Buffoonery at Wholesale Sports

[PlayboyPenguin]

I was at Wholesale Sports last night so my son could hold the Beretta Neos he is wanting for x-mas. They had one in stock but when I wanted to see how it fit his hands they would not allow me to let him hold it. They then went on, in a very smug and condescending manner, to tell me that state law prohibits anyone under the age of 21 from holding a handgun. I informed them they must be confusing store policy with state law but they held to their guns saying it was the law. Then after I told the salesman there is no such law he said maybe it was a store policy. He then asked the shorter, dark haired guy with the mustache and he said it was a state law. When I told him he was mistaken he just rolled his eyes and went back to chatting with his friend (the same guy he was chatting with the whole time we stood there waiting for service earlier). Right as I was about to leave the first guy finds a form the store produces for parents to sign so their kids can handle the guns. I said "It sure is odd you have a little form that allows you to override state law."

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[Nutty4Guns]

That doesn't surprise me at all. I was at the 82nd store a couple weeks ago and they had a young guy working behind the counter that thought he was James Bond or something. He kept taking revolvers off of the display wall and pretended to quick draw them and dry fired the crap out of them. I don't know what the qualifications are to work the gun counter there, but it would seem that they aren't very stringent.

 

[halmbarte]

I don't know what the qualifications are to work the gun counter there, but it would seem that they aren't very stringent.

I think the qualifications for workin at a gun shop are: able to stand upright, able to count money, have learned everything you know about guns from Hollywood.

Pick any two.

H

 

[rufus]

I would find a new place to shop after letting the buffoons know why.

 

[Grommit327]

Between never restocking items and idiots behind the gun counter I am done with wholesale. Much easier just to order stuff from midway or grafs or powder valley or............

For guns I will stick with FTF or Brightwater

 

[ThemGunsThough]

About a year or so ago I purchased a Taurus 24/7 Pro in 9mm because it was on sale for only $289. Although the price was great, the service was not. One of the guys at the counter (older gentleman) walked past me several times even as I held my hand up to ask for service. He helped people who arrived at the counter minutes after me. I don't want to assume he was racist but it was a shame that it took he helped out everyone else before helping me. I was probably there before 4 other people. I got fed up and as I stormed away, someone noticed I have been waiting for a long time and suggested they help me out. I brushed off my anger and purchased the gun. After that, I went back once and got the SAME service so I will never go back there again.

 

[civilian75]

I was at the 82nd store a couple weeks ago and they had a young guy working behind the counter that thought he was James Bond or something. He kept taking revolvers off of the display wall and pretended to quick draw them and dry fired the crap out of them. I don't know what the qualifications are to work the gun counter there, but it would seem that they aren't very stringent.

No, man, that's a new service! That new guy was hired to break-in the triggers. Service is now complimentary, but eventually they will add a service fee to all gun prices.

 

[Aero Denezol]

It must just be a bad crew up there... Wholesale Sports in Salem is pretty good. There's a young guy, Army Veteran, usually wearing a Ducks hat. I've bought a couple pistols from him. He really knows his stuff.

 

[JackFrost]

That doesn't surprise me at all. I was at the 82nd store a couple weeks ago and they had a young guy working behind the counter that thought he was James Bond or something. He kept taking revolvers off of the display wall and pretended to quick draw them and dry fired the crap out of them. I don't know what the qualifications are to work the gun counter there, but it would seem that they aren't very stringent.

That sucks about the store on 82nd Ave. The last time I was in there I bought a FNP .45 that was on sale and the older gentelman that helped was great! It was June 6th theAnniversary of D-Day and he and I talked for over an hour, him just telling his memories. It is a rare occasion that you get a chance to talk to "the greatest Generations" hero's and vets. He was 88 years old and worked there part time to get a discount on guns. I think his name was Harold, I went back several months later and he no longer worked there.

Sorry OP, I dont mean to hijack your original point, That is so frustrating to go to a retail establishment and be treated like that!

 

[ZigZagZeke]

About a year or so ago I purchased a Taurus 24/7 Pro in 9mm because it was on sale for only $289. Although the price was great, the service was not. One of the guys at the counter (older gentleman) walked past me several times even as I held my hand up to ask for service. He helped people who arrived at the counter minutes after me. I don't want to assume he was racist but it was a shame that it took he helped out everyone else before helping me. I was probably there before 4 other people. I got fed up and as I stormed away, someone noticed I have been waiting for a long time and suggested they help me out. I brushed off my anger and purchased the gun. After that, I went back once and got the SAME service so I will never go back there again.

