What Has Happend To Gander Mt.

[tipptruck1]

I have a Gander Mt a mile down the road. A few years ago they built a huge wal-mart sized store. After they out grew there small store. The first few years in the new store was great. They had a huge gun and archery department. With gun and bow techs in store. If you needed for guns you could find it.

The fishing department was also huge. Tons of rods, reels, line, and lures. Come winter they would swap out about half open water gear for ice fishing gear. Usually I got good deals on open water stuff then.

The marine and camping parts were also huge.

Today I went in to take a look. I had no thoughts of buying just looking. First off was the fishing section. It was cut in half of what its been. The ice gear was taking up two aisles. The trolling gear was taking up three aisles. Mind you we live two hours from lake Michigan. Also there own baits use to be cheap. They wanted 7 bucks for there own spinner baits. Guess what strike kings and boo yeahs were right next to them. They only wanted 5 bucks for them They use to have racks of rods. Now all they have is a few racks of St. Croix rods and some other brands. Nothing like the 20 plus racks they use to have. There reel section has gone down hill also.

Next up was the gun and archery area. All I found for bows was some tips and a few shafts. No techs no nothing. I head a few feet down to there guns. They also use to have racks full of guns you could hold and touch with out asking. Now they have maybe a 50ft wall of guns and that is it. The best part is there behind the counter. I want to be able to grope the gun I want to buy. I do not want some one working for 7 bucks a hour telling me they need to put the gun back. Because they are going on break.

Any way I was looking at there so called used guns. I laughed at that. I have seen more guns in pawn shops and for better prices. Most of the guns they had. I could have bought new for a few bucks more. After having a good laugh at there so called used prices. I went to check out ammo. I know ammo is not cheap any more. But it was a few bucks more then wal mart and other places I can get it.

After almost having a laugh attack at there so called gun department. I took off to check out camping. There was nothing there any more. That section of the store was almost empty. I didn't even bother to stop and look.

It sad when there clothing department is the biggest part of the store. No I am not talking camo. They had maybe a few small racks for camo. Most of there clothes are casual clothes.

To me there store was going down hill long before the stock crash. A few years ago. Its been getting worst every year. Its getting to the point were I would rather pay a little more for shipping from a internet store. Then buy any thing from them. Is my local store the only one like this.

[tomustang]

Today I went in to take a look. I had no thoughts of buying just looking.

Too much of this happened

[MarkH024]

Bass Pro Shops and Cabelas happened. More money, better advertising, more customers. I think Gander is slowly being squashed in the competition. Gander doesn't touch BPS fishing selections and it doesn't touch Cabelas hunting options, based off my visits between the three.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Tipp, have you ever worked in a retail environment? I'll answer for you, no.

Please, allow me to address a few points. I'll only pick a few as to save you some face and me some time.

1. Do you know what "margin" is? If not, I can tell you that the margin on clothing is much greater than anything else in that store. The more margin, the more money coming into the company.

2. Tom hit it right on the head. You are going in to look, touch things and then buy elsewhere. This trend is contributing to the decline of the brick and mortar store. You are a cause of this, along with many other consumers.

3. Why should you have access to all the guns on the rack? If I am going to buy one, I dont want some kid's chili dog fingers all over the last gun model in the store. Our Gander Mountain still has the guns where everyone can touch them. It's a mistake.

4. There are people who get paid a ton (A TON) of money to analyze purchasing trends associated with your area. Believe me, these changes were not made on a whim and contrary to what you may think other people have interests that differ from your own.

5. I dont know where you get the "7 dollar an hour" thing, but in case you have been under a rock the federal minimum wage is $7.25.

Lastly, proofread.

[JoePhish]

Sorry to hear that your Gander isn't doing so well.

The Gander by me rocks. The fact that it's 10 minutes away makes me a regular. In fact, after I hit Enter here I'm off to go get a couple of Trophy Scum Frogs.

It's the largest gun store in Florida. I haven't purchased a fire arm there yet but it will probably be the place I go for my next one.

People working in the fishing department are a great help if you need them to do that, especially when dealing with rods and reels.

Sometimes I don't find what I'm looking for in baits but the same can be said for the BPS which is over an hour away and Dicks which is a half hour away.

I guess locations, experiences and expectations vary.

[.ghoti.]

Your GM now looks like mine always has. More casual clothing than everything else taken together.

[Dave P]

Ours is doing the same thing. The entire fishing section is now in the corner where the turkey fryers and smokers used to be. I did my part, too! I spent a ton of money in there and so did a lot of my friends.

[tipptruck1]

To tom I went in thinking I wasn't going to buy any thing. I almost walked out with some stuff. Usually that is how it gos. With me not fishing this year to let my arm heal. I was looking to see it they had any new fishing gear. But I did look at the pistols more then any thing.

To mark. This is the only real outdoors sports store within 90 miles. They have a Gander and a dicks in Green bay. But it is 90 miles away. The closest BPS and Cabelas are 4 hours away. They are building a Cabelas in Green bay. It is set to open next summer.

You would figure they would take advantage of that. Kind of like how espn is the only sports network.

