In 1959, at the age of 13, I had save up money from my paper route and went into the Western Auto hardware store where I purchased a .22LR bolt action Winchester rifle. I needed the rifle for marksmanship and gun safety training at Hampton High School where I was taught by NRA certified instructors.
In 1976, at the age of 17, I took the school rifle team rifle home on a public bus to practice on the weekend.
This was in NY
“Western Auto”
That’s a hoot. I’m sure we had Western Autos around when I was a kid, but Sears was the place I spent hours pining over a Ted Williams .22LR semi-auto rifle. Got it for Christmas!