Favorite One Off / Hole in the Wall Sporting / Gun Store

[gunlaw]

That's a good one. Wish the St. Charles location was still open. I didn't know about the liquor.

I think they still have a store in Marion Illinois.

 

[Jack B.]

Many years ago you could walk into almost any Mom & Pop store and buy guns or ammo along with what ever else they sold. Beer, cigarette's ,candy and liquor.

 

[CapnMac]

Only one I can find a photo of (Bryan, Texas, across the street from Chicken Oil Co.):

Store began like as TriState Sporting Goods (and both antlers on the moose). TriState moved out to a 22,000sf location in Townshire Shopping Center. Right about that time a windstorm knocked an antler off.

Then, it became Lassiter's Outfitters, and it lazed on as a hole in the wall. There were paperwork issues and ATF asked them to take a vacation from being in business. About that time Eddie Sullivan and his dad bought the place up, and it became Sullivan's Outfitters. Then, it really became hole-in-the wall, with a cadre of codgers (and would-be codgers) who would endlessly gab on anything and everything under the sun, and occasionally were interrupted by people actually buying gun stuff []. Eddie got bit hard by the archery bug, and the recession clobbered gun sales, so the store gained an archery range, and eventually stopped being in the gun biz.

No photo of my other hole-in-the-wall--Tres Agggie Gun. A narrow joint wedged into Culpepper Plaza shopping center. A couple of vets and their buddy riding the peak of the cheap surplus market and having at least one partner to send off to gun shows for more deals. Another place that grew 'regulars'--some of whom actually bought stuff [] Place broke up when one of the partners relocated to WY. Bought a ton of ammo, and more than a few guns in there--more than paid my "rent" for leaning on counters.

Miss those joints.

 

[wiscoaster]

Virlee Gun Works, New Franken, WI
Fox Valley Firearms, Appleton, WI

 

[BreechFace]

Many years ago you could walk into almost any Mom & Pop store and buy guns or ammo along with what ever else they sold. Beer, cigarette's ,candy and liquor.

The true sense of "Convenience Store."

 

[Bruce D Pease]

Many years ago you could walk into almost any Mom & Pop store and buy guns or ammo along with what ever else they sold. Beer, cigarette's ,candy and liquor.

About 5 years ago I bought my traditions black powder .44 1851 navy in exactly that kind of store. It is in Bristol NH, a real old cluttered but a little of everything place, including firearms and ammo. At the time we lived in MA, and when I mentioned that the lady behind the counter said makes no difference this black powder...it’s not regulated. Long story short it’s in my safe in KY now

 

[HoploDad]

McBride's, down in Austin. They still are what Austin used to be. Back when Obama was prez they had his picture up on the wall with the words, "Salesman of the Year" just under the image.

 

[George P]

Many years ago you could walk into almost any Mom & Pop store and buy guns or ammo along with what ever else they sold. Beer, cigarette's ,candy and liquor.

There was a Western chain of drug stores called Long's (now I think owned by CVS or Walgreen's). At the one in Carson City, they sold guns, ammo, reloading supplies, full liquor department, slot machine section and on and on...........there was also a Coast to Coast hardware nearby that sold guns and ammo at the time. Of course, at that time JC Penney, Sears, Western Auto were still selling guns as well.

 

[Bruce D Pease]

There was a Western chain of drug stores called Long's (now I think owned by CVS or Walgreen's). At the one in Carson City, they sold guns, ammo, reloading supplies, full liquor department, slot machine section and on and on...........there was also a Coast to Coast hardware nearby that sold guns and ammo at the time. Of course, at that time JC Penney, Sears, Western Auto were still selling guns as well.

Also from Montgomery-Ward.

 

[Jack B.]

My dad bought me my first .22lr, a Winchester model 67A at a Montgomery-Ward for about $8