Anyone visit Grizzly stores in person?

[Scott Shepherd]

I went to pick up something from the Pennsylvania Grizzly store this past weekend and I expected to find a huge store with loads of woodworkers in there. What I found? A huge store with no one there. There were so few cars in the parking lot, we thought they were closed. Saturday afternoon too. I think it was 3-4 cars in the parking lot. Went it, huge store, about 3 other people in the store the entire time we were there.

There are more people in the local woodcrafters store on a Tuesday at lunch time than in that place on a Saturday.

I just didn't expect it, is that normal for those type stores?

[Stuart Gardner]

I went to the Springfield Store about 10 years ago and it was pretty busy. We're planning a trip to PA in three years and I'm going to make a stop at Grizzly part of the trip. Other than empty, how is the store? Did you like it? Did you buy anything?

[Gary McKown]

IMO part of the problem is location, Muncy being a fur piece even from SE PA. And another reason may be the season - lots of folks on vacation just before school starts, or else are spending this time and available $ shopping for same.

I was up to Muncy a couple years ago, during mid-week, and the store wasn't overrun but there must have been 20-25 folks in there. I haven't managed to get to one of their Tent sales, but I hear they are well-attended.

I guess shipping accounts for most of their sales. I have bought machines both ways, and freight is a bargain compared to the mileage and most of a day invested in the trip. But it sure is neat to look out over that sea of green machines and check them out at close range - everyone should do it once at least.

[Scott Shepherd]

Yes Stuart, it was a very nice store. Many things displayed. I'd not been to one, so it was a little confusing, as you can't just walk up and put things in your cart, for the most part. Everything is labeled with part numbers and pricing and you go get an order sheet, walk around the store and fill out the sheet, then you go pay for it, they key it all in and pick it from the warehouses. There are many things you can put in the basket, like hammers, hand tools, sandpaper, etc.

I did buy some things. Went there to buy a dust collector, so we got that, and a hand full of other small things. One thing that I saw a LOT was "Out of Stock" tags on a LOT of items. We would have bought more, but many of things we looked at were out of stock.

We also paid with a debit card, and a couple of items were backordered, coming in within the week. We paid for them, then ran the rest of the order and it declined the transaction. So the cheap stuff got paid for, the expensive stuff didn't go through. We specifically asked if they could put it all together and they said they could not.

So, we had to use a credit card. Just as she finishes that transaction, the bank calls us, wants to know what's going on, someone tried to make 2 transactions very close together and a fraud alert stopped the second one. Now that we know it's really you doing it, we can approve it.

Gee thanks, too late, you just left me hanging and I had to do something on the spot!

[Josh Reet]

I went to pick up something from the Pennsylvania Grizzly store this past weekend and I expected to find a huge store with loads of woodworkers in there. What I found? A huge store with no one there. There were so few cars in the parking lot, we thought they were closed. Saturday afternoon too. I think it was 3-4 cars in the parking lot. Went it, huge store, about 3 other people in the store the entire time we were there.


That's pretty standard for the b-ham store as well. I think there's just a few of us locals who use the place like a hardware store. I would wager that a huge percentage of their business is mail order. And even for the walk up business, I bet a huge percentage of THAT is just people making a once or twice a year trip to make a major purchase.

And to be honest, while some of grizzly's minor stuff is a good deal (sandpaper, bits, etc), a lot of it is not. The Griz brand power tools for example. You can get better tools for not much more money at the BORG's or you can get the same quality for much cheaper at Harbor Freight.

But FWIW, I buy stuff at Griz whenever I can, then again, I live literally 30 seconds from the place. But more than that, I like the people who work there (they always make the effort to ask about my kids) and am happy to support a local business that "done got big".

[Dave Wagner]

I hit the same store in Muncy, PA on a sat. morning last June, and same thing, only a few people, maybe 5-6 wandering around. Wasn't that busy. Only bought a couple things.....

[Erik Stol]

Scott, I just visited a few weeks ago the Grizzly store at Bellingham to buy some stuff. Lunch hour but still some 5 people in the store. Maybe not a lot, but it was holiday time, for me as well. And for me in person, this store was a kind of a walhalla, for the reason that we do not have such well equipped stores over here in The Netherlands.

Erik

[Dave Lehnert]

I live literally 30 seconds from the place..

