What's up with Al's Guns?

[eldo]

...He does not own a volume store, so low balling on your part is not appreciated...

I wasn't trying to dicker, I was trying to determine availability.
He knocked $100 off the price without me asking before he even handed me the rifle.

...He is loud, he is gruff, he is caring to customers who treat him the same...
...Hopefully the guy you saw was this guy and not Al...

I know who Al is.
I'm also a sole proprietor for over 30 years so I understand the irreplaceability of connecting with customers.
When he was cussin' me out in front of his other customer/buddy in the store all I could think was,
"If I did this to one of the customers in my circle of clients, I'd be out of business tomorrow."

I've been in Al's probably three-four times a year over the last fourteen years and say "Hi, Al" to him at the gun shows so he oughta at least recognize my ugly mug as "a friendly."
You shouldn't have to be a therapist or substance abuse counselor in order to be treated civilly by a shop owner.

Whenever I walk into a small-shop gun store like Al's or Frontiersman I try to catch the eye of the counter guy and say "Hey, Al" or "Hiya Marv" or "Just checkin' in to see what new iron has come in since my last visit," to establish a connection with the staff and to let them know I'm one of the good guys.

That being said, I wasn't able to get my usual "Hi, Al" in because he was busy BS'n with another guy when I walked in.
Even so...

It doesn't take long before a good salesman like a Marv or a Irv or a Milan will recognize me and what I'm typically looking for. They've even held a gun for me for a day or two while I've done some research. The guys at Frontiersman and Gunstop even held a special run CZ pistol and a high end Beretta over/under on my word so that friends of mine who were dying to find these firearms could come in from out of town to buy them.

That's called good customer service through relationship building.

There's some sales guys I want to buy a gun from. Al doesn't inspire that kind of simple connection.

[Squib Joe]

Have you ever had just one drink and had the world tell everyone you were drunk while handling guns?

No, because I put the guns away when I drink. And I never have just one drink

My opinion is based on a much worse safety negligence issue, but there is a lawsuit pending so I'm not going to elaborate.

I have no animosity towards the guy. Sounds like he has a real love of firearms and has shared his knowledge with others. As said before, sounds like he may have a problem and hopefully family and friends will step in to help.

[timwarner]

First time I went into Al's he wasn't so friendly, I just went to see what he had, didn't ask any questions, just told him I was looking around.

But after Rugersol and I had him transfer some AR lowers for us, every time I have been in he's nice and friendly.
I called ahead when I bought a G19 for the Mrs. from him, to see if he had one in stock. When I got there, he knocked a bunch off the price. Nice surprise.

The price tag seems to be the "I don't know you" price, and the price tag if he recognizes you is a bit less, depending on the firearm.
Saying he's always a grouchy old *** is not true.

[nyffman]

Tim pretty much nailed it. The only bad experience I had with him was a couple years ago when I made the mistake of asking him about one of his robberies. It's doubtful you'll get the warm fuzzies from him. Ever. But, if you mention any of the "events" that have occured there over the years, you can expect some fireworks. Even though I have bought some guns from him, never the expensive older one, just some new and used guns to shoot, he always seems to appreciate my meager business. Funny thing, I was in there on the day in question, probably closer to noon. A guy was in there buying a Henry Survival Rifle. Another guy was looking at something else and I was just there to look and say hi. I got him going on a little politics while telling him about the guy who tried robbing me at a gas station a few weeks ago. Maybe that's what got it started. Anyway, I detected no alcohol at that time.

[TommyMN]

I've driven past Al's a million times. Always been to lazy to stop.

[fjrdc]

What is it with the NE Metro gun shops ? Been to Al's been to Wolfs Den , have done bussiness with both . Crabby IS NOT the word for It .

[tazdevil]

Have you ever had just one drink and had the world tell everyone you were drunk while handling guns?

No, because I put the guns away when I drink. And I never have just one drink

My opinion is based on a much worse safety negligence issue, but there is a lawsuit pending so I'm not going to elaborate.

I have no animosity towards the guy. Sounds like he has a real love of firearms and has shared his knowledge with others. As said before, sounds like he may have a problem and hopefully family and friends will step in to help.

