Dick’s and Gander Mountain were both doing well in my town until Academy came to town. Better prices, better selection and they haven’t pissed off their customers
The Gander nearest me became a place to avoid. The prices went through the roof, including their firearms. Also, their staff were a bunch of snooty types who looked down on you if you asked a question.
I tried to buy an expensive pair of hunting boots and the employee blew me off and then ignored me. Back around 2009 I purchased a firearm from them. The person that helped me was an older man and was very friendly. I was in and out in under an hour. A few years later I went there to purchase a Mosin Nagant for my son for Christmas. The staff treated me as if I had never touched a firearm and talked down to me. If it wasn't for the sale they had on the rifle I would have left
I was in the store trying to fill out the paperwork for an hour and a half. I filled out the federal form, the Virginia form, and then had to wait while the incompetent employee had to put all that information into a computer program that Gander had made up. Then I had to wait for over 20 minutes for a store manager to arrive to double check the info in that program. My wife was with me and she was not amused.
I left with the Mosin but told them that I would just go down the street a mile to my favorite gun store to get anything more I needed as when I go there I can get my paperwork done and the background check finished in about 20 minutes or less.
Gander cut their own throats.