Grizzly Store in Springfield visit

[Christopher Herzog]

Always wanted to stop in and had the opportunity today. They were not stocked very well and the place was not in much of an organized manner. Assuming covid and some renovations have them off their game. It is about 5 1/2 to 6 hours each way and I will really need something to ever go back. Might have been interested in a 20" planer but no one even asked if we needed help and I just let it go.

Sorry for the less than upbeat post but thought I would share the experience. If you are going, call ahead and get an idea if it's worth it.

Chris

[julian abram]

I visited the Springfield store last year, it was packed wall to wall rows of machinery, both metal and woodworking. Probably the virus situation has played some havoc on manufacturing, shipping and inventory. Virus thing has affected many industries. I have started a garage addition unaware of recent lumber prices. I used to pay about $8/sheet for 1/2" osb, $36/sheet today at HD. Crazy times.

[Micah Puscheck]

If you look at their inventory online you'll see almost every popular planer and table saw is out of stock. Wouldn't really make sense to carry any physically.

[Ronald Blue]

Always wanted to stop in and had the opportunity today. They were not stocked very well and the place was not in much of an organized manner. Assuming covid and some renovations have them off their game. It is about 5 1/2 to 6 hours each way and I will really need something to ever go back. Might have been interested in a 20" planer but no one even asked if we needed help and I just let it go.

Sorry for the less than upbeat post but thought I would share the experience. If you are going, call ahead and get an idea if it's worth it.

Chris

They are under renovation. They were in November last year anyway. I've been there many times and found it well organized. Things were moved around but not a disaster when I was last there. Remodeling can obviously cause disorganization. They get many many people browsing that never buy. There is always someone at the parts windows and they can certainly get you help as well as someone usually being at the counter in the back corner. There are people in there to assist as needed. I've never had a problem getting assistance if needed. So your upset they weren't hounding you to buy something? I like being able to wander peacefully. One person there is actually from our area but has lived in that area for close to 40 years.
My experience has been like Julians. They usually don't sell their display models. They have a tag on them saying "Temporarily Out of Stock". Did you want someone following you everywhere you went? That would bother me far more than having to ask for assistance.

[Ken Howell]

I live in Nixa about 10 minutes from the Springfield Grizzly. I was just there last Saturday picking up my 1023RL. I go there there every other month or so. I didn't really see anything different than usual. Ronald is right in that they don't hassle you there. If I need to ask a question there were readily available guys on the floors who would help out and they're pretty knowledgeable.

[Dwayne Watt]

The Grizzly store has always been a bit different. It is a catalog showroom not a regular retail sales store. You can touch the merchandise but there is limited sales staff. They are there but seldom will they chase you down. You go to a checkout window to order/pay and then pickup at the warehouse or pickup window depending on item size. Only a few handtools and miscellaneous items are setup to be picked up and purchased like a normal retail outlet.
These days with so many items low stock, it would be wise to check the inventory availability online before heading out.

One of the more interesting areas is the scratch/dent/returned merchandise corner. These machines are physically for sale. Some items have no apparent damage, minor paint scratches, or were repaired. Pricing can be very good (or not) but inventory is hit or miss. They do not publish this information, so it is mostly an impulse buy situation.

[Ken Howell]

You are so right. I always buy it online then pick up there. That way I know if they have it or not.

[Alex Zeller]

I wonder how often they put a tool on the showroom floor only to turn around and remove it because they sold everyone they had on the warehouse and need to box it back up so they can ship it out.

[Robert Hayward]

I used to pay about $8/sheet for 1/2" osb, $36/sheet today at HD. Crazy times.

Somewhat same scenario here. Did you look at 7/16" RTD CDX ply? $50.00 a sheet here at HD.

[Ronald Blue]

I wonder how often they put a tool on the showroom floor only to turn around and remove it because they sold everyone they had on the warehouse and need to box it back up so they can ship it out.

As I stated earlier they don't sell the showroom models. If it's discontinued yes, otherwise they would not have a display model for you to see.

[Ronald Blue]

The Grizzly store has always been a bit different. It is a catalog showroom not a regular retail sales store. You can touch the merchandise but there is limited sales staff. They are there but seldom will they chase you down. You go to a checkout window to order/pay and then pickup at the warehouse or pickup window depending on item size. Only a few handtools and miscellaneous items are setup to be picked up and purchased like a normal retail outlet.
These days with so many items low stock, it would be wise to check the inventory availability online before heading out.

One of the more interesting areas is the scratch/dent/returned merchandise corner. These machines are physically for sale. Some items have no apparent damage, minor paint scratches, or were repaired. Pricing can be very good (or not) but inventory is hit or miss. They do not publish this information, so it is mostly an impulse buy situation.

They actually had a fairly large inventory in the scratch and dent/returned merchandise area last time I was there. However instead of being in the normal room in the southwest part of the building they were using an area in the actual warehouse part. I wasn't in my truck so the impulse passed.....

[Rod Wolfy]

I've been to the one in Bellingham several times. I was there a year ago to look at 21" bandsaws. I had to go find someone to talk with. When I looked over the saw inventory, I found some with a manufacturing date as far back as 2012. I asked the employee about it. He said that they don't switch out their inventory for newer year models, unless there is a drastic change. When I pointed out a damaged item on one, he said that he would have the machine put in the scratch & dent and it would get sold at a discount in about three months, if I was interested. There were several newer models that were not even in stock, partly due to import restrictions.

[Alex LaZella]

I had the same experience as the OP two months ago. I drove quite a ways thinking I would get to see and touch the sliding table saws to help make up my mind and found nothing. A cramped area jammed with tools in no rhyme or reason and then vast areas that were under construction with neither the slider or the sanders I was hoping to see in stock. There is also a difference between being "hounded" and nobody even offering help at all. I wasn't greeted or asked if I needed help. I wouldn't go back.