Old Gun Stores in Downtown Portland...

[Captain O]

I just moved from the Salt Lake City area to Portland area and first thing I noticed going downtown is that Portland has a very bad homeless issue. And not compared to SLC It's worse than most place I have seen. But in Portland seeing people living on the sides of the freeway and hundreds of them stumbling around downtown at night. It's sad, what the heck happened? The cost of homes and rent is a little ridiculous, I can also see why people want to live here. Then again everywhere has some kind of issue.

Welcome to the "cr@p hole" that is Portland. The Leftist "powers that be" are permitting the homeless to "run roughshod" over the decent hard-working people that make Portland move.

 

[best defense]

I just moved from the Salt Lake City area to Portland area and first thing I noticed going downtown is that Portland has a very bad homeless issue. And not compared to SLC It's worse than most place I have seen. But in Portland seeing people living on the sides of the freeway and hundreds of them stumbling around downtown at night. It's sad, what the heck happened? The cost of homes and rent is a little ridiculous, I can also see why people want to live here. Then again everywhere has some kind of issue.

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Portland never use to have a homeless problem. It has a homeless problem now because Portland is run by a bunch of socialists who nurture the problem and make it ten times as bad as it should be. If Portland would make the homeless work for the hand outs that it gives away for free, there would be fewer homeless, and fewer problems. I say, pick them up, provide a hot shower and some clean clothes. Then if they want to eat, they have to do some work. There is plenty of work that needs doing around Portland. Cleaning up graffiti, cleaning off the streets where other homeless have defalcated, renovating some of the abandoned buildings, repairing all sorts of things that are broken, and an assortment of odd jobs that nobody wants to do. How about having them fill pot holes in the streets? Make it like the old CCC or WPA? Give those people a purpose in life and they will be better for it.

 

[Captain O]

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Portland never use to have a homeless problem. It has a homeless problem now because Portland is run by a bunch of socialists who nurture the problem and make it ten times as bad as it should be. If Portland would make the homeless work for the hand outs that it gives away for free, there would be fewer homeless, and fewer problems. I say, pick them up, provide a hot shower and some clean clothes. Then if they want to eat, they have to do some work. There is plenty of work that needs doing around Portland. Cleaning up graffiti, cleaning off the streets where other homeless have defalcated, renovating some of the abandoned buildings, repairing all sorts of things that are broken, and an assortment of odd jobs that nobody wants to do. How about having them fill pot holes in the streets? Make it like the old CCC or WPA? Give those people a purpose in life and they will be better for it.

As soon as we dump Orumphole perhaps we can force the criminal aliens to be shipped back to Mexico and other Central American countries. It will be done by cutting off Federal funding to the losers in public offices. Then we can begin to address the problems that have ravaged our cities.

 

[PotterCountyPa]

From my past...

There used to be a world class department store in downtown Portland, Meier and Franks, long before Portland became little Beirut. This store had ten sales floors, including a toy department that would rival Duncan's on Home Alone Part II. It also had a world class gun department. If I wanted to buy a British double rifle, and the ammunition to go with it, that's where I would have gone to buy one. And you betcha everything was expensive.

The gun department went away when guns became evil. Eventually Macy's bought this store, reduced the sales floors to only three, and recently they announced the store was closing altogether.

Macy's and other high end stores should stop and think. I would never step foot in such a store when it caters only to the clothing needs of women and metro-males, where in the old days, with decent mens toy departments, I enjoyed going to such places. And maybe while I was there I'd buy a pair of jeans or a hunting coat.

These places are sinking themselves.

And another...B'Wana Junction. Also downtown. If you were going on safari, this would be a place to stop before you got on the plane for Africa.

WAYNO.

 

[PotterCountyPa]

I didn't know the story of B'wana Junction's owner but I thought his name was Joe because guys at work used to talk about buying from "B'Wana Joe's". I was a Field Repair Tech & had a walking territory downtown so I'd drop in whenever I could, especially when it was raining. I bought a few guns but he was always very personable even if you were there just to drool.

