A word about Gander

[CBish]

Stopped by the NT store yesterday and asked them if they had any MOONSHINE lures -- I didn't need them, but since the manufacturer told me Gander had them I felt it my duty as a pro staff member to ask where they were.

The nice guy I asked said they did have MOONSHINES and headed to the back to get them. He came back with a box full of lures, set them on the shelf and allowed me to go thru them. I made a comment about how it would be easier to find what I wanted if they were displayed on a rack and he then told me "THE REST OF THE STORY"

He was part of an out-of-town crew sent to the NT store to get it "straightened out". Due to management issues the fishing section has had serious problems. Not much on display, things in strange spots (like stingers next to panther martins), but the biggest problem was most of the inventory was in boxes in the back and not even on the shelves!!!

This guy said it would look like a new store in 3-4 days. I hope so -- I miss finding more than I need and spending too much!!!

CC

[REELJERKS]

what location?

[waterlogged]

CBish,

We visited the North Tonawanda store this spring and found most of the stock ion the back room. we were looking for some Pro King spoons. The guy (Mike I believe) said he was sure they had them in the back but wasn't as good as your guy in retrieviing them so we could get what we were after.

The rest of the story from Mike.....

He said they only scheduled one person per shift there (late afternoon/early evening) in that department and if he went to the back to get stock to place onm the shelves, he wouldn't be able to service customers (like us) who had questions and needed assistance OR another staff member to man the bait store/counter. He even told us we could notify corporate, gave us a form and said you can even put my name - Mike - on the form as the one who told us to complain.

Needless to say we were tired from a long day of fishing and needed to get back to 4 mile to rest up for the next days fishing so we left disgruntled.

I also have to say there wasn't many staff in there in other departments too. But I have been witness to that situation in the Cicero store just north of Syracuse. Never seems to be anyone around when you need them. Seems to me it's an upper management problem with the staffing and scheduling of people. I have experienced this on weekends, and weekdays too. Sometimes I run up on my lunch time to the Cicero store during the week and the place is like a ghost town.

[Fishtails]

Clark, I saw what your speaking of in the Cicero store first hand. Normally, I frequent the Watertown Gander mountain. Good store, set up well and there's always someone asking if you need a hand.

As you know, when we were fishing in the Oswego pro am, I decided to get a new marine radio for the boat. Dave and I went to Gander mountain....exausted from several days of hard fishing. I could barely keep my eyes open, but I really wanted a new radio and a few other toys.

I found the store layout is very different from the Watertown Gm, so I had to lap the store to find what I wanted. I found the boating and fishing sections to be in opposite ends of the store. Kinda odd, but whatever. I found two radios on display in the fishing section, but after tracking down someone for help, he said they were displys and the radios were in the boating section. After trecking to the other end of the store, I had to search for help again. Finally found someone and they said sorry, but they were out of marine radios.

Back to the fishing section, to see If I couldn't buy the dipslay model. Again....search for help. Found the same guy I spoke with earlier. He said he'd see if he could find the packaging and he'd sell me the display model. 10 min. later he comes out of the back with a brand new radio, says he found them in the storage room, so buying the display model would not be necessarry :x .

[big_fishman]

I gave up on Gander a few weeks ago, Now I go in to see if they took any of my advise, WELL, they have not!!!!!

I shot in pulaski exclusively now or off the internet.

[FISHINMAN]

Henrietta store is getting weak too :x . No wire, no coated cable and the spoons are half empty on the pegs. I asked the guy working there for wire for dipseys and he handed me lead core :shock: :x

Seems like they stock the trolling stuff just before the season starts and then they let it run down to nothin.

[CBish]

It all has to do with management!!! They are not paying enough to get a guality #1 man/woman.

CC

[jimski2]

It has to be due to th economy. All retailers are struggling today. With the de-industrialization of the USA, the discretionary spending money isn't there anymore. The smarter, wealthier people have moved out of NY and we're left behind with the geezers and less productive workers.

[big_fishman]

and I thought the only retards were the ones that stocked the Gander in watertown!!!.

You would think....hmmm...we give a charter discount, lets ge them to help us stock...

OH< YES< the gander in water town offers 10% off for charter Captains.

[Fishtails]

AHHH, give em a break Brian. The Gander in Watertown is hands above the others I've been to, not that the others have set the bar very high. It's not like their a Cabela's or Bass Pro....they are what they are. At least they have people working the store in Watertown.

[Redneck Yacht]

Had the same problem at the Binghamton store yesterday. Couldn't find anyone in the fishing department so i hunted someone down and he told me he would send the fishing guy right over. After about 20 minuts.... still no one and the guy I asked to find someone for me, was just standing at the front of the store doing nothing!!! Went in search of someone else and found three workers just clowing around. Low and behold one of them was the guy that was supposed to be in the fishing section working! I asked him if they had anymore Michagin Stingers out back and he had no idea what I was talking about. When I showed him what they were he said he didn't think so and didn't even go back to look. I put all the things I was going to buy back and, drove over to Dick's. They had everything I was looking for.