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb114/shiznit45/bill-murray-you-suck.jpg

[David Helm]

Well, I'm not as close as Josh, but when traffic is heavy it takes me 10 minutes to get there. I usually stop in at least once a week. And yes, the guys that work in the store are very nice and care about what they are doing.

[Steven Hsieh]

It seems now days in this economy people will purchase more online than walking in.

[Scott T Smith]

I've been to both the Springfield and Muncy stores - a couple of times each; Springfield during the week and Muncy on a Saturday.

In both instances, there were probably 20 - 30 people shopping in the store at any given time.

[Bill Geyer]

Your experience is not at all unusual.
I live 10 minutes from the Muncy store and I visit regularly - it's convenient to pick up odds and ends. It's rarely crowded, but if you ask for assistance it's readily available.
The real business seems to happen behind the scenes on the phones and in the shipping department.
if you're just looking for big bargains, you may not find them, however over the last 20 years i've found a pretty reliable source of decent machinery.
You get what you pay for....

[Christopher Stahl]

I'm a little over an hour away from Muncy. I find it's more busy during the week than the weekends. I also think their showrooms are there just there so locals can pick up equipment. Their business is mail order. Plus, some people like to go and see all the equipment.

[Matt Armstrong]

I went to the Bellingham store. I wanted to buy a whole bunch of crap when I was there, but I didn't get an exceptionally different idea of the products over what I had already determined online. In short, it's not really necessary.

[Clint Olver]

I live in London ON Canada, and made the trip down to Muncy to buy a cabinet saw back before Grizzly shipped to Canada. I spent two hours there looking at everything and snapping pictures. If you love tools, it's worth seeing. The guy who helped me out was very friendly and knowledgeable. But, you'll notice from the pictures, I was alone with the staff most of the time. Oddly enough, they have something like 30 check- out counters, so it must be busy sometimes!

C

[Curt Harms]

I'm a little over an hour away from Muncy. I find it's more busy during the week than the weekends. I also think their showrooms are there just there so locals can pick up equipment. Their business is mail order. Plus, some people like to go and see all the equipment.

That seems like the best reason for a personal visit. A lot of people won't consider Grizzly because they can't see before they buy. Their models don't change dramatically that often so a machine that I looked at 2 years ago probably hasn't changed much. I may not be ready to buy now but when I am ready to buy, I have a very good idea what to expect having done the touchy-feely not too long ago. The machines I've bought from Grizzly I picked up to eliminate the shipping cost & damage risk and it isn't too far for me.

[Van Huskey]

I have never been when there was more then 3-4 other shoppers in a Grizzly besides me. In fact I usually feel strange like I am in the store 5 minutes before it is closing even though its 2 pm. I do enjoy looking at all the machines and poking and prodding them.

[Rod Sheridan]

Nice photographs Clint, thanks for posting them.

Have you been to Federated Tools in London? They sell machinery from the usual suspects including General and Mini Max.

Regards, Rod.

[Phillip Ngan]

The Bellingham store is usually quiet when I call in. Then again, the place is so big that even with 30 people in the store it would still look empty. I think this store gets a fair number of Canadians visiting, being located 30 mins from the US-Canada border.

[Scott Shepherd]

Yup, that's the place Clint! 14 cashier booths and 3 people in the store, 1 cashier open on a Saturday :)

I can say that it was a beautiful drive, all up along the river for so long. Stopped about 45 minutes from there and ate at a barbeque place on top of the hill that overlooked the river. That was good too :)

The staff was very helpful and not bothersome at all. I think we asked everyone that works there something at some point in the time we were there. We even got help getting a small bracket ordered for an older piece of equipment. Very nice people, very nice store.

I'd go back again, but man, that was a long ride. Did it and back in a day.

I do wish that they didn't have so many "Out of Stock" cards on their products. We would have bought more if they had more in stock.

[David Helm]

The Bellingham store is usually quiet when I call in. Then again, the place is so big that even with 30 people in the store it would still look empty. I think this store gets a fair number of Canadians visiting, being located 30 mins from the US-Canada border.

What Phillip said. I just stopped in this morning. They greet me by name and always go out of their way to help.

[Steve Milito]

What Phillip said. I just stopped in this morning. They greet me by name and always go out of their way to help.
I've been to Muncy on a few occasions and it is mostly empty. Tent sales are another thing. People start waiting in line the day before the sale, and by the time the gate opens it's madness.