There was a gun store on Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy around 40th. I bought & swapped guns back & forth because I couldn't afford more than one when I had two little boys. I remember buying a S&W Model 57 back when there was a waiting period & just as I completed the paperwork a guy he didn't recognize walked in. He handed me the gun & said, "Those ten days seem like forever don't they?" Always a good guy to chat with although I saw him chew out more than one customer.

I got to know Berndt (not Burt or Brett) Johnson, the Oregon City gun section manager at Larry's Sporting Goods very well. In the late '70's - early '80's I went to his house a few times to see some of his collection. I remember he had a Schuetzen rifle hung over the fireplace but the good stuff was behind plywood doors in the basement. He had serial #2 of the Armalite 12 gauge shotgun used in Viet Nam. He had a matched set of presentation M1 Garands -.22 LR & 30-06 and they were mint. These were just the tip of his iceberg and I've forgotten about so many others. He even had hundreds of surplus rifles jammed above the plumbing pipes in the floor joist spaces.

He was quite a bit older than me - I was in my 20's - but we used to have lunch together often at a restaurant a couple of doors down from Larry's. Berndt's sons weren't interested in guns so I've always wondered how his collection was split up and what the value was. He was a walking compendium of firearm knowledge but began working at Larry's after he'd retired from other jobs.

The big box places like Cabela's serve a purpose but I walk away in disgust when I see salespeople recommend a real expensive gun to a first time owner. The pawn shop that does my transfers prices his stuff too high and there's really only one LGS in my area. I've always found his stuff priced high but got a good deal on a Range Officer Compact w/ Master Series CT grips last year. I hadn't been there in a couple of years & was just kicking tires but walked out the door happy. These days I research what I want, talk to other owners & order it online or find a seller on a forum I belong to. I've bought a few from NWF members & have always been happy.

 

[PotterCountyPa]

YES, I was raised in Portland in the early fifties (yes, I am that OLD) and I recall Meier and Frank gun room as well. I used to hang out there as much as I could, and at Foster Sporting Goods too, down in SE Portland on Foster Road. Is Foster's still there? I doubt it..............the entire Northwest, west of the Cascades, has turned into a "girlyman" cesspool.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

I like PotterCountryPa was raised in Portland from 1951 on. I also remember all the places that sold guns that he and everyone else in this thread have mentioned, Finally last year after spending my entire life in 2 1\2 square mile area of Portland I finally decided I had had enough of the liberal rot that has infested Portland and ruined it. I sold my house I had owned for the last 30 years and bought a house in Vancouver and moved there. It is not perfect but in my opinion a lot better than Portland today. I have a bunch of liberals for inlaws that actually were reduced to tears when Trump won the election. We really need to take back our schools from the liberals because they are ones teaching the lies about evil guns to our children. How do I know? The liberal inlaws that were reduced to tears are teachers. The sad part is that I know more about what they are teaching than they do.

 

[K-22]

The store on the Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy was Nick's Guns. He had a lot of choice stuff there, especially shotguns.
Brent Johnson was probably one of the most technically proficient gun guys I have ever known. He was really sharp in all aspects regarding firearms and ammunition. I was fortunate enough to be able to sped quite a bit of time with him. Learned a lot.
I miss those old guys.
Best,
Gary

 

[BDouglas]

Well, you all have finally lured this lurker out of the shadows with this topic. I am a PDX-ex pat condemned to life in Seattle but I lived in Portland from 1960 through 1978. I attended Lincoln High School and PSU and through all of those years hit the old gun and surplus stores downtown on a regular basis. Bought my first rifle, a Remington 511 (for the high school rifle team, if you can believe that!!!) from M&F and still have the M&F-marked sling that came with it. Bought my first centerfire (1903 Springfield) from a surplus outfit on - I believe - Second Ave. Also did a fair amount of business at B'wana Junction (including a Nylon 66 and my first 10/22). Had a part-time job out at the old Roberts Wood Products oufit along the river where I had the Springfield sporterized (anyone recall the underground range at Roberts?). I could go on but will spare you. Thanks for the opportunity to recall "better days!" Now, back to the shadows..............

