Over the Independence Day Holiday, I returned to the little town where I finished growing up. And as I turned the corner onto the square, I saw the LGS I had anticipated buying my next gun from was holding a going out of business sale!
By the time I arrived, all the guns, ammunition, and components were already gone. About all that was left were used combat boots, some MREs and a few odds and ends.
The owner had done a pretty good business "renting" rifles - by which I mean selling rifles and shotguns before the start of hunting season and then buying them back after hunting season was over. I know some guns had been bought, sold and repurchased by the same person many times over the years. Even though they were on the rack, everyone knew you didn't buy "Joe's gun" or "John's gun" because they would be along for it as soon as they got the money together. Of course if "Joe" or "John" got a felony conviction, people all but ran from the courthouse to buy "their" gun. I found out those guns had been "bought" by the pawn shop which was intending on continuing the "rental" tradition.
Still, the collapse of the last seller of reloading components and new guns in the entire county really affected me. Almost made me start to question whether there is any future for the LGS in rural America.
By the time I arrived, all the guns, ammunition, and components were already gone. About all that was left were used combat boots, some MREs and a few odds and ends.
The owner had done a pretty good business "renting" rifles - by which I mean selling rifles and shotguns before the start of hunting season and then buying them back after hunting season was over. I know some guns had been bought, sold and repurchased by the same person many times over the years. Even though they were on the rack, everyone knew you didn't buy "Joe's gun" or "John's gun" because they would be along for it as soon as they got the money together. Of course if "Joe" or "John" got a felony conviction, people all but ran from the courthouse to buy "their" gun. I found out those guns had been "bought" by the pawn shop which was intending on continuing the "rental" tradition.
Still, the collapse of the last seller of reloading components and new guns in the entire county really affected me. Almost made me start to question whether there is any future for the LGS in rural America.