In my experience you can assume that's what was going on. I have a son-in-law who is hispanic. He was born in Phoenix and his family has been there for 300 years. He gets the same treatment all the time in Oregon, especially at gun shops. I have a couple of children who are mixed race as well, so I'm sensitive to it, but since I'm white I get the wink-wink, nudge-nudge racial jokes from people behind counters all the time. That's why I don't buy from several businesses in this area. I used to buy parts for my tractors at one place until I saw a racist picture posted on their wall. Another guy thought it would help him sell me a new shed if he cemented our newly formed "friendship" with a racist joke. Ignorance still exists and it costs them sales, whether they realize it or not.

 

[glock.40]

I was at Wholesale Sports last night so my son could hold the Beretta Neos he is wanting for x-mas. They had one in stock but when I wanted to see how it fit his hands they would not allow me to let him hold it. They then went on, in a very smug and condescending manner, to tell me that state law prohibits anyone under the age of 21 from holding a handgun. I informed them they must be confusing store policy with state law they held to their guns saying it was the law. Then after I told the salesman there is no such law he said maybe it was a store policy. He then asked the shorter, dark haired guy with the mustache and he said it was a state law. When I told him he was mistaken he just rolled his eyes and went back to chatting with his friend (the same guy he was chatting with the whole time we stood there waiting for service earlier). Right as I was about to leave the first guy finds a form the store produces for parents to sign so their kids can handle the guns. I said "It sure is odd you have a little form that allows you to override state law."

Don't ya just love idiots? The Wholesale Sports in Salem has a very knowledgeable firearm staff. I'm just a "young buck" and they are always helpful and considerate to me. Stinks when businesses don't treat customers right.

 

[Simonpie]

My girlfriend and I went to Wholesale to buy a matching set of stainless revolvers for cowboy shooting. They obviously didn't have exactly what we wanted, but after a few minutes on the computer we were told they'd be in in a week. After about 4 weeks of weekly calls we went to the Gun Broker. 2 days, sequential numbers (a bonus). About $10 more per gun, but now I know why. I never did tell Wholesale and they never did call to say my guns were in. Odd folk.

 

[shayne]

Whole sale is ok if you need a gun now lol i bought from them my first few guns and the guys at the silverdale store are pretty cool.

 

[009]

it should be store policy to employ people who know what they are talking about in relation to there products.

 

[Ocanada]

It's interesting that at bigger stores the service isn't there. And generalizing I know, but most know they get paid regardless of you buying there or not. The smaller stores seem to know the value of repeat customers and word of mouth on good service and staff who know what they are talking about. They need your dollars to exist. Where I am we have a few smaller stores and a Wholesale an hours drive away. If I pay a few more dollars for service and knowledge at the smaller stores, it's worth it.

As for possible discrimination, seek out a manager, and ask to see the company policy on equality. Every corporation has policy and staff must adhere to it, or face being out of work. When the company realizes how they too will be subject of complaints, attitudes change. Sad to say in this day and age that this sort of thing still exists. Shop elsewhere, and I hope your son enjoys shooting his new pistol.

Peter EH!

 

[civilian75]

Right as I was about to leave the first guy finds a form the store produces for parents to sign so their kids can handle the guns. I said "It sure is odd you have a little form that allows you to override state law."

At least, to their credit, they got a form, eventually...

I suspect they did not apologize, did not get your business and lost you as a customer forever. You know what surprises me, in this age and age of uber connectivity, when word can spread like a brush fire, and people's rants are recorded forever on the Internet, yet, they fail to work hard enough at making and keeping a customer, especially someone like PP, who not only buys a new handgun every week p or so it seems) but will rant forever on NWFA over their faux pas. tsk, tsk, tsk!

 

[Misterbill]

Thanks for the heads up. Another place who's doors never to darken.

We have about 6 gun shops locally that are happy to give me good service. Saving 10% isn't worth dealing with clueless FUDD idiots.

 

[2Z4]

Wholesale sports in Clackamas set my personal record for length of time standing (and then leaning over) at a gun counter with absolutely no human interaction. After 10 minutes I gave up and left.

 

[civilian75]

My turn to rant:

I load my 45-70 reduced loads with AA5744. These clowns are the only ones who carry AA powders locally that I know of. A couple of months ago I wanted AA05. They told me on the phone they had it. I drove from Hillsboro to Clakamas, and guess what, in less than 1hr, all of it was gone! I haven't been back since.

 

[Abiqua]

I've always received crappy service at the Salem store gun counter and that's why I don't go back.