Sportsman's Warehouse

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coloradokevin

coloradokevin

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Anyone know what has been going on with this place lately?

I'm a regular customer at our local Sportsman's Warehouse, and I've always liked the store. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and I'm on a first name basis with half of them. Historically they've had a great selection on everything, with reasonable retail prices.

Lately I've been noticing that their shelves are nearly empty, and it doesn't seem like they are making any effort to restock items. I don't know if this is occurring around the country with this chain, or just locally, but this seems to go well beyond the election scares! Most of the other local stores are beginning to carry product again, but Sportsman's is still empty.

For example, here's what I tried to buy today:

-Small pistol primers (any brand)
-.45 caliber bullets between 185-230 grains (any brand, plated or jacketed)
-Power Pistol powder
-Rifle powder suitable for .223


I ended up walking away empty handed! They didn't have ANY primers, except shotshell and one 100 piece box of magnum small pistol primers. There were no bullets available in the caliber I was looking for, and the list of available powder was very short (nothing I noticed that I use).


So, just wondering if anyone else knows what's going on with this store lately? I might need to find a new source if things keep up like they are (today was my third trip there in search of pistol primers).
 
The small local gun shop still has in inventory most all reloading type supplies, while the G.M. down the road looks like victim of looting. What the local shop doesn't have in way of guns or supplies, they can order and have in a day or two...the G.M. down the road says it's suppliers are out. The small local store's prices are always lower than the G.M. also. Talking with the owner of the local store the other day he say's it comes down to the economic situation. More money to be made in clothes and shoes.....not enough profit margin in guns and reloading supplies to justify shelf space as compared to the fancy gore-tex hunting jackets. Also, why stock up with new stuff during the Obama scare when you can sell off all your "dogs" at a premium price to folk who will buy anything, thinking it's better than nothing.
 
When I lived in Phoenix metro, there were three stores there (North Phoenix, Goodyear and Mesa). The Goodyear store closed down. I would guess that Cabela's (Glendale) and Bass Pro (Mesa) hurt them. SW is not going to stay alive if they don't even try to compete, as indicated in the OP.
 
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Sportsman Wearhouse close here last year. Used to have a good reloading selection, Bass Pro and Cabelas I suppose pushed them out in this area.
 
A SW was opened here in Tallahassee last Summer. I did not get into the store until November. Seems they have plenty of clothes and Chinese made boots. Gun stuff is almost empty. Have yet to spend one cent there since they have nothing to buy. I wonder if some of their suppliers are saying pay up before we ship any more to you.
 
I used to buy quite a bit of ammo there before the panic. The 2 local stores are out of almost everything. I did find a pound of powder last week and they had small rifle primers for the first time in awhile (unfortunately I want LR:mad:). Maybe supply is starting to trickle back. None of the smaller shops in my area have any significant amounts of reloading supplies either.
 
That's what I've been seeing too. Nearly out of all bullets, cases, and powder as well.

They have gotten some of their pistol stock back though - it went from being about 10% full back to about 40% now.
 
A friend had a conversation with local store employee. Supposedly, Sportsmans Warehouse has been purchased by a firm in Canada. Restocking is on hold until tranfer financial plan is finalized.
 
I went to the local SO and 2 other places yesterday looking for SMP, LMP and LR primers and a pound or 2 of 3031 and 4198. SO had little stock of anything . I ended up with just 1000 cciLR primers and they weren't cheap. I am going to have to breakdown and get 5-10k 22's of various flavors...


Patty
 
There is a new Sportsman Whse 75 miles north of me. I was really disapointed when I finally made the trip. Their stock of almost everything gun related was minimal to non-existant. This is a brand new store.
 
Could it be inventory control? They have to take inventory (usually around this time of year, I think) and pay taxes on their inventory.

Soooo, some retailers balance $ in inventory tax versus $ in lost income from lost sales and make the necessary business decision.

But I haven't done retail work in a looooong time, so someone correct me if I'm off base.

I used to love walking into the 84th Avenue and I-25 one and ogling all the nice trinkets on the wall there. Haven't been in there for a while, though. I'm pretty well stocked up --and I don't have to pay inventory tax.

I also love the art displays near the bathrooms.

Side Note:

-------------------------------
A side note on giving at least a vague idea of your location:

WTBguns10kOK gave this information:

They've been empty where I am for a while. Least friendly of the gun dealers I visit, too.
Click to expand...

This "information" would be a lot more significant if we were pivileged to know

Where the men own big trucks and the women drive them
Click to expand...

is.

