Academy Sports experience (Not good).

[blizzard]

So last night we were at the Kroger in West Knox. As we were leaving I told the wife lets cross over to Academy. We had the two boys with us. I am looking to but them a .22 to start shooting (9yrs and 12yrs). Go to the guns to look around. Two guys behind the counter. Both look to be in their early twenties. Not too busy. The first one comes to me "can I help you"? Told him I wanted to see the the youth bolt action. He points at it and says yea its a .22. I say I know I want to see it. He gets it out hands it to me. I put it in my youngest boys arms and he says he needs to keep it pointed behind the counter. Im like the counter is about 4' tall. Its will cause him to be pointing too high to get a feel. So I just turn him around to let him point down an empty isle. I hand it back to him ,he puts it up and walks off to another customer at the fishing reels. Didnt say anything. Im like hey,wasnt I looking at a gun? He asks do you want to buy it? I say I dont know Im still loooking. Theres two or three I want to look at. He just says well I'll be back down there when I get through with these people. By this time the other guy comes down there to see if there is anything he could help me with. I just told him no,I'm done. I'll just go somewhere else that wants to sell a gun. He just looks and apologizes. I told him not to that it wasnt his fault. The other guy never even looked back up there. Do they even train these guys before sticking them behind the counter? Do they even have any gun experience?

[Guest bkelm18]

Did you inform the manager of your experience?

[D3vo]

Bad on their part, but as for having your children point it down an empty isle I dont consider that a safe direction. Sure its empty until someone rounds the corner and if that person was me I would be thinking WTF.

[Murgatroy]

I was there yesterday afternoon as well. Was this the heavyset blonde kid?

I stood at the counter for a good twenty minutes waiting to get his attention, he even walked past my a few times while I was going "Hey, sir?"

All he wanted to do was show off the pistols. I was wanting to take a look at a Mossberg 464.

Some yuppie fellow was there looking at ARs with is girlfriend, I was impressed when the guy said "Would you please aim it over the counter at the wall, I don't think the other customers are happy with you pointing it at them." I was the customer and I was very vocal when I moved my wife and daughter out of the way and headed toward them.

When I was there the kid was the only cat behind the counter, so I cut him some slack. I prefer dealing with Steve, the shorter older gentleman who works there. I have been buying guns from him for years (he came from Gander Mountain and Dick's before that.)

I was sad with the service, but I was impressed with him directing the customers to aim behind the counter. Not to knock the OP, but what if someone had suddenly turned down the 'empty aisle?' I for one am very upset when someone aims a gun in my direction. Aiming up and over the counter is fine, folks have been shooting birds out of the sky for many years the same way. My five year old daughter has no issues aiming the same way getting a feel for a rifle.

[Mdunntn]

I was there yesterday afternoon as well. Was this the heavyset blonde kid?

I stood at the counter for a good twenty minutes waiting to get his attention, he even walked past my a few times while I was going "Hey, sir?"

All he wanted to do was show off the pistols. I was wanting to take a look at a Mossberg 464.

Some yuppie fellow was there looking at ARs with is girlfriend, I was impressed when the guy said "Would you please aim it over the counter at the wall, I don't think the other customers are happy with you pointing it at them." I was the customer and I was very vocal when I moved my wife and daughter out of the way and headed toward them.

When I was there the kid was the only cat behind the counter, so I cut him some slack. I prefer dealing with Steve, the shorter older gentleman who works there. I have been buying guns from him for years (he came from Gander Mountain and Dick's before that.)

I was sad with the service, but I was impressed with him directing the customers to aim behind the counter. Not to knock the OP, but what if someone had suddenly turned down the 'empty aisle?' I for one am very upset when someone aims a gun in my direction. Aiming up and over the counter is fine, folks have been shooting birds out of the sky for many years the same way. My five year old daughter has no issues aiming the same way getting a feel for a rifle.

Did he look blonde homosexual And pretty young? If so I know the Guy.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

[Caster]

Several years ago me and the wife was in Cool Springs one day and she decided she'd buy me a P90. I was wanting a Ruger in 45 pretty bad. I had just moved back home and was still in the habit of writing my old address. When I realized my mistake the guy would not let me fill out another paper stating something about how if my ID didn't match my address. So my wife said she wanted to buy it and he refused stating he knew it would be a straw purchase. I called the manager and proceeded in the most un-christian like fashion, to tell him off Clark Griswold style: Fat slimy bald headed limp ____ sack of monkey ____. Then left. Just to not be outdone, we came back the next weekend. Bought it from another attendant but I made sure to let the other guy know what I had done. That previous week I had called Academy Corporate and made a nice long formal, but civil complaint. I noticed about a month later when I went back he wasn't there. When I asked about the guy I was told he doesn't work here anymore. Dunno if I had anything to do with it, but I hope I did.

Other than that, I haven't had any issues with them. I do have to remind myself they don't play the same game I do, so I don't converse with them outside of please and thank you.

[Guest tommy62]

Thier house, thier rules. A weapon pointed in an unsafe direction is duh...pointed in an unsafe direction. Pointing a weapon in an unsahe direction is not good judgement.

Edited January 30, 2012 by tommy62

[Guest DeadEye]

The Clerk did the right thing when he walked away! Very Reckless and Stupid to point a Gun down an empty Isle! People do come around corners and how would you feel going around a corner and having a kid point a gun at you!