Gander also didn't have to many spoons to chose from either. They only had about 10 different flavors of NK's to choose from and a limited amount of everything else.

[Lightning]

All the more reason to support our local tackle shops!

[big_fishman]

only thing Iwill buy at gander nowis prokings because they are the only ones with them, if I could find them online then I would buy them there.

BOYCOTT GANDER

[SteelieStalker]

The problem with Gander Mountain is that the "people in charge" don't pay attention to area specific demands for product. (I'm not even convinced that the "people in charge" have a clue about fishing or hunting most of the time) I have found that if you want to get what is working, shop at local tackle shops that stock what is working and what you need for specific types of fishing. It's a corprate run business and will never be able to do for you what a local shop can.

[ray koziatek]

if any of the Gander mgrs.read this post ya might want to post a help wanted add evenings (AFTER FISHING HOURS)position if i lived closer to one id be banging on there doors ,man id have dypsys rigged up ,mupp riggs displayed,typical fly flashers set up,imagine having a seasoned fisherman selling a product to a newbe ,compared to a collage kid trying to fumble through lead core for rigger wire,, heck when im shopping there i always see guys fumbling and when i offer advice 90% of the time they put the stuff in there tote with a thank you...........but hey im justa plummer.........

[SteelieStalker]

I used to work there so I know what the guys in the departments go through when it comes to getting product that people want and will sell. 9 times out of 10 when I go in there now I spend more of my time talking to customers and helping them find what they want/need because corporate thought it would be best to seperate everything by what species its used for wich at first sounds good however what do you do when you can use one lure for multiple species, why have rapalas in 6 different isles, why have fenwick rods in 4 different isles seperated by action. When most people that have half an idea go in there they are know what they are looking for. If I go in there for a Rapala, I want to go the the "Rapala isle". I could go on forever, but I think everyone is getting my drift. Bottom line, I was always frustrated with the decisions from "above" when I worked there.

By the way, I almost wasn't hired because "I didn't have any retail experiance". I would have thought that knowing about the product was most important, but thats just me.

[big_fishman]

Why do I torture myself!!!!!

So I decide to add a #45 300' copper and run to Gander thinking they might have this and some hooks for a magnum spoon.

HA HA HA...ZERO again. Hooks sold out, but they do carry copper just not 45. Teh price on the Power pro backing....ABSOLUTELY incredible!!!!VERY HIGH.

Do youselves a favor, I used GLOUTDOORS again.

[SteelieStalker]

Gander has a lot of stuff, just never the stuff you're lookin for at the time. I'm not trying to advertise for anyone but 1000' malin 7 strand wire at gander-$49.99...... same thing at Fat Nancy's-$39.99. Local shops seem to be better all around.

[CBish]

Made it back to North Tonawanda (NT) Gander on Saturday, the store was not any better. They did have copper and a lot of stuff but the store was not organized.

If you do get to the NT store be sure to have dinner at Texas Roadhouse Grill out front. The 32 oz sirloin was perfect after a day on the lake!!!

CC

[dremarquis]

i agree with Lightning - let's support our local shops more - they're the ones taking the time and effort to stock what we actually need. Plus they know the difference between leadcore and wire!

dre

[big_fishman]

Exactly, Now I hit pulaski or mail order.

[mikejonestkd]

Narby's and captains cove for me.

Gander and Dicks are a waste for the most part. They always have a ton of stuff, but never what you are looking for..

[CBish]

Just went to the Hen. store last night they are working on moving lake stuff to the front. A little too late -- two weeks left in the season.

I am happy, they had 5 MOONSHINE Carbon 14's, this lure has been smokin' hot and I only had 1.

CC

[big_fishman]

do yourself a favor, visit Jons in mexico or hit allseason sports or fat nancy's, the bonus is these guys can talk intelegently aboutthe lake and their prices are reasonable.

[caffeinatedsnail23]

My frustrations with Gander Mt. continued

last night again when I went in looking to

buy some sheffield 11 gram floats and

once again they were sold out and the

shelves were not restocked.

Gander Mt. has been really awful the past

two years. They never have what you

want/need and it is frustrating when the

employees say "we no longer carry that

item because we sold them out." Wow!

absolute stupidity at it's finest! Countless

times I have gone to the Hylan drive store

and walked out without buying anything.

My frustration is with everything from

useless employees, merchandise on the

sales floor in BOXES, and the manager

who runs the fishing dept. should be fired

on the spot because of his lack of interest

in fishing and his major lack of knowledge

in fly fishing and center pin fishing. Besides

his attitude is just down right poor towards

most of us customers. I now resort to

ordering my tackle/gear from Cabelas online.

I only wish a Cabelas would come into

Western New York, that would be very

damaging/interesting to affects on Gander Mt.

CS23