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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,215
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,215 |
Nice AI generated news article. Exactly. Anyone familiar with the store knows that it did NOT generate a lot of “foot traffic” for surrounding businesses. There was actually only ONE surrounding business, and that was the little bar/grill next door. I have been to Whittakers many times, and was never in it. I have no idea how popular it was, but I don't ever remember seeing many vehicles parhed there.
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,215
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,215 |
I had heard a few days after the first post appeared on here about Whittakers closing, that it was due to bankruptcy, and also heard some of the reasons why that might have been the case. However, I'm sure that the people who like to spread rumors will have a field day with this one, so I'm not going to speculate here.
As I posted back when this first came to light, I was in Whittakers about 3 weeks ago. I quickly noticed two things......a lack of guns and scopes, and only three employees, a lot fewer than what I usually see there. There seemed to be about the usual amount of reloading supplies, especially in the era we are in, and not seeing anything that interested me, I didn't stay long. I asked an employee on my way out about the lack of guns, and was told that they'd had a big last few months in sales, and were having trouble getting guns back in stock because the distributors were behind. It appears that that might have been a cover story for what was happening.
Given the fact that one of Whittakers owners, shortactionsmoker, is a very respected member here, I really hate to see what has happened. I had an FFL for almost 40 years, and could buy any gun I wanted for my personal use at dealer pricing. But, I still liked shopping Whittakers, especially the original store for guns because of the huge inventory and the fact that I could sometimes buy things cheaper than I could order them. I often went there just to browse, and handle rifles and shotguns that were out on the floor, instead of having to ask some goober behind a counter if I could see a particular gun and having to listen to him tell me that he had killed a grizzly bear with one just like it. Personally, I'm going to miss Whittakers and the deals that Darrik came up with, and I hope that someway, somehow, they can get this straightened out and open the store back up again.
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 4,537
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 4,537 |
First place I ever ordered a gun online was from Whitakers, they had good prices. Ruger American Predator 22lr for 230 and free shipping. Couldn't beat that price. Years ago.
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 5,482
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 5,482 |
In my business I sometimes get involved with assigning and modifying leases for Landlords who have Tenants that are selling small businesses. Some go ok but almost everyone I have done that included a SBA loan went south in a year or two. People buy the business based
On value created by income. They end up paying for blue sky as well as inventory and picking up a lease on the property. In the end the debt sinks them as they cant weather the ups and downs and dont have the proper cash reserves when cash flow is down. The sellers of the business usually started with no debt and have no debt and may even own the property. So they are able to weather the ups and down. I have seen this happen over and over when people , even experienced in that business buy a business with debt.
I dont have any idea if this was the case here but I wouldn't be surprised if it was.
Last edited by Boarmaster123; 03/05/24.
Life can be rough on us dreamers.
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,836 Likes: 9
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,836 Likes: 9 |
Hope ya didn't have anything on layaway. I’m pretty sure they stopped taking layaways a long time back. I’m waiting now for one from another dealer undergoing bankruptcy. The attorney assures me that I’ll get it, but just when is hard to say. This stuff grinds slowly. When the owner of that shop first told me that they were closing, he said interest rates were killing them. I presume that meant they were paying interest on the guns people had on layaway, and the burden eventually got too heavy. I was thinking about buying an upper that’s backordered from another supplier, but abandoned the idea when I found out I would be charged up front. One limbo situation is enough…..
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 216 Likes: 2
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 216 Likes: 2 |
Im pretty sure I’m SOL. I’ve had a gun ordered since the end of January. I used my bank debit card since I don’t have a credit card. I never imagined a reputable company like whittakers would screw the pooch like they did. We’ll see what’s going the happen in the next few weeks.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,945
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,945 |
The last time Derrik made a post on his personal Facebook page was late September 2023. Just days ago someone had even posted on Derrik's Facebook that they want their money back. My concern for Derrik and family is I sincerely hope he didn't 'Bet the Farm' as collateral in buying into ownership / trying to stay 'afloat'... https://www.14news.com/2024/03/05/w...s-want-answers-about-unfulfilled-orders/...Daviess County Sheriff Brad Youngman says although they’ve gotten calls, there isn’t anything criminal involved right now, so his office recommends folks to handle this in civil court.
If you’ve been affected by this closure, or you have an order yet to be filled, follow these steps:
IF YOU PAID BY CARD: Contact your bank and ask them to contest the charges.