 

[WAYNO]

Well, you all have finally lured this lurker out of the shadows with this topic. I am a PDX-ex pat condemned to life in Seattle but I lived in Portland from 1960 through 1978. I attended Lincoln High School and PSU and through all of those years hit the old gun and surplus stores downtown on a regular basis. Bought my first rifle, a Remington 511 (for the high school rifle team, if you can believe that!!!) from M&F and still have the M&F-marked sling that came with it. Bought my first centerfire (1903 Springfield) from a surplus outfit on - I believe - Second Ave. Also did a fair amount of business at B'wana Junction (including a Nylon 66 and my first 10/22). Had a part-time job out at the old Roberts Wood Products oufit along the river where I had the Springfield sporterized (anyone recall the underground range at Roberts?). I could go on but will spare you. Thanks for the opportunity to recall "better days!" Now, back to the shadows..............

Thanks. This is fun.

There are probably dozens of gun stores that have came and gone in the Portland area.

Although I remember many, and the owners, and the location, I have difficulty with the shop names.

Maury's, Murray's, Allied-Sav-Mor, White Front, Yellow Front, G.I. Joes, Andy and Bax, Brian's, Pay-N-Save Drugs, WigWam, Jared's Outdoor & More, Sports Corner, are just a few of the bigger places.

WAYNO.

 

[Dallas Ken]

As I recall Wigwam out on Sandy & 102 had a few also. Yellow Front always had some interesting
goodies for cheap, ran a pawn shop there also as I recall.

Ken

 

[WAYNO]

YES, I was raised in Portland in the early fifties (yes, I am that OLD) and I recall Meier and Frank gun room as well. I used to hang out there as much as I could, and at Foster Sporting Goods too, down in SE Portland on Foster Road. Is Foster's still there? I doubt it..............the entire Northwest, west of the Cascades, has turned into a "girlyman" cesspool.

Fosters got big and branched into other locations. Maybe too big, 'cause they were all gone in the seventies. But the employees and/or managers opened their own stores..Larry's, and The Gun Room, and two other employees remained as T.V./Radio personalities with hunting and fishing shows for many more years.

As I recall Wigwam out on Sandy & 102 had a few also. Yellow Front always had some interesting
goodies for cheap, ran a pawn shop there also as I recall.

Ken

Yep. WigWam. They moved into the abandoned Safeway store on 52nd and Tolman, then to the abandoned Safeway store on 78th and Foster, as well as their main store on Sandy. And before 1968, every 2nd Hand store was a gun store.

WAYNO.

 

[Medic!]

Well, you all have finally lured this lurker out of the shadows with this topic. I am a PDX-ex pat condemned to life in Seattle but I lived in Portland from 1960 through 1978. I attended Lincoln High School and PSU and through all of those years hit the old gun and surplus stores downtown on a regular basis. Bought my first rifle, a Remington 511 (for the high school rifle team, if you can believe that!!!) from M&F and still have the M&F-marked sling that came with it. Bought my first centerfire (1903 Springfield) from a surplus outfit on - I believe - Second Ave. Also did a fair amount of business at B'wana Junction (including a Nylon 66 and my first 10/22). Had a part-time job out at the old Roberts Wood Products oufit along the river where I had the Springfield sporterized (anyone recall the underground range at Roberts?). I could go on but will spare you. Thanks for the opportunity to recall "better days!" Now, back to the shadows..............

I enjoyed reading.

I would always make Dad stop off at ''Sarge Hubbers'' in Yakima when we went shopping there.
They still had tons of old WWII stuff.

Shaped me into the sick man I am today.
Good times.

 

[K-22]

Well, you all have finally lured this lurker out of the shadows with this topic. I am a PDX-ex pat condemned to life in Seattle but I lived in Portland from 1960 through 1978. I attended Lincoln High School and PSU and through all of those years hit the old gun and surplus stores downtown on a regular basis. Bought my first rifle, a Remington 511 (for the high school rifle team, if you can believe that!!!) from M&F and still have the M&F-marked sling that came with it. Bought my first centerfire (1903 Springfield) from a surplus outfit on - I believe - Second Ave. Also did a fair amount of business at B'wana Junction (including a Nylon 66 and my first 10/22). Had a part-time job out at the old Roberts Wood Products oufit along the river where I had the Springfield sporterized (anyone recall the underground range at Roberts?). I could go on but will spare you. Thanks for the opportunity to recall "better days!" Now, back to the shadows..............

