I heard last year they were in trouble.

No surprise

"U.S. hunting and fishing chain Gander Mountain Co is preparing to file for bankruptcy as early as this month, after an aggressive effort to expand its store base failed to pull in new customers, according to people familiar with the matter.

Gander Mountain is working with financial advisory firm Lighthouse Management Group Inc and law firm Fredrikson & Byron PA as it gets ready to file for bankruptcy, the people said this week.

The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Gander Mountain and Lighthouse Management declined to comment this week, while a spokeswoman for Fredrikson did not return a request for comment made on Wednesday."

Hard to believe it took this long considering their prices.

Hopefully the other big box stores will learn from this

Gander has always been high on their prices. Prior to Cabelas expanding, they were one of the few places around with any selection.

The only time I go to Gander is to actually handle any firearm I am considering buying.

Companies have got to be flexible in this day and age to survive. Once they reach the size of Gander, Cabela's, etc it becomes harder to react quickly. Sears is a good example. Started off as a catalog company and couldn't/wouldn't react in time to return to their roots.

The gander mountain near the shopping giant Potomac Mills mall has been in "storewide clearance" mode for a while now


I asked if it was closing and was told no

Most of their clothing, etc has been discounted, but no ammo/gun deals....except


Their used guns. Way, way too reasonable for gander mountain

I got a used glock 26 with three magazines there last week for $325

My buddy bought a minty beretta 87T for $550

They had a ppq m2 for $350


Makes me think they are blowing out their used guns and will transfer new firearm inventory to stores that survive reorganization

Color me shocked!!!


No, not really. I could see it about 8 years ago, when I visited one of their stores for the first time. But, of course, I've worked in retail for over 32 years now. Some businesses just don't understand or even see their faults...

Last deal I found at Gander was an Enfield for $200.

The one near me got built about 6 years ago. I've been in there a few times looking for ammo when I couldn't find what I needed elsewhere. It was never busy. Then, about 2 years ago, they did this huge expansion and tripled the size of their gun section. Still never busy. I was in there last week and it was a ghost town and there was a Clearance banner out front. Hard to believe they did the big expansion when it had to already be a losing store. Oh well, they opened a Cabela's in the area last year so if Gander Mtn closes it is no big loss.

There seems to be a completely different "attitude" between the two stores. Gander seems somewhat sterile and unfriendly.

I find cabelas to be nearly as bad. Thier "gun library" prices are ridiculous. I pointed out to an employee once that they had used guns felling for more in the library then the exact same gun New out front. He looked at me like he didn't understand English.

quote:

Originally posted by Dusty78:
I find cabelas to be nearly as bad. Thier "gun library" prices are ridiculous. I pointed out to an employee once that they had used guns felling for more in the library then the exact same gun New out front. He looked at me like he didn't understand English.

I noticed that recently too, saw a used Colt 6920 with some air soft quality crap added to it for $250 more than you can get a brand new one.

The store in Charlottesville has very few cars in the parking lot and most are probably store personnel vehicles.

The one time I stopped in there, it was like nobody at home. One salesman did show me around on some of their reloading equipment and we chewed the fat for a spell.

The only bargains I have seen are online sales of fishing tackle.

41

Every time I go Gander MTN in Fort Wayne, the Parking lot is full and there always seems to be people in the store spending money!

quote:

Originally posted by IndianaMike:
Every time I go Gander MTN in Fort Wayne, the Parking lot is full and there always seems to be people in the store spending money!

The store in Castleton chose a poor location, and sharing a lot with JoAnn Fabrics on the backside of the Castleton Mall which is going downhill quite quickly.

Now that Cabela's opened in Hamilton Town Centre, the place is a ghost town.

It's a shame. We liked their stores. Didn't display a lot of business sense, though.

Back when there was a GM nearby (we miss that store), I twice talked to the department manager in the gun area and told him "I don't expect you to match Walmart's ammo prices, but, if you'd at least come close, I'd be willing to pay a bit more to buy from you." Nope.

They had this deal where, if you brought in the receipt for ammo from another place, they'd match the price. (Never mind that meant that, by then, you'd already bought ammo elsewhere.) So I bought a box of .40 S&W from WM, took the receipt over, and bought the rest from GM. Second time I went to do that, that same manager happened to be present. "Oh no," he said, "only one matching box per box purchased elsewhere!"

Say what?!?!

I asked him what kind of sense it made to encourage customers to buy more ammo elsewhere. No traction. I asked him if it made sense to him I should go to so much trouble to buy ammo from them. Annoyance.

I never went back to Gander Mountain for ammo. (Though my wife and I still shopped there for clothes, etc.)

The store closed a year or two later. I don't think we've been in a Gander Mountain, since.

Drove by the Monroe NC yesterday. There are Huge banners fluttering in the breeze posting clearance sale. Upon entry, four circular racks in the center of the store with old items were the clearance. I don't know why I even bothered. GM thankfully won't last long under chapter 11 as the chain is managed by obtuse idiots who couldn't generate revenue when they had flexible working capital. Just file chapter 7 and be done already.

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
The store in Charlottesville has very few cars in the parking lot and most are probably store personnel vehicles.

The one time I stopped in there, it was like nobody at home. One salesman did show me around on some of their reloading equipment and we chewed the fat for a spell.

The only bargains I have seen are online sales of fishing tackle.

41

Was in that same store Thursday, purchased a Polish Radom P83, my experience with them was positive, the salesman was very knowledgeable about firearms.

It was cheaper for me to buy that P83 in the store vs ordering online,shipping, and FFL transfer.
I also purchased some 9x18 Hornaday Critical Defense ammo, as far as the pricing on othr stuff in the store, I consider it on par with any other chain store.

I have been in that store twice, nothing bad to say about them, I hate seeing people lose jobs regardless of the reason.

The firearm prices at GM are outrageous.

Not shocked. Way overpriced on most everything.

There is a Gander in Lake Mary that I have visited a few times. Not great deals, not much help, shoe prices were insane (but shoe prices everywhere are insane now) and like another poster suggested, it just feels sterile and unfriendly.

I suspect it has the clearance signs up, but since it's an hour away, I don't think I'll bother.