Gateway Outfitters (in Stl Area) Closing Doors....

[moduckdoc]

Sorry, but you guys that feel bad for a small business being driven out have missed the boat. The reality of the situation is that the owner who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth is just not a good business man. When it was Dunn's it was making money, they sold it because they were going to loose their FFL due to poor record keeping and that would have resulted in loosing it for all four of their locations. They let the store go at a relatively low price and Jon snapped it up. Unfortunately he does not know how to manage people or inventory. He actually hired a consultant that told him to reduce his slow moving inventory with a 75% off red dot sale. He sold off a ton of merchandise 20-40% below what he paid for it and then allowed his staff to reorder the exact same or very similar stuff within a couple of months. I hate to see a small business being driven out as well, but this store did not serve the niche products or services necessary in todays ultra competitve sporting goods industry and mostly that was Jon's fault. He will not take the blame, because that is his style, but it was his incompitence that caused this stores demise. I am not a former employee of his with an axe to grind, just a man that has known him for very many years and observed his behaviors. There are a bunch of small stores that are thriving in this competitve environment that provide great services for their clients that the big boys can't eg T.Hargroves, Mikes Sporting goods, tons of small gun shops and there is still a Dunn's on the south side of the metro to frequent.

[eric1978]

There are a bunch of small stores that are thriving in this competitve environment that provide great services for their clients that the big boys can't eg T.Hargroves, Mikes Sporting goods, tons of small gun shops and there is still a Dunn's on the south side of the metro to frequent.

Note that none of those businesses are 10 minutes from both BPS and Cabela's. I'm not saying he wasn't a poor businessman as you claim, I have no idea...you may be absolutely right about that. Dunn's may have sold for the reasons you stated, but I still think the box stores had something to do with it...And at that point, it was only BPS. When Cabela's popped up right next door, too, they didn't have a chance. You could put Hargrove's shop right next door to BPS or Cabela's and he'd still thrive, because he sells expertise and services they don't offer. But Gateway was just another retailer.

[BredMan]

Sorry, but you guys that feel bad for a small business being driven out have missed the boat. The reality of the situation is that the owner who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth is just not a good business man. When it was Dunn's it was making money, they sold it because they were going to loose their FFL due to poor record keeping and that would have resulted in loosing it for all four of their locations. They let the store go at a relatively low price and Jon snapped it up. Unfortunately he does not know how to manage people or inventory. He actually hired a consultant that told him to reduce his slow moving inventory with a 75% off red dot sale. He sold off a ton of merchandise 20-40% below what he paid for it and then allowed his staff to reorder the exact same or very similar stuff within a couple of months. I hate to see a small business being driven out as well, but this store did not serve the niche products or services necessary in todays ultra competitve sporting goods industry and mostly that was Jon's fault. He will not take the blame, because that is his style, but it was his incompitence that caused this stores demise. I am not a former employee of his with an axe to grind, just a man that has known him for very many years and observed his behaviors. There are a bunch of small stores that are thriving in this competitve environment that provide great services for their clients that the big boys can't eg T.Hargroves, Mikes Sporting goods, tons of small gun shops and there is still a Dunn's on the south side of the metro to frequent.

"Yep" to all the above........thats a fact and I have heard this same story from other sources including former employees. Too bad, at one time they had great knowledgeable people working there. When they let them all go that's when it all went downhill. I could see it coming for several months. About the same time they were doing the crazy 'red dot' 80% off (get rid of Dunn's inventory) thing I bought a new Motor Guide 54lb Digit trolling motor at a rediculous low price. I knew right then they were not going to be in business long. Their loss has definitely been my gain but I sure will miss going there. I never minded paying the extra buck when it was a real sporting goods store with knowledgeable people that knew what they were selling, could always give sound advise, and always very helpful.