Does anyone actually buy from a Bricks-and-Mortar Store?

BFH Knives, the internet isn't going to put you out of business. The mail order business in knives that began in the 1970's didn't put the cutlery retailers out of business either. As you can see from the posts, lots of people prefer to buy in a retail store and pay for the service. Nothing wrong with that. And I don't think that will change.

There is no doubt that the internet has carved out some market share but most manufacturers will tell you we don't have anywhere near a majority of the market and likely never will. Just do well what you do and you will prosper. I mean that sincerely. I've toyed with the idea of opening a knife store on a nearby major U.S. highway but finally decided that I should follow my own advice which is do well what I do. I doubt I would do both things very well because the requirements are so different they are really different businesses that only share a product line in common.
 
I don't think B&M stores will become extinct. I am an internet dealer and can say that one distinct advantage that B&Ms have over us is the ability to get new designs long before we can. :mad: I recently ordered a Benchmade 805 and 806 from a B&M because I can't get them from my distributor yet. :( Customers that dont want to wait have to go through a B&M.
 
It seems like metro Atlanta would be a good place to open a real knife store. The population is now over 4.1 million, so one would think there should be enough knife nuts here to keep a store going. However, if there is one around here, I haven't been able to find it. There is one sporting goods store, Brigade Quartermasters, which has a large selection of knives, but no store which is strictly a knife store, unless one counts the Atlanta Cutlery / Museum Replicas peddler of India made junk.
 
I go to them to talk about knives with the owner. A new place just opened up near my house, It's called, Wilbur's Knife World. It is a pretty good place. They have Spyderco, Benchmade, Emerson, Kershaw, SOG, Boker, Browning, Camillus Becker fixed blades, K-bars, and various other brands. They also have some nice customs!

Sometimes I go there to handle a knife before I buy it online :D

Jeff
 
A good amount of the cutlery I' ve obtained are from internet sources. A good amount of them are from trades/ partial trades. It' s a good way to find new and old pieces, which ever suits your tastes.

When a friend, fellow club member, or a fellow employee asks for my advise on purchasing, I will take them to a B& M in the neighborhood. There they can actually handle a few pieces and see what suits their needs and wants. Many of them are not "into" knives per se. They simply need a knife for work or even to buy as a gift. So haggling or searching for the lowest price isn' t necessarily the determining factor in their final selection. When they do buy the knife of their choosing, the store owner is happy, the customer is happy and I get a good feeling from knowing that both are happy. :)

Nakano
 
One problem with internet shopping is that you can't always tell exactly what a knife is like from a picture. Awhile back I bought a custom sword which turned out to be much wider and heavier than I had deduced from the picture. If a knife is photographed without any reference points in the picture, one often cannot determine the actual size. For example, it is much easier to determine size of a knife if it is shown held in someone's hand, rather than being by itself on a plain surface.

If an internet ad does not give complete information, ask the seller to provide it. If the weight is not listed, ask. This way you can avoid unpleasant suprises.
 
I used to sometimes buy from a local hunting & fishing store. They have a pretty decent selection on production stuff. As my interests changed, I started dealing more with a bud who got into custom knives as a sideline at his shop here in town. When I was trading alot, it was nice to have Gary right here in town, with a variety of goodies you don't see in your average shop.We traded ALOT!!!:D He and I became good friends and I attend shows with him from time to time.

The Internet is great, I've made good friends here and some great deals, but there is alot to be said for that face-to-face interaction.

Just my opinion...
 
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