No offense, but I sure wish people were, at least sorta, slightly, more specific about their location when giving out information. No GPS coordinates or anything, just an idea as to whether you're in the Western Hemisphere or not. ;)

By the way, a Police Department is giving out free ammunition to law-abiding citizens. :p

Terry, 230RN
 
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The Sportsman's in Reno has been that way for years. Their gun selection is great, and there are two gun counter guys that I know and are knowledgable. Their reloading selection is usually very hit or miss. Primers are really bad with them, and I've never been able to buy 4lb kegs of powder, only 1lb singles. They had SW where I went to college and it was always well stocked.

I went to the Reno store a few years ago when I was shopping for an O/U 12ga. I was talking to one of their shotgun guys and he was pushing a Remington 11/87 instead of a Beretta or Browning like I was looking at! That's gotta be a first... I ended up getting an SKB at a different place, I've been very happy with it.
 
Sportsman Warehouse was bought out by a Canadian firm last year. It remains to be seen what the new ownership is going to do with the stores in general.

The nearest SW to me has been out of most reloading supplies for some time now; especially powder, primers, and handgun caliber bullets.

Their shelves are pretty lean on handgun ammunition also for the time being. They got some Blazer 22 ammo about a week or so ago. I thought I would buy a brick. Returned in a few days and it was all gone.
 
Canadian Firm Attempts Purchase of SW

I had also heard that the company had been in financial duress and unable to get credit with wholesalers and am finally able to verify this story. Furthermore, this press release from '07 sheds more light on the situation. Below that is the link to a news story about the attempt by a Canadian Co-op in buying SW.

GE Corporate Lending Provides $325 Million to Sportsman's Warehouse
Business Wire , Dec 26, 2007

NORWALK, Conn. -- GE Commercial Finance Corporate Lending today announced it provided a $325 million asset-based credit facility to Sportsman's Warehouse, an outdoor sporting goods retailer. The financing will be used to fund working capital needs. GE Capital Markets arranged the transaction. GE also provides the company with aircraft loan financing through GE Equipment Financial Services.

Based In Midvale, UT, Sportsman's Warehouse has locations throughout the U.S. selling equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories for hunting, fishing and camping.

"We value GE's ability to bring us new ideas and execute well," said Stuart Utgaard, CEO of Sportsman's Warehouse. "We now have a smarter loan structure that provides us with greater liquidity."

"GE worked closely with Sportsman's to structure financing to help support their business plans," said Jim Hogan, managing director of GE Corporate Lending's Retail group. "Understanding our clients' financing needs in combination with an in-depth knowledge of retailing means smarter solutions to help them compete."

http://news.tradingcharts.com/futures/4/8/120760984.html
 
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Same thing in my area, with all sorts of stories flying rampant throughout the shooting community as the stock -- particularly in ammo -- has dwindled to almost nothing. I visited the place last weekend, looking for some 9mm, and saw two aisles of virtually empty shelves and no 9mm of any stripe to be found anywhere in the store.

The whispers on the street locally have been of a pending sale, a possible sale, a proposed sale, a forced sale, a shuttering, etc. A couple of the FFL dealers have been licking their chops in anticipation. So it's good to read this info and get an idea of at least something that makes sense about their current plight. Thanks.
 
Lack of cash

Due to the banking crisis, and pending sale. the suppliers are demanding payment to deliver, so there cash flow is hurting and they can't buy stuff to restock.
The fishing gear is heavliy discounted too.
 
Went to SW in Woodbury, MN yesterday, thay have a LOT of .40 S&W, but pretty much zero 9mm, .45 ACP, .38 or .357 (except the premium hunting stuff in .357), or 7.62x39. I also stopped at Wal-Mart in the same city, they LITERALLY had one box of .44 mag and one box of .32, and a bunch of different rifle ammo.
 
They opened a store near a friend a couple of years ago, bronze statue out front, special grand opening with discount coupons and rah rah. The coupons hadn't even expired before the store (and a bunch of others) closed.

My take was: bad management blew through their liquidity in an expansion push and couldn't survive at the new size even before any recessions. Look for a circuit city type meltdown.
 
Yep, it's just a cash flow problem preventing inventory restocking. They were on the verge of BK before being bought out by a Canadian group of investors. When the papers are signed, and red tape done, the money will start flowing again, which gets the products rolling. I really hope they survive, because I love the place - it's my second favorite "gun shop" to visit, and the best national chain store in this area.

In the meantime, since they are cash-hungry, great deals can be had - they've had an ongoing sale since January, with items up to 70% off - got some smokin deals on clothing and optics in there. All bows are currently marked way down, also.
 
Interesting topic, I thought it may be local thing. Last time I was there, about a month ago, there was nothing but empty shelfs.
 
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