To speedbead. I have worked retail in my life. I will never do it again. I am also not a chiili dog eating ankle bitter. I am a grown man that usually has clean hands. Unless I am at work. Every place I have ever been in to that has has guns people can touch. They are well watched and minors are not allowed to touch them. I am also a person that if I can buy it in person. I do not care if its ammo, baits, and what ever. I will by it in person. I will not go to Gander mt take a look around. Then hit BPS or some other site to order what I need.

There clothing also use to be half of what it is now. They had more hunting and fishing clothing then what they have now.

I also use to spend at lest 75 bucks per visit. That was going in at lest twice a month. I have only bought one thing fishing related in a year. Since I have not fished all summer it still is it tags on it. Even my buddy's have all but stopped buying stuff from them. They never have any thing we need any more.

[NoBassPro]

Ours has gone through several changes over the past couple years. They've increased great lakes fishing stuff, taken that out and added some musky stuff, and now just seem to be in general decline. Honestly, from the people I've talked to, its not just B&M retail stores, but businesses of most kinds have never really recovered from the decline of a few years ago, and if I had to guess they are making the changes to find a niche in a stagnant to possibly decreasing overall market.

[clayton86]

I haven't been to the ones by me in some time due to the deployment but the one in Buffalo(45min away) is awesome the fishing guy there is a reel help and very knowledgeable there fishing and hunting selection is huge along with fire arms and bows. The DSG in Buffalo is the same just huge and has everything. BPS was going to come to Buffalo but backed out. Buffalo is right on Erie and Ontario. The Rochester Gander is the most worthless establishment ever same with the DSG out there.

[Marty]

I don't know that the same thing has happened in every store. I only visit the fishing department and while it may not be what it was when it opened, it hasn't deteriorated to the extent that your has.

[DeadEyeDavey]

The Gander in saginaw is doing good, they have great prices tons of stock ect. but they're opening a cabelas maybe two blocks down the road

[Doubled Over]

I had one down the road about 15 min away from me that I went into every so often but never more than once a month.Than about a year ago a Bass Pro Shops opened about a mile away from there (yippee ) and ran Gander out of business. Gander never had a lot of costumers in there at one point in time anyway. I do know one thing, the going out of business sale sure was nice.

-DO

[jeb2]

tipptruck, is this the store just south of Wausau? If so, sorry to hear about it. I usually spend my summers up near Tomahawk, and that is a go to store for me up there. I did not get up there this summer, though. I wonder if all that road construction hurt their business?

[Redlinerobert]

That was difficult to read.

[Senkoman12]

i work at the one in cicero, ny in footwear. i agree the stores are going down hill. corperate has no idea whats going on. sometimes i wonder if its worth my $7.50/hour+commission(yes footwear is comissioned, its only 2% so dont think we are getting rich), especially the petty bullcrap that goes on because no one has a clue of whats going on

[tipptruck1]

Jeb that would be the one.

[South FLA]

Sorry to hear that your Gander isn't doing so well.

The Gander by me rocks. The fact that it's 10 minutes away makes me a regular. In fact, after I hit Enter here I'm off to go get a couple of Trophy Scum Frogs.

It's the largest gun store in Florida. I haven't purchased a fire arm there yet but it will probably be the place I go for my next one.

People working in the fishing department are a great help if you need them to do that, especially when dealing with rods and reels.

Sometimes I don't find what I'm looking for in baits but the same can be said for the BPS which is over an hour away and Dicks which is a half hour away.

I guess locations, experiences and expectations vary.

I second this, our Gander rocks, most of the associates I have dealt with are courtesy and know their departments well and are genuine outdoors men/women! The problem with ours is that it reorganizes its store layout too often and has my head spinning trying to look for where things "should be" according to departments, but I am sure some corporate customer flow egg head authorizes it for some objective reason, but I personally find it frustrating.

I also like our local BPS its also great!

As far as brick and mortar going the way of the dinosaur, I don't think so! Yes prices at local retailers will be significantly higher, but it reflects the convenience of the experience! If I am bargain shopping I will visit gun broker, ebay, the classifieds here, etailers, but if it is a last second purchase, apparel, or a genuine sale is going on at Gander or BPS then I will go and spend money!

[SirSnookalot]

I find a few comments appalling. Hoping a store goes out of business is a pretty lame statement IMO. Large or small, stores employ people and are a benefit to the overall economy, don't care for the store, shop elsewhere. The success of a national chain rides on many variables, corporate executives as a rule are educated in specific areas and work their way up thru the ranks. Are they always right, of course not, but to think a clerk in one department, in one store has better handle on the overall picture is ludicrous.

I've got nearly 40 years in business ownership and there is no chance in the world I could run Gander mountain, there is a lot to deal with on that plate.

[Sam]

The Richmond, Virginia Gander Mountain has closed its doors and Green Top will be moving in as of October 1st.

Here were my problems with this particular Gander Mountain store.

1. Location - Not a very good location although it was off I-95.

2. No billboards on I-95 directing you to the store and attracting tourists.

3. Fishing department clerks had no idea about bass fishing.

4. More emphasis on hunting than fishing.

5. Did not have the bass fishing lure selections as Green Top.

What I did like about the store was some of their prices on some of the baits. For instance, I wanted the Norman firetiger crankbait and neither Bass Pro Shop or Green Top had them. Gander had a bunch of them so I bought them all.

It will be interesting to see if Gander Mountain survives or is bought out.