Well www.basspro.com is openening a store in January about

11 miles from where Rangemaster Outfitters Inc. had been

situated in Chesterton, Indiana. The owner Brian, an aquaintance

of mine decided a few months ago that he could not compete with them.

In September he closed up shop. He's still very comfortable as he

made/makes his money, [allowing 4 - 5 AFRICAN and or other high cost

hunting trips per year] in trucking and that biz is still quite solid.

Still, I hate to see a solid smaller biz destroyed this way, especially

a gun, hunting, general outdoors outfitter. Maybe he'll open another

and be better than ever! For a look at what the place was like see:
www.nwitimes.com/clients/rangemaster/

I feel for him. The big box stores are not really helping the sport. They are ran by people who may have little or no interest in hunting or shooting, only the bottom line. They are cashing in on monster buck/fish mania. Your best bet for the best customer service and knowledgable staff is your local small shop. We are in it because we love it. If I was not a shooter/hunter I would probably not be running a gun shop.

It's a shame but it happens in every type and kind of business from food on up. The only hope for some of the smaller ones is often being a franchisee, but then that, many times, is a tough row to hoe as well.

I have a freind who hates buying his duck hunting ammo for even $.01 more than the lowest price. But I remind him that the loacally owned sports store on the way to our club opens at 4:30am for us guys who are short ammo, good socks, rain gear...The internet folks can't help him and Walmart opens at 9:00, just about the time we're thinking about wrapping up most mornings. Something to keep in mind.

JPK

not to mention walmart has gone fag!!!

I don't know what your pal makes off of trucking, but if he was making enough off the outdoor store to go on 4-5 safaris per year, then he was charging huge margins (or he would be a huge store himself) and likely would have gone out of business sooner or later.

I suspect he wrote off his African trips as a business expense somehow related to his outdoor store. Outdoor writers do the same thing.

I still prefer to do my business with the smaller local gun vendors. Lolo Sporting Goods has been a gun shop located in Lewiston for more decades than I have been alive. I’ve done business with this store for 50 years. This place is a great piece of local history. I do remember frequently seeing Jack O’Connor in this store in the 1950’s & 60's. The store has changed owners through the years, but the ambiance is still the same. It’s what a gun shop should be. The prices are competitive, and the people working in the store are fun to talk to.

http://www.lolosportinggoods.com/index.html

Mike Chamberlain

Ok, I'll take the other side in this debate. The giant chain stores have 98% of the products I want at prices 20-40% lower than the small retailer. Furthermore, the service at most small stores isn't all that great; selection is usually lousy.

Why wouldn't I want a giant superstore within convenient driving distance?

For the little guy to compete, he has to do something BETTER than the chain store. That can be more specialized products, better services (gunsmithing) and so on. The market will ultimately decide whether he's doing a good job.

Nobody ever said "hey, I'm selling crap for inflated prices and I deserve to go out of business." Nor have I ever heard "Joe got the promotion instead of me. It must be because he's doing a better job than I am." Honest introspection and dispassionate evaluation are a rare commodity. Just look at the thread on the $877,000 rifles as an example.

On a personal level you can be sorry for a friend's misfortune, but that's an entirely different issue. There is no "Right to Succeed" in the marketplace.

there is one other interesting point - our area was the first cabelas superstore. the little guys here figured it was all over but the crying, but a couple of things happened instead. 1st the pricetag on things in the little stores was usually some less, and 2nd the big store created a sort of an interest frenzy. Instead of being doomsday, it sparked interest and the sales increased. that said, I too want to go the the local guy who supports the town, an as for wally world, leave hilary have the SOB

To clarify, my friend's store was a side interest and was profitable.

It was/is the trucking that is the big money allowing the big hunts.

He'll still do those hunt's - you bet!

I am just saying that I hate to see a smaller, but good biz get crushed by a giant.

I am not mad at Bass Pro - just mad at the side effect of their new store on an existing similar biz.

Maybe Brian should have stayed and tweaked his place to offer something B/P would not offer.

I've never been in biz, so I just don't know.

I know the attack isn't on Johnny Morris (Bass Pro owner), but thought you should know a little of what he does with the profit. Didn't he donate $1,000,000 to the Wild Turkey people? I saw him pay $103,000 for a painting at SCI in Reno to benefit all of us. He is a big supporter of the Rocky Mtn. Elk Foundation. He is funding a youth tv program to entice other young people into hunting/fishing.
I have guided him on 3 cougar hunts, you won't find a more gracious person to be with.
Our nation was built on free enterprise, would hate to see what would happen if we limited competition. But I also feel for with the small business owner, they may yet prosper with service and personal expertise the larger chains cannot provide.

I wouldn't be worried about a basspro, if I had a decent gunshop -- their prices stink, as does their service -- guns are full list, mostly, and the fishing equipment is poorly made in china for the same price as American made stuff at a much higher quality level. They have a large inventory of cheaper guns, but that's about it.

Judge,


greetings from Nampa. To see the real deal, imagine F&G decides to quit assigning blocks of Idaho to specific outfitters and opened up the whole state to everybody to book hunts anywhere. Pretty soon, Cabela's Hunt Idaho service would be available; and you might not be as much an advocate of free and open competition if you made $250 per hunt gross. Not to be cranky or a butt, but...you have an assigned monopoly on guiding hunts on public property. This guy doesn't.

regards,


Rich

Jerry,

tried to call, Sid ratted you out. Have fun at the wedding. Will chat about my autographed copy of Safari..by Keith...maybe Sunday.

regards,

Rich

This thread has nothing to do with African Big Game Hunting.

Saeed has repeatedly asked that there be no off-topic threads in this forum. He doesn't ask much, so please respect his request.

George

Actually the legislature enacted that restriction and regulates it though the Outfitters and Guides Board. I agree with you in this example. Government control and restriction of free enterprise is debatable from almost any point of view. Some is good, some isn't.
By the way, do you know how to personally define the difference between a terrorist and patriot??? Depends entirely on which side you align.
:-)

That was my last post, sorry I had posted it before looking at the moderators request.

I would never consider feeding my addiction at Walmart. While they may have a few guns, they are very low end. Their fishing equipment is even lower. Try to find reloading equipment

Im am blessed with a great full service gunshop, Jones Fort. The proprietor is an african hunter and gun builder. His shop is well stocked with every thing from the entry level 22's to the most serious big bores.

The big advantage of working with the local little guy is shared information. He gave me a ton of tips on bedding a M70 and he stocks the bedding kit. Having a difficult time getting some copper out of the barrel?, Don't ask the clerk at Walmart.

While a box of shotgun shells may be $.25 cheaper (I am not sure of this), My gunshop carries Woodleigh softs and solids, Swift A Frames, Barns, whatever.

Point being, if, IF, IF we abandoned the local guy to save $1.00 on common items, where will we get to specialty suff we all need. Have not seen any Merkels at Walmart. Looks like false economy to me.

This started out being tied to africa re the reference to 4/5 Africian etc hunting trips. The it was hijacked which is not unusual here abouts. The big hurt to your friend the costs of his hunting trips will increase by about 50%.