Joe when lawsuit is complete will you inform us of the safety issue if it would be to our benefit?

Never been to Al's guns, from what you guys have all said, never will. Bill's will see to it that wrongs are made right when brought to their attention, I personally will vouch for that.

[CraigJS]

Al was a dick 20+ years ago. Add booze while he's handling and trying to sell guns now, he's a dangerous dick... I wouldn't go back in that place if he was giving away M1As. I've lived in WBL all my life and have NEVER had a good experence with him. Surprised he still has a store. Flame away..

[S.A.]

I had a similar experience. I went in there this last spring when I was shopping for my first AR. I had been looking around and was told by someone at OCG that Al was a good guy with good prices. So I drove over there to check it out. I must have looked around for nearly 20 minutes, in his very small shop, before my presence was acknowledged. Al was too busy shooting the **** about the coming biblical apocalypse, as foretold in the Book of Revelation, with someone not buying anything. When I asked about the availability of the specific AR I was looking for Al said he didn't have it. When I asked about the possibility of ordering it, he told me to put down a deposit. Like eldo, I knew I could order the rifle I wanted online, so I asked him if his distributers had it, he refused to check, and I walked out. I found the rifle I was looking for the next day elsewhere for the same price he was asking.

He not only lost that sale, but all future sales from me.

[LarryP]

Lowballing? Trying to purchase goods at a lower price should be expected by stores these days. Especially gun stores where competition and barter has always been fierce.

If the owner can't handle that, he shouldn't be in business.

And showing customers with actions that point that he drinks, and have a drinking problem when he drinks is inexcusable. Nice guy or not when sober, he doesn't deserve your or anyones business.

Guns & Booze don't mix. Add a attitude to that and someday he'll really be in trouble.

I hope he gets professional help.

[Snowgun]

What is lowballing really? It's an initial offer at a very satisfactory price from the buyer. Nobody has to accept the offer.

Also, there is no absolute value for lowballing. Offering 5% under what the seller is wanting...is this lowballing? 10%, 20%,....????

In todays market of 50% off sales, 2000% markups, etc, what something is worth is what someone is willing to pay for it. PERIOD. How that price is determined is the art of the sale. For EVERY time someone has bitched about a low offer, a low offer has been accepted somewhere else. If it didn't happen it wouldn't be done.

Maybe some day UNICEF will get into private sales and help subsidy sellers who have an inflated opinion of what something is worth.

[Seismic Sam]

Al is ruff and gruff, but this guy was a complete jerk. Hopefully the guy you saw was this guy and not Al.

I will have a talk with Al the next time I see him - about public opinion - not trying to change what Al is or does. Only he can do that, after hearing the facts.

Well, Oldman, to quote a phrase from Rudyard Kipling: You're a better man than me, Gunga Din... Let me know how that works out..

[ScatterGun4015]

Bought my first pistol from al when I was 21. Caught him on a good day. I have been in another couple times since and have kinda gotten a cold shoulder. Never got the grumpy al, but got the normal cold al. I still like the guy and would do business with him again. His prices were good. Bought my first pistol 8 years ago for 100 bucks less than gander had it forsale at the time for

[timwarner]

Al is in business because he likes guns. Not because he's surviving off sales.
The guns he has in the back are the ones you really want to see, but aren't for sale.

I know he has ups and downs, but either shop there or don't. It's not the end of the world.
If you haven't noticed, most "gun people" tend to be a bit assertive, class A personality types. We're all giant ******** now and again, some more than others.
It comes with the territory.

[Seismic Sam]

Al is in business because he likes guns. Not because he's surviving off sales.
The guns he has in the back are the ones you really want to see, but aren't for sale.

I know he has ups and downs, but either shop there or don't. It's not the end of the world.
If you haven't noticed, most "gun people" tend to be a bit assertive, class A personality types. We're all giant ******** now and again, some more than others.
It comes with the territory.

Hey, I resemble that remark!! How much HS-6 are you putting in those 9mm cases?? You'll shoot yer eye out, kid!