[Guest Miracle]

....I called the manager and proceeded in the most un-christian like fashion, to tell him off Clark Griswold style: Fat slimy bald headed limp ____ sack of monkey ____. Then left. Just to not be outdone, we came back the next weekend. Bought it from another attendant but I made sure to let the other guy know what I had done. That previous week I had called Academy Corporate and made a nice long formal, but civil complaint. I noticed about a month later when I went back he wasn't there. When I asked about the guy I was told he doesn't work here anymore. Dunno if I had anything to do with it, but I hope I did.

So wait... you were legitimately denied a gun purchase for something that was your fault for being inaccurate (an address), and then it's the counter guy's fault and you proceed to belittle him and possibly cost him his job? Good job... bet you feel so much better about yourself.

[Caster]

So wait... you were legitimately denied a gun purchase for something that was your fault for being inaccurate (an address), and then it's the counter guy's fault and you proceed to belittle him and possibly cost him his job? Good job... bet you feel so much better about yourself.

I caught the mistake, not him. I made a typographical error. If this is policy and this is "the rules" then they are crap. People make mistakes, people are creatures of habit. When I fill out a check with the wrong date, I tear it up and make out another. No difference here. Plus his attitude was crap. You will notice genuine gun stores are different. My wife has bought me guns for christmas and B/days. Is that a straw purchase. The store she shops at knew full well. Even helped her pick out a holster based on what they know of me. They understand the difference. This guy was an anally retentive power junkie type who used his "behind the counter" authority to make me look like an aßß. I had no issues with dealing it right back out.

[blizzard]

Well lets clarify. I say isle for a lack of a better word. If you have been there facing the gun case towards the left end there's a walkway going towards the back of the store. No customers. Still aiming up. Hindsight, should have probably taken a couple of steps back. Still I feel where I had him aiming was a safe direction. I would say that is their policy and that part was fine. Its the walking off and not coming back that i felt was rude. The nice guy was a heavy set guy with reddish hair and a scruffy beard. The other guy wasn't too tall and had real short hair. Like I said early twenties.

[gregintenn]

If you want it cheap, go to a big box store. If you want customer service, go to your local gun store.

[Guest bkelm18]

If you want customer service, go to your local gun store.

Go to a local store that is known for good customer service. Lord knows there are plenty out there that couldn't care less about the customer.

[Jonnin]

I am ok with the clerks at a place like that not knowing a lot about guns (some do not know much, some do, it varies at places like this). I prefer no-gun-experience to some gun store (and most gun show) guys, actually -- but that is another story (you know the ones I mean!). But no one should ever abandon you for another customer without extreme circumstances -- that is very bad form. Still, one bad clerk does not make the whole chain... hopefully he will not be there long ... esp if you report him to the manager...

[Guest gunnutt]

I had the same thing happen at cool springs,I walked up to the counter first and the salesman walked off to wait on a blond woman and left me standing there,I know im not good looking but my money is as good as hers!!!

[Guest bkelm18]

I had the same thing happen at cool springs,I walked up to the counter first and the salesman walked off to wait on a blond woman and left me standing there,I know im not good looking but my money is as good as hers!!!

You're probably not as nice to look at though.

[daddyo]

I have never gone to the firearms counter at Academy expecting any level of customer service. So, when I go there to look, I'm not disappointed.

I can also say the same about Bass Pro Shops.

[TNFF319]

So wait... you were legitimately denied a gun purchase for something that was your fault for being inaccurate (an address), and then it's the counter guy's fault and you proceed to belittle him and possibly cost him his job? Good job... bet you feel so much better about yourself.

Thats what I was thinking. The kid follows the law and you yell at him. I am glad I no longer work retail. Too many idiots

[M1_Garand]

I picked up a Maverick 88 there last Christmas and was pretty horrified by the gun handling skills of the younger workers. One of the clerks decided that the best way to clear a hand gun was to point the barrel at his own chest and rack the slide. When he told me he just bought his first gun the previous day, I made a friendly suggestion that he take a safety course and learn how to properly handle a gun before using it.

Otherwise, typical big box experience. Outside of the occasional sale, I don't see a reason to go back for a gun anytime soon.

[Il Duce]

wow i feel lucky with the service at the one in hixson

[Oh Shoot]

It's laughable to expect any expertise or courtesy behind the counter at a any big box store regarding anything they sell.

Be glad they mostly speak at least pidgin English and that Academy and Wal-Mart sell guns, and get out of the way when they point them at you.

- OS

[raydog1]

I have never gone to the firearms counter at Academy expecting any level of customer service. So, when I go there to look, I'm not disappointed.

I can also say the same about Bass Pro Shops.

Spot on. Have bought several guns from the Cool Springs location. I also believe they have some sort of of buyers vs browsers radar. Whenever I've gone there to browse, I'm usually ignored. But if I'm on a mission to buy something, I've been promptly assisted. How do they know?

[Guest nicemac]

RE"" …I put it in my youngest boys arms and he says he needs to keep it pointed behind the counter. Im like the counter is about 4' tall. Its will cause him to be pointing too high to get a feel. So I just turn him around to let him point down an empty isle. …"

You ignore his request (to keep the gun pointed behind the counter), then expect him to be at your beck and call?

Be comforted that on his FaceBook/Twitter page, he is probably complaining about you… "This guy comes in and tells his nine year-old to point a gun out into the store after I clearly told him to keep it pointed safely behind the counter…"

[daddyo]

I have a rule in my home: no peeing on the carpet.

This would be like someone bringing their child into my home and telling them "it's ok, dear, go ahead".

[JReedEsq]

I don't understand what's wrong with pointing it at the floor? Any gun I handle in a store I point at the floor. Even dry-firing at home I point downward. I guess I'm a stickler for that whole "safe direction" thing.