Your first time in a Brick and Mortar is always special

[Mr.SATism]

When traveling, I’ve visited BladeHQ and Plaza Cutlery (RIP). I could’ve stayed in those places for days.

You think they offer sleepover packages?

"May I see one of these?", the salesperson asked "Are you going to buy it?" I was taken aback, I couldn't believe he asked me that, and his tone of voice. He then proceeded to start opening the cabinet, still acting as if inconvenienced, and I said "forget it" as I turned and walked out.

Yeah... I might have been a #2, but that attitude should be saved for summer jobs at the carnival, not at a knife store...

I only buy from B&M stores. It's the safest way to avoid being the victim of inconsistent quality control. I don't mind paying a bit more if it means I can inspect the actual piece I'm buying before handing over the cash.

YUP, I looked at some benchmades in every store that I could, and other than a the axis lock not dropping, everything was great! (Blade centering was a little off, but not making out with the blade handle off)

 

[TRfromMT]

Only store I've been in is the Spyderco factory store. Great experience. I was met and helped by both Gail and Sal. That was surreal....

I think (and maybe I'm wrong) their pricing is a higher than their online dealer network. Possibly because they would never undercut their dealers. If you want to buy from the mother ship, it costs a little more.

Super helpful staff every time. The time I was helped by Gail I had a question about LC200N steel that she could not answer. So she went off and found their head engineer to help me. He didn't give the slightest hint that I may have been an interruption to his day. Again, it was surreal.

 

[Hotshot10]

@gpknives is about forty-five minutes from my house. I make two or three trips a year over there, though, and sometimes order online from them. I've always had good experiences.

 

[needler420]

A brick and mortar knife store is like a comic book store. They are going the way of blockbuster, circuit city, radio shack.
I buy most my new release comics online, not locally.

They don't get all inventory of everything new. They treat regulars like gold compared to new customers. And the biggest problem is their overhead to run a B&m store. Their prices are marked up to keep the lights on.

The only pro is you get to see the knife first in person. With the way the internet is though returns are easy.

I used to do dirty ways. I used to go to the B&M store to look at the knives I want, ask their cost, then go back and research them online.

That's the free market though. The owner of the B&M store doesn't care about you. Just their business. Why should you care about supporting local shops. Unless it actually does something to boost the economy to benefit you. Otherwise what benefits you is saving your money. It's how Wal-Mart and Amazon operate.

 

[22-rimfire]

A brick and mortar knife store is like a comic book store. They are going the way of blockbuster, circuit city, radio shack.
I buy most my new release comics online, not locally.

They don't get all inventory of everything new. They treat regulars like gold compared to new customers. And the biggest problem is their overhead to run a B&m store. Their prices are marked up to keep the lights on.

The only pro is you get to see the knife first in person. With the way the internet is though returns are easy.

I used to do dirty ways. I used to go to the B&M store to look at the knives I want, ask their cost, then go back and research them online.

That's the free market though. The owner of the B&M store doesn't care about you. Just their business. Why should you care about supporting local shops. Unless it actually does something to boost the economy to benefit you. Otherwise what benefits you is saving your money. It's how Wal-Mart and Amazon operate.

Other than the fact that you mentioned seeing the knife in person, I pretty much disagree with most of your post. There is some truth in what you say, but it it riddled with negativism toward the B&M store. Have you ever heard of the concept of service and valuing it? B&M stores cater to their regulars because they keep the lights on. They would be a fool not to cater to them. It seems that successful knife stores sell more than knives and do an online business. I recall one store I visited and the owner mentioned that he doesn't sell many slippies in the store other than SAKs, but he sells lots of them online.

Walmart has developed an online presence that is becoming successful. I think the big selling point other than price is that there is no shipping cost and you pick the item(s) up at one of their stores. Amazon can't match that. Walmart also allows grocery shopping online.... that's a concept that I can't quite do, but I am told that this service has been successful.

 

[22-rimfire]

Niche stores (B&M) are becoming more popular these days as the malls are declining. There is an ebb and flow to retail. I honestly hate to see some of the changes as stores like Sears and JC Penney struggle to survive. I would venture to say that Best Buy sells half of their stuff during the Christmas season and although I don't wander into the store often, I value the fact that it is available.

Added: I edited the post from "Circuit City" as in the back of my mind I was thinking they were gone and I was mistaken. I was thinking of Best Buy which has little relevance.

 

[GoPappy]

For me, knife purchases are to fill a specific need/want, so I would happily pay 15% - 20% extra to be able to handle and inspect the knife at a B&M before purchase.

I suppose if I was buying knives just for their looks, that extra premium might push me towards online stores just for the savings. But if I'm spending $200 on a knife that I intend to actually use, an extra $30 - $40 to be able to see, touch and feel it in person would be an acceptable trade-off. Heck, I can recoup that cost by bringing a sack lunch to work for a few days.

