fine. He had an established clientele, once it changed hands, the new owner started ordering in a different (cheaper) line of firearms. The regulars liked going in there because they could buy nice Smith's, Sigs, Kimbers etc. Once Randy took it over he stocked Taurus and built a Milsurp section reminiscent of Bradis. It brought in a different crowd that didn't spend as much money. Paul used to have the occasional Milsurp on the rack mixed in with his selection of higher end shotguns and lever guns. Albro's did have a group of regulars that would buy the type of guns that Paul stocked. Once the cheaper guns became the norm, they went elsewhere to buy their guns.

It's too bad really, I'm sure there was more than that in play. Only the owners know what really happened, and few that were close to them. I was in a small group of regulars that met there on Wednesday evenings to see what had been traded in or what was new.
We would hang out, then some of us would go out for dinner after the shop closed. I have not been a regular in a shop since. I primarily play in the private secondary market. Most of the time I am not willing to spend hundreds of dollars on an impulse buy, or to be pressured into buying something. I don't go into shops, because I am NOT buying, so I do not want to waste their time by coon fingering their inventory and then walking out without buying. And really I'm sure shops would appreciate it if more people that weren't buying would not come in and waste their time either.

We're all different, this of course is my opinion, we all conduct business differently and we all have different shopping habits.

Who can forget Scott Albro ? The guy was a one of a kind. I bought my "perfect" 77/22 Ruger from him. I was picking at it, trying to find some blemish. Scott just grinned at me and kept repeating "its perfect". Yep, full price. A long time ago was $225 . Best shooting 22 I own. Or Miles Wyatt buying recent trade-ins by the box full. BTW miss stopping in at Wyatts in Cicero after the Tipton gun show too.

 

[SSGSAD]

I can't remember them all, someone mentioned New Castle, the Lion, in the glass case, would scare you, if you didn't know about it .....

Em Roe, 3 locations in Indy, bought my first handgun at So. Plaza, in 1977 .....

Indy sports Hq, 12th and Arlington .....

There was a shop on 300 N, off of Mt. Comfort rd, and I 70, I bought several guns there, when he was selling out, and closing .....

 

[Miller Tyme]

E. Christopher Firearms in Miamitown, Ohio. Started going there with my Old Man as a kid. He always had a fantastic collection of classic guns in the place.

I made my first gun purchase there on my own when I was 16, a Berdan style black powder rifle from the old Replica Arms Co.

+1, there also use to be one in Lawrenceburg by the I275 exit ( which wasn't there then) next door to the Triangle shell gas station. There where also several cool shops in Cinti in the Over the Rhine area by Vine st.

 

[PGRChaplain]

Tillman's in Ft Wayne. I remember going in there with my Dad when I was 7-8 years old. Must have closed in the early 70's. Always stuck in my mind as a place of wonder with all those Firearms. My Dad and Berle Tillman had been friends since they were kids.

 

[Hookeye]

Norms, Schutz Bros, Tim's/MATCO, Lengel's, Scooby's

 

[jstory]

Lengels Gun Shop in Wabash IN. Family run business & I knew everyone that worked there.

Completely agree, Don was a great guy, very knowledgeable.

 

[55fairlane]

+1 I remember the first time my Dad took me to Galyan's as a kid.....wall to wall Guns.....all I could say was WOW!!

Yea this

 

[chef larry]

Range Master in Chesterton. Really nice indoor range. Bought one used pistol there.

Shema's in Merrillville. Jim and Kathy are still around. Bought Kimber when he was closing up shop.

Jim and Kathy were good to me. Used to talk about food and cooking with Kathy and the old boys in there used to tell me this was a gun store.

 

[fullauto 45]

Wanamaker.

Yep, Wanamaker Guns. Right down the road and darn good people. Jim and Scott both knew guns inside and out.

 

[johntheplinker]

All ready mentioned a couple of times, Craig's way out in IIRC Greene Co. A little of a haul from Jasper but 2 or 3 or 4 of us would pile in a car and make the trip, then stop in Loogootee on the way back for some Amish cooking.
Stratman's on the south side of Huntingburg for BP stuff. Arnie was a cool old dude.
There was a shop near the main entrance to Ferdinand St. Forest, always had some interesting BP and old timey cartridge guns.
Dizzy Dave's surplus in Owensboro. Literally barrels of milsurps. You could buy a rifle, a complete set of individual equipment, and uniforms for several different WWII armies.
The old 111 Guns, I blame my now in remission milsurp addiction on them.
Not a gun shop per se, but Kelly Armstong's John Deere dealership. Kelly hunted all over the world and had his trophies on the walls. He also sold a few guns, mostly higher end stuff but he was always happy to talk hunting and shooting with us high schoolers.
There's a few others I liked but time has taken its toll on my memories.

 

[Needmorammo]

Outdoor Specialties in Columbus.

+1 for Outdoor Specialties in Columbus. I purchased a 12g Winchester 1300 w/laminate stock from there in the late 80s- early 90s. It still resides in my safe. Also Gross Hardware, I loved going there with my grandpa. While he got what he needed, I would check out the guns in the back of the store.

 

[indiucky]

What gun shop have you frequented in the past that is no longer in business that you miss most?

The Powder Keg in Floyds Knobs.....