IF YOU PAID BY CASH OR BANK ACCOUNT: You can go to the Daviess County Clerk to file a small claims report. Published: Mar. 4, 2024 at 6:56 PM CST|Updated: 18 hours ago
DAVIESS COUNTY, Ky. (WFIE) - After 35 years of business in Daviess County, Whittaker Guns posted a sign on their door which reads: “Closed to the Public.”
Without notice to customers who bought guns, multiple people claim they have unfulfilled orders, costing hundreds of dollars.
“This was my first time in the store,” customer Matthew Lonoski said.
Lonoski says he bought a gun at Whittaker because of the reputation.
“I heard it was the best place to buy a gun, so I went in there and bought one from the store, and then they closed down on me,” Lonoski said.
Unfortunately, he isn’t alone. Multiple people say they purchased a gun at the end of January / beginning of February, and they’ve yet to see the product they bought, or get a refund of what they paid.
“I was told when I ordered it two to two and a half weeks,” Lonoski said.
But that was just the beginning for Lonoski, and for Mason Richard. Both men bought a gun from Whittaker back at the beginning of February and were told it would be in come two and a half weeks’ time.
Both say they’d call the store weekly after that deadline.
“He said it wasn’t in, they couldn’t track it or anything, just to keep looking out for the email, to keep calling them back,” Richard said.
Now, they aren’t sure what to do next.
Lonoski says he was able to contest the charge on his card and get his money back. But for people who used their bank account or cash to pay, the road ahead looks much more difficult.
“I speak for everyone, we work pretty hard for our money,” Richard said. “To pay him [the owner] our money we work for and for us to not get the product and then him just to take that money, it hits hard you know.”
We reached out to the owner multiple times but have yet to hear back.
“It’s more than just frustration, you could’ve let us know that ‘we’re going to be closing down’, like this didn’t happen overnight,” Lonoski said. “They had to know something was coming prior to this month, or last month.”
Daviess County Sheriff Brad Youngman says although they’ve gotten calls, there isn’t anything criminal involved right now, so his office recommends folks to handle this in civil court.
If you’ve been affected by this closure, or you have an order yet to be filled, follow these steps:
IF YOU PAID BY CARD: Contact your bank and ask them to contest the charges.
IF YOU PAID BY CASH OR BANK ACCOUNT: You can go to the Daviess County Clerk to file a small claims report.
Copyright 2024 WFIE. All rights reserved.
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,176 Likes: 38
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,176 Likes: 38 |
They knew they were closing, they still let people order and pay for goods. Then go fouck off on their jet ski and not order the chit.
“Whoops, hey dawg lemme holla atcha, we dunn goan outta bidness”
Am I reading that that right?
Hey how bout giving me your riding lawn mower or something. WTF
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 12,164 Likes: 4
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 12,164 Likes: 4 |
... But, I still liked shopping Whittakers, especially the original store ... I often went there just to browse, and handle rifles and shotguns that were out on the floor, ... THIS ^^^^^ was the carrot for me to drive 8 hours round trip. I could handle the rifles. Get a feel whether I liked them or not. First time there in the old store, they had Dakotas out on the racks just like the Savages. Actually met Mrs. Whittaker once at the old store and mentioned the rifles being out. She said when her husband started the business, one of his premises was that he did not want customers to have to put down hard earned dollars for a firearm they had never handled. So, all of the long guns were out where customers could handle them. She seemed to be a very genuine person. ... My concern for Derrik and family is I sincerely hope he didn't 'Bet the Farm' as collateral in buying into ownership / trying to stay 'afloat'... Did THIS ^^^^^^ once. Ended up selling 2/3rds of the farm to cover the note. Hard lesson.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 12,576 Likes: 8
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 12,576 Likes: 8 |
They knew they were closing, they still let people order and pay for goods. Then go fouck off on their jet ski and not order the chit.
“Whoops, hey dawg lemme holla atcha, we dunn goan outta bidness”
Am I reading that that right?
Hey how bout giving me your riding lawn mower or something. WTF Possible. But more likely, the business wasn't able ta support the 800 pound .gov monkey on its back.
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 760
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 760 |
I disagree. We would plan trips to Whitaker’s which is 30-40 minutes away. Upon getting done shopping we would go eat at a nearby restaurant, fill our fuel tank and those who use tobacco would buy cigs or dip and then we headed back across the river.
Whitaker’s brought a lot of shoppers to the area. Whitaker’s will be missed.
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Joined: Oct 2023
Posts: 596
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2023
Posts: 596 |
This looks to be another part of the puzzle, $106,000 in delinquent property taxes. ![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/3xvL38G9/Whittaker-guns.png)
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 760
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 760 |
I like what was purchased on the last line. meoooow
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