outdoor emporium

[Happy Gilmore]

I went to the Seattle store today and it seemed really "vacant". There wasn't hardly any inventory of jackets and pants. I was sort of looking for new hunting rain gear. The store seemed empty compared to usual. The gun section felt empty compared to the past. They didn't have a single 20G shotgun on the shelf and the selection of 12G guns was pretty simple. Being its just becoming pre-duck season, hardly any camo jackets, low shot gun inventory, hardly any decoys displayed.....Are they changing direction or shutting down? Usually, this time of year the store is packed and ready for hunting season.

[Bob33]

I suspect the onerous Seattle firearm and ammunition taxes are partially responsible.

[PolarBear]

It was like that Sportco in Fife last week. They had just gotten done witheir tent sale and everything was depleted

[full choke]

I was recently in Outdoor Emporium. I can't speak to the guns, but they seemed to have more duck hunting stuff then they normally do? At least as far as decoys, blinds etc. They never really have a big supply, but overall they seemed kind of stocked up.
I think Bob33 is correct- $50 gun tax and whatever the tax on ammo is probably puts quite a dent in what they sell as far as firearms. I talked to them about it last year, and the gun counter guy said they shifted a lot of their firearm inventory to Sportco because of the low sales in Seattle.
As a contrast- I was also at the Lacy Cabelas, and they had virtually nothing as far as duck hunting stuff. I was really disappointed in what they had out. But- that has been a trend at Cabelas for awhile. I think I have come to the conclusion that I have no longer have any use for Cabelas.

[Stein]

I was recently in Outdoor Emporium. I can't speak to the guns, but they seemed to have more duck hunting stuff then they normally do? At least as far as decoys, blinds etc. They never really have a big supply, but overall they seemed kind of stocked up.
I think Bob33 is correct- $50 gun tax and whatever the tax on ammo is probably puts quite a dent in what they sell as far as firearms. I talked to them about it last year, and the gun counter guy said they shifted a lot of their firearm inventory to Sportco because of the low sales in Seattle.
As a contrast- I was also at the Lacy Cabelas, and they had virtually nothing as far as duck hunting stuff. I was really disappointed in what they had out. But- that has been a trend at Cabelas for awhile. I think I have come to the conclusion that I have no longer have any use for Cabelas.

Cabelas seems to have an unlimited supply of motorized mojos on hand year round though...

I sent an e-mail in once suggesting they take a closer look at what waterfowl ammo they have on hand, make sure they have enough during hunting season, and consider what equipment is legal or not for the area the store is in and near.  They have virtually no wind spinners, but tons of stuff you can't use legally within the state the store is in.

I got a canned e-mail back and a number I could call if I wanted to talk with the store manager.  No thanks, don't want to do your job for you, just looking to help you make it easier to sell stuff to me.  This year, they will be out of a bunch of popular ammo right away and have stacks of mojos laying around - right next to the blue wing teal decoys. 

Fortunately, there are local stores around that know what we need.

[Happy Gilmore]

In the front door of OE, there were kayaks, seahawk gear and some yeti display. There were two racks of misc. Sitka pants and jackets. Almost all were fleece. Nothing waterproof. There were a couple Gamehide jackets and pants on racks back towards the guns. That was it. Didn't see any decoys except a couple boxes of tangle free decoys on a shelf. Good selection of Carhartt rain gear and Gage rain gear. That was the only good selection of anything I noticed outside Underarmor but, I don't like that stuff much so, walked on by.