Fosters got big and branched into other locations. Maybe too big, 'cause they were all gone in the seventies. But the employees and/or managers opened their own stores..Larry's, and The Gun Room, and two other employees remained as T.V./Radio personalities with hunting and fishing shows for many more years.




Yep. WigWam. They moved into the abandoned Safeway store on 52nd and Tolman, then to the abandoned Safeway store on 78th and Foster, as well as their main store on Sandy. And before 1968, every 2nd Hand store was a gun store.

WAYNO.

When

 

[K-22]

When

When WigWam finally decided to get out of the gun business, it was a treasure trove. Got a HS Military Citation for $20,and the Ruger Blackhawks were going fo $40.
Deals of a lifetime.
Best,
Gary

 

[WAYNO]

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Valu-Mart. Forgot them. Originally was Villa Mart. My cabinets are a museum. If i dug my old stuff out, I'm sure I'd still find stuff with Pay N Save and Foster Sporting Goods price tags.

image hosting over 5mb

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

The days when what you bought had individual price tags. Today most of them have just a bunch of funny lines on the item.

 

[Leroy Brown]

I didn't know the story of B'wana Junction's owner but I thought his name was Joe because guys at work used to talk about buying from "B'Wana Joe's". I was a Field Repair Tech & had a walking territory downtown so I'd drop in whenever I could, especially when it was raining. I bought a few guns but he was always very personable even if you were there just to drool.

There was a gun store on Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy around 40th. I bought & swapped guns back & forth because I couldn't afford more than one when I had two little boys. I remember buying a S&W Model 57 back when there was a waiting period & just as I completed the paperwork a guy he didn't recognize walked in. He handed me the gun & said, "Those ten days seem like forever don't they?" Always a good guy to chat with although I saw him chew out more than one customer.

I got to know Berndt (not Burt or Brett) Johnson, the Oregon City gun section manager at Larry's Sporting Goods very well. In the late '70's - early '80's I went to his house a few times to see some of his collection. I remember he had a Schuetzen rifle hung over the fireplace but the good stuff was behind plywood doors in the basement. He had serial #2 of the Armalite 12 gauge shotgun used in Viet Nam. He had a matched set of presentation M1 Garands -.22 LR & 30-06 and they were mint. These were just the tip of his iceberg and I've forgotten about so many others. He even had hundreds of surplus rifles jammed above the plumbing pipes in the floor joist spaces.

He was quite a bit older than me - I was in my 20's - but we used to have lunch together often at a restaurant a couple of doors down from Larry's. Berndt's sons weren't interested in guns so I've always wondered how his collection was split up and what the value was. He was a walking compendium of firearm knowledge but began working at Larry's after he'd retired from other jobs.

The big box places like Cabela's serve a purpose but I walk away in disgust when I see salespeople recommend a real expensive gun to a first time owner. The pawn shop that does my transfers prices his stuff too high and there's really only one LGS in my area. I've always found his stuff priced high but got a good deal on a Range Officer Compact w/ Master Series CT grips last year. I hadn't been there in a couple of years & was just kicking tires but walked out the door happy. These days I research what I want, talk to other owners & order it online or find a seller on a forum I belong to. I've bought a few from NWF members & have always been happy.

 

[Leroy Brown]

THAT WAS "NICKS" on BH Hwy about 40th Near the Golden Garter.

Nick was COOL.

I still have the 38 trooper and the Cobra and the Woodsman my Dad bought there.

 

[Dallas Ken]

Bought my first Oregon guns in 1964 (the year I moved here from Texas) at Hebers Hardware store about 140th & SE Stark. Ruger 30 carbine and a Ruger Single Six. I remember the 30 was $78, Single Six was less.
Dang ,,,,,,,what good ol day's