 

[GatorMedic]

A few months back I went to a well regarded B&M knife only shop that was near my parents place when I was visiting them. Their selection was great—ample selection of Benchmades, Spydercos, Chris Reeve, etc. Their customer service was not. As a female I almost always get completely overlooked or talked down to at any place that is culturally supposed to be only for male pursuits (guns, knives, cars/trucks). If I’m by myself then they ignore me or talk down to me as if I couldn’t possibly know anything. If I’m with a guy then they will try to only talk with him assuming he’s going to be buying/paying, not me. It is highly offensive. In the case of this knife store they completely ignored me. When a male customer came in they offered him help immediately. He asked how come knives were so expensive, the salesman snapped at him, the guy left, and then the two salesman loudly talked bad about the guy while I was still walking around. I went through the entire store for several minutes without either one saying a single word to me. When I got back near the front I asked one of them about if they were going to get a Mini Crooked River in stock and if so how long until they got one in. Both of them argued with me that no such knife existed. I informed them that yes it does exist and it was recently released a couple weeks ago. So yeah, have no plans to go back there.

 

[James Y]

A few months back I went to a well regarded B&M knife only shop that was near my parents place when I was visiting them. Their selection was great—ample selection of Benchmades, Spydercos, Chris Reeve, etc. Their customer service was not. As a female I almost always get completely overlooked or talked down to at any place that is culturally supposed to be only for male pursuits (guns, knives, cars/trucks). If I’m by myself then they ignore me or talk down to me as if I couldn’t possibly know anything. If I’m with a guy then they will try to only talk with him assuming he’s going to be buying/paying, not me. It is highly offensive. In the case of this knife store they completely ignored me. When a male customer came in they offered him help immediately. He asked how come knives were so expensive, the salesman snapped at him, the guy left, and then the two salesman loudly talked bad about the guy while I was still walking around. I went through the entire store for several minutes without either one saying a single word to me. When I got back near the front I asked one of them about if they were going to get a Mini Crooked River in stock and if so how long until they got one in. Both of them argued with me that no such knife existed. I informed them that yes it does exist and it was recently released a couple weeks ago. So yeah, have no plans to go back there.

Wow, that really sucks. People like that should not be be in jobs that deal with the public.

Years ago, when there still was a knife specialty shop in a big mall in my area (when I still went to malls), I politely asked the guy behind the counter reading a book (some short young guy, maybe 18-20 years old) if I could handle a particular knife behind the display glasss. That's what the displays were there for, and nobody else was in the shop. He sighed loudly and tiredly brought it out. He sat back down with his book. When I asked to see a second knife, he again sighed loudly and made no attempt to hide rolling his eyes. Then he said in a whiny tone, "Look, are you gonna buy anything or not?" I could tell he didn't know the first thing about knives (or sales), and was more interested in reading his book than selling knives. I glared at him a second, shook my head and turned and walked out, then called the shop's management and spoke to the owner, who was a woman. She apologized profusely and said she would be speaking to the employee who was working that day and time. Whether she ever did or not I don't know, because I never went back.

Jim

 

[USMCPOP]

... 'The Classic Edge'. ...

I live 6 miles from there. Though I haven't been in the store, I have seen them at the local gun shows. A buddy bought some pricey folder from them. My son may have bought an Opinel. I'll have to stop in next time I visit my friends who manage the Blue & Gray Self Storage that's one driveway over. I have been in the Knabe Outdoor Power Equipment store that is right in there with them. If Classic Edge doesn't have a big enough knife, Knabe's will sell you a Stihl chainsaw.

 

[22-rimfire]

If you work in retail, you must provide service unless all you do is run the cash register. That's why they're working there; SERVICE. It is a job. Service is what separates catalog/online stores from B&M (or it should) if they want to stay in business.

I suspect there is more going on than just service or lack there of. I suspect it is a generational thing about jobs in general.

If you visit the large knife store in Sevierville TN, the employees are generally very helpful, but sometimes you have to ask. They get busy and sometimes seem to ignore potential customers.

 

[BTacticalKnives]

A brick and mortar knife store is like a comic book store. They are going the way of blockbuster, circuit city, radio shack.
I buy most my new release comics online, not locally.

They don't get all inventory of everything new. They treat regulars like gold compared to new customers. And the biggest problem is their overhead to run a B&m store. Their prices are marked up to keep the lights on.

The only pro is you get to see the knife first in person. With the way the internet is though returns are easy.

I used to do dirty ways. I used to go to the B&M store to look at the knives I want, ask their cost, then go back and research them online.

That's the free market though. The owner of the B&M store doesn't care about you. Just their business. Why should you care about supporting local shops. Unless it actually does something to boost the economy to benefit you. Otherwise what benefits you is saving your money. It's how Wal-Mart and Amazon operate.

Sorry for your bad experience. With MAP on quality products, you would have a hard time finding cheaper online. Whitty has said 90% of his sales are online. The price he has to ask is the same for, but without the personal connection you get in

 

[PirateSeulb]

needler420 all I can say is your view is very narrow and misses so much of the whole picture.

I could comment on how how your examples don't really relate to your point other than Blockbuster but that was only one piece of the puzzle to their failure. I have not had my caffeine this morning and my eyes still don't really want to stay open so moving along.

@whitty thank you I guess it is just that one feels like a #2 when you go in just to drool and fondle knowing your wallet won't let you indulge.