Bear Arms - Windsor, CO

[Eggysrun]

I understand what the issue is but the way he's looking at it is a little odd.

Apparently his business model is:

1. Sell in store stock and make money on his mark-up.
2. special order and make money on his mark up
3. do a transfer and make the transfer fee, but only on items he can't order or stock.
4. Turn away someone who wants to give you $25 for filling out some paperwork on the principle that you should've made your mark up. Thus instead of making mark up, choosing to make zero because it's insulting to make $25.

In the end it's his choice how to run his business, but running people away who want to give him $25 because he could've made more doesn't seem wise, at least to me. He's probably losing a lot more than $25 for a transfer per customer in the long run because of the bad experience the refusal leaves in the customer's mind. His response explained his position clearly, and I respect it and the respectful manner in which it was posted. I don't think it's the best position business wise, but it's not my business to run and I wish him the best of luck.

I paid $531 out the door for a brand new Gen 3 glock 19, prove me wrong someone can find the same thing for less when including shipping and transfer fees. Bear Arms is not one of those gun stores that rip you off with high mark ups, same with their ammo prices too.

[funkymonkey1111]

I paid $531 out the door for a brand new Gen 3 glock 19, prove me wrong someone can find the same thing for less when including shipping and transfer fees. Bear Arms is not one of those gun stores that rip you off with high mark ups, same with their ammo prices too.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...o+Fixed+Sights

plus $25 transfer has got you beat. That took me about 10 seconds to find and frankly didn't look at other retailers.

if you're in south denver, J&J has transfers at $20

[Big John]

Bear Arms is no longer in business. The end...

[funkymonkey1111]

I was thinking about Bear Arms the other day, wondering if they were still around

[Great-Kazoo]

I was thinking about Bear Arms the other day, wondering if they were still around

I'm going to try and swing by there today, see if there's any signs or notice. Haven't been in there for some time, since most stuff is on line or through gun forums trading post..

[SouthPaw]

I know they have been super slow and that business was not doing so hot. Gary was headed back to the Virgin Islands yesterday so maybe he just decided it wasn't worth it anymore.

[Irving]

Jensen's just doesn't smile enough for you and you never miss an opportunity to drag them through the mud, but this chump burns you for what I assume is thousands of dollars and you don't even mention anything?

As punishment you should burn both your palms on the stove, then drive over to Jensen's and buy a months worth of bandages from them, with cash, and smile as hard as you can the whole time.

[Jer]

Jensen's just doesn't smile enough for you and you never miss an opportunity to drag them through the mud, but this chump burns you for what I assume is thousands of dollars and you don't even mention anything?

As punishment you should burn both your palms on the stove, then drive over to Jensen's and buy a months worth of bandages from them, with cash, and smile as hard as you can the whole time.

It has nothing to do with Jensen not smiling enough for me and everything to do with them overcharging me in a situation where I basically had little to no out and then making it seem like they were doing me a favor when they offered to discount that overcharge slightly after I brought it up repeatedly. They then proceeded to attempt to sully other well-known and trusted industry partners to the end of slightly higher profits on a few NFA items for themselves. The list goes on and extends back years but I won't bring that up because I don't have to. I don't shop there and occasionally mention that I don't as a bit of a tongue in cheek warning to others who may not know.

In the end I was able to recover what was due to me (after some repeated attempts and BS excuses) financially and after much debate decided that I would simply call it a day on the topic in an attempt to move on. It was far more personal than business dealings and therefore wasn't laundry I was wanting to air or get into detail on. The only hope was that the long string of those he had burned personally and professionally would find the light of day and he would sink his own ship. As I already stated, I do fill guilty for not editing my first post in this thread which I would have had I remembered it was me who started the thread. Those that have talked to me in person can tell you that I pretty much buy online exclusively now and use FFL's because the LGS options in the area aren't worthy of my business for various reasons.

For the record, I also don't shop at Liberty Arms for less personal reasons that involve some of the same thing that Jensen Arms did to me (they actually had the same canned response in regards to the industry partner mentioned earlier) but I wasn't a long-term customer who was known by first name by all of the employees so it was far less personal. To me, the Jensen Arms thing felt more personal because of the long time business relationship that existed between us. I spent many years as the 'Jensen Arms Apologist' whenever people would bring their customer service into question when few others would. I even met with the new owner before hours to try give him an opportunity to explain his side and I mine and give him a chance to make it right and he still didn't. Bridges burned can be forgiven but never forgotten. As far as I'm concerned I never even crossed the Liberty Arms bridge.

[SouthPaw]

The only hope was that the long string of those he had burned personally and professionally would find the light of day and he would sink his own ship.

Funny that you say. Remember when his yacht sank after three days of buying it lol.

Gary has always been good to me and I have hung out with him times for happy hour drinks, or the like. Back when they first opened, we had talked about me working there to manage the store while he was gone. In the end, I saw the writing on the wall. I think that is why him and Brady got along so well. Their 'business' are toys to them. Sink or swim, I really feel like they could care less. They were great when they first opened up but anymore 'good' gun stores are hard to come by. Like you, I find it so much easier to buy all my stuff online. I have two suppressors in jail right now from a local dealer, but I will not be using him again. I have had to do all my own foot work on it and honestly, I have hard time trusting others with my paperwork and follow ups.

[Jer]

Funny that you say. Remember when his yacht sank after three days of buying it lol.

Gary has always been good to me and I have hung out with him times for happy hour drinks, or the like. Back when they first opened, we had talked about me working there to manage the store while he was gone. In the end, I saw the writing on the wall. I think that was him and Brady got along so well. Their 'business' are toys to them. Sink or swim, I really feel like they could care less. They were great when they first opened up but anymore 'good' gun stores are hard to come by. Like you, I find it so much easier to buy all my stuff online. I have two suppressors in jail right now from a local dealer, but I will not be using him again. I have had to do all my own foot work on it and honestly, I have hard time trusting others with my paperwork and follow ups.

Yeah, I do recall that and I would be lying if I said that my first knee-jerk reaction wasn't of fraud being involved.