My wife and I decided to get out of the house for a bit.

I have an AR that needs an optic and thought we’d cruise to a LGS and then into the city of St. Augustine for dinner.

When we entered the store two employees were talking with an older gent about Covid who I thought was a customer. One of the two younger employees was dropping F bombs like it was the only word he knew. Then he got into the MFers etc.

Now I am far from a prude however; I don’t cuss in front of my family, women, kids, or even strangers really. Talking with the guys I’ll go there, but damn it pisses me off when classless jerks cuss in front of women.

EDIT: I forgot to add that the guy behind the counter stopped cussing long enough to take a phone call from a woman asking about holsters.
After he was done being a jerk on the phone. He let everyone know that she and her husband were dummbasses and shouldn’t bother him if they don’t know anything about guns.

Yes, we left with out making a scene but it is still kinda chapping my butt.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Underdog,

Could be the older gent was a boss or even the owner....the old...Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree ploy.

One of the short-comings of most LGS is the lack of professionalism and training of most staff. There are some shops that take their role as merchants and salesman seriously, unfortunately many employees that get hired, are more enamored with the perks of carrying a gun on their hip all day and finger-fucking all the guns behind the counter, than actually developing any salesmanship skills whatsoever.

The vast majority of LGS not only have no employee manual, they don't even have a training program or, schedule for a new hire to follow. I'd find out who the owner of the shop is and write a short but, focused letter on what you experienced (include names or, appearances) and the impression it left. Leave the door open for them to respond, hopefully with an apology; if nothing happens or you get a half-ass response, you'll know why those employees acted in such a manor.

As a consumer who's planning on spending a serious chunk of change, that also requires (depending on location) various compliance paperwork, you should expect a level of professionalism and competence from gun dealers.

There’s a gun shop not far from me, small, haven’t been in over 15 years. The owner is a tool, I only went a few times. One of the last he was making fun of a guy who came in for something, a customer. After the guy left was saying the guy thought he was ‘the great white hunter’. The reference was that the guy only got set up right before deer season, didn’t shoot his bow & gun as much as a ‘real hunter’. Some of us do have jobs & a family.

Anyhow, that & other things rubbed me wrong with the shop.

quote:

Originally posted by recoatlift:
Could be the older gent was a boss or even the owner....the old...Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree ploy.

Normally I’d agree; however this store is a subsidiary of a well respected LGS in the north that ships lightning fast.

The guy behind the counter was classic, and I mean classic tactical tough guy. Full sleave, tactical clothing, etc.

For the FL members I found a new store called All Sports Tacticsl. They had decent stock and when I was walking by the counter an employee was actually explaining to a buyer that smaller pistols can have more recoil than larger ones.

quote:

Originally posted by Underdog:

quote:

Originally posted by recoatlift:
Could be the older gent was a boss or even the owner....the old...Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree ploy.

Normally I’d agree; however this store is a subsidiary of a well respected LGS in the north that ships lightning fast.

The guy behind the counter was classic, and I mean classic tactical tough guy. Full sleave, tactical clothing, etc.

Most of the members here will recognize the store that you're referring to. Knowing the store and the owners, I would bet a shiny new nickel that the owners were not aware of the behavior that you observed.

I will further bet that corrective action will be taken very quickly.

Yeah, those employees are headed to re-education camp. Might be lucky to keep their jobs.

Reading the google reviews this behavior from the staff seems to be a reoccurring thing.

Used to have a guy kinda like that at the LGS I work at part-time.

A former Ranger, ( Army-type ) used to work there for some time who swore constantly, boasted of his many, ( supposedly ) sexual encounters with various women along with the graphic details, etc, etc, all while customers were in the store: men, women and children, old and young.

Unfortunately, they're out there and probably due to the facts of low pay, weak-willed owners, you-name it, they will, ( unfortunately) continue to be a fact of life at random gun stores.

I don't know what it is about the firearms industry, but for whatever reason, I encounter behavior and hear statements from gun store sales staff that would get them insta-fired in any other retail establishment. It's not just verbal diarrhea, it's the attitude that seems to come with the "I get to strap on a gun to work and I don't even have to wear a badge and a name tag!" types.

I try to stop in that gun store every time i'm down that way and I have never seen anything less then friendly professionalism from the staff. Very surprising to hear this and I think you should make a call to the company about it.
I don't think that behavior would be tolerated by them if they were made aware of it.

It's so much better to hire a salesperson, and then teach them about firearms.

Instead, so many shops hire gun guys and expect them to be able to have customer service skills, which in almost all cases is a huge mistake.

Yep. Everyone here knows what store this is. I’ve been there but many years ago and when Doc Steve was still working there.

Yea and you should see some of the customers that come into gun stores too.
I worked in my friends gun store/range for a few years. It is a small mom and pop store. The owner was there every day and we never had people like that when I was there. Every customer was treated with the utmost respect regardless of their ability and knowledge of firearms. Our job was to help people.
I could tell you stories about some of the customers but I won't because it is not very professional to do so.

For the other side of that coin, check my post in the .22 thread in the Pistol section, re very pleasant experience in a local store this past week.

quote:

Originally posted by Underdog:

quote:

Originally posted by recoatlift:
Could be the older gent was a boss or even the owner....the old...Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree ploy.

Normally I’d agree; however this store is a subsidiary of a well respected LGS in the north that ships lightning fast.

The guy behind the counter was classic, and I mean classic tactical tough guy. Full sleave, tactical clothing, etc.

For the FL members I found a new store called All Sports Tacticsl. They had decent stock and when I was walking by the counter an employee was actually explaining to a buyer that smaller pistols can have more recoil than larger ones.

It deeply pains me to hear about this. You and your wife, or any customer, should not have been subjected to this and there is no excuse for it. This employee is a combat veteran and served our country honorably. Because of my deep respect for this, he was given more chances than I should have allowed. However, this will never happen in one of our stores again. I can assure you this issue is being remedied and I hope you will give us another chance. Please feel free to contact me directly (email in profile) anytime you wish.

You are a class act sir.

As an aside my wife and I are both veterans. In general that’s not an excuse to be unpleasant.

quote:

You are a class act sir.

You got that right! Every dealing that I have had with them has been above and beyond my expectations.

Just an outstanding example of what any retail organization should be, in terms of customer service.

Sometimes a crummy LGS employee can be a good thing. Here's my story about that.

I used to shoot handguns once a week, Tuesdays, at a LGS. Every time I went in, the same guy was there, a guy who knew it all and was wrong about all he knew.

One day I went in and he immediately told the story of how the 9MM luger was invented during prohibition for shooting through car doors. I'd had enough so I asked why he never got a day off as he was there every day I came in. He said he was off on Thursdays and Fridays.

So I went in on Thursday the next week to get away from him and met 3 very nice guys and one nice woman the first day. That group expanded to 17 people who all got together and shot once a week followed by coffee and edibles afterwards. We've become fast and loyal friends in the last 10 years together.

So sometimes lousy employees can be beneficial to your life.

As soon as I read St. Augustine TGS came to mind. As a long time customer I can say for a fact that is not the way they operate.