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Yes, retail in general has a high turnover. PSA retail turnover has been below the industry norm.

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now i said the person walked out a week ago. I didnt say why, i didnt say exact dates, nor did i say really anything negative of that mgr.  I know you know/ knew alot of the folks, as you used to work there high up, but as i stated, alot of folks (3 is a lot in a store that size) being let go. not including that guy who walked out.  thats top end mgmt, maybe i got a position or two wrong, maybe i didnt.  I never disliked him, and only wish him the best.  the only bad interaction i ever had with him was giving me bad advice about just doing a face to face arms deal with a guy out of state. From what i understood he was military and retired, thus the comments on not needing the job. I agree with the issues of the top of the psa chain and have said so for years.  Although i have a TON of respect for them at teh same time, i think they should stick to what they're best at and let true corporate helmsmen and women run the show from that angle.  I hate that it appeared that i was writing an attack on the mgr who walked otu, as it wasnt.  i never said those folks were the basis of the problems, Im stating they werent helping. for whatever reasons may be.  The passion comment was self observation. i dont view these folks as being passionate about retail. I didnt see this store after a full restaging be stocked with quality products that have been needed in the store for years, instead i see multiple pegs of the same items on new hangers.  thats not just the store fault, its mgmt, and wearehouse, and whoevers cockblockign the store from getting whatever it needs. I never said they wernt good people, I feel for them, ive been unemployed before, i know how it is. i've done retail.  And who says i have a source at all? alot can be gleaned just from standing in store you know.



i know this is some of the issue.  I know that if a company plans a re-staging of the store months in advance, they can plan to hold stock months in adavnce. they did so with summeville i saw the pallets upon pallets when jamin walked me  around them saying this entire half is for summerville.  it isnt just the store that has the issue with stock, thats known, but not getting the stock to be there when you re-stage a full store is only half assing it at best.  I know of the black hole warehouse as ive been there too, at dunbar as well as the old farrow, seen both.  its amazing they get stuff to folks at times in my mind at all.  I'm surprised the entire shebang hasnt been outsorced to  a company who knows logistics yet.  its like they like to think they know how to reimagine the wheel for fun.




ive seen the terrible decisions just on how they rented the farrow store before having a new place up for them only to rent another space and make a store temporarily instead.  its pissing money away.  theres a lot of good at fern, and fern could be great again if they'd stock it with both good folks and equipment / items for sale.  i love the new look and many of the crew left are great folks. but when i cant come in and find a simple PSA branded gas block or 7" barrel as the entire barrel rack is damn near empty, theres a problem.  I dont want to imagine whats going on in the retail deviision anymore than i do as i do now, as i dont want to work in retail. Ive been there, done that spent 20 years getting an education hoping i dont have to do that agian.  If what i speculate from the outside is not whats going on on the inside how big a shitshow is it in the inside?  



again, with the source.  who says i have one, two , 10, or just stand in the store looking at items watching people come out crying.. who knows.  perhaps retail isnt a career they should be in knowing that fact.  God knows i didnt want to live in that environment so i quit.  Granted runnign dollar stores, c-stores, and auto parts stores is a little different than running a gun store.



i wish i knew which source you were talkign about. perhaps if you gave me a name i'd tell them to contact you if this source of mine has an arfcom, as i cant really even remember yours now, other than you were once high up at psa. Look man, you know i love PSA as its my home team, the local boys the palmetto team and i am if nothing more a giant patriot of the palmetto state and want nothing more thanfor it to succed and have the best stores and biggest chains possible, but it really seems like its confusing as to what it wants to do, be and how to get there. their website has 80% of shit out of stock, and when its in stock it may have multiple adds for different prices for the same items, and when you find items you cant find them in stores, and when you do they dont have the right prices on them... and etc etc.etc.  

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I take it the "temp" location still does not have a biz license?

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Temp location was up and running on Friday. They’re calling it the magnolia location. Pretty small store, but they did have your typical Farrow rd. Selection, lots of stripped lowers, build kits, etc. no NFA stuff though. They were running 149.99 uppers too, didn’t see anything that tickled my fancy, but plenty of folks were snatching them up like candy.

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Since LAST FRIDAY???!!!!!

I might try to make it tomorrow.  

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There was only one person from the Fernandina store that left and that was the Store Manager and he resigned for his own reasons. The other three people DID NOT work at the Fernandina store. They DID NOT work in any store in particular. I'm not going to play this cloak and dagger BS. We both know who your sources are. I know two for a fact (one knows how to get ahold of me and the other could find out how VERY easily) and one doesn't even work in retail so his information (or any information he may bring home and it makes its way to you) is from the outside looking in. That said, both of these sources are limited in what they know because of their pay grade, if you will. Regardless, it's both irresponsible and disrespectful of you to spread inaccurate information, incorrect information and/or half truths. People I care about lost their jobs and still other people I care about are without leadership and/or answers and their every day is now filled with uncertainty so this is no time to audition for TMZ by "breaking a story." All your doing is proliferating BS. As far as your "shit show" comment, any good leader knows (or should know) your people are reflections of your leaders. Padding your bank account should be the result of properly formatted and properly executed plans and goals. It should never be the lone goal itself. I'll leave it at that.

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Yeah, people's desire to avoid the disastrous traffic in that part of town is my biggest concern for that store (and the new one when it opens).

Everything about the store will be fine as long as the corporate brain trust's philosophy of "if it ain't broke, break it" doesn't get in JD's (and his team) way and keeps them from doing what they know how to do.

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i agree. and that is one thing why i can see that they dontopt for a location near sandhills.  However i think sales would be better if they did.  or at least closer to I77.

I have found the easiest way to get there with the least amount of traffic issues is straight up 77, get off on hard scrabble Killian Road Exit and go till you hit the Magnolia Pointe Shopping center at the clemson intersection.

2 lanes each direction that way.  

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FIFY. There is no direct access to Hardscrabble Road from the interstate.

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as i was out of the us mainland for a couple weeks i havent been on here and a lot has happened with the new Farrow aka Magnolia as its opened.  Its a beautiful mini-store and i  hope and pray for the new store to be built soon as i like its possibilities.  I do wonder about the location.  I wonder why it wasnt closer to sandhills.  I would think more business could be picked up if it were at sandhills, or closer to I77 in all of that empty land that the new "mall" was supposed to go in years ago.

As for fern.  Splitting hairs really.  I dont like, as i mentioned before, anyone to loose their job.  I do personally think that cleaning house was needed.  I have nothing against the old manager, or any of his team, like i said my only beef i had with him was his bad advice on an inter-state gun sale i asked him about.  Luckily i got better advice and did the paperwork through farrow.  LoL at cloak and dagger. You started that with me back when you were a company man. But i digress... lets move on. its a tragedy that they lost their jobs, hopefully it helps fernandina move to a better place for  the store it is size and personnel wise thus boosting sales to high heaven.   We do agree again upon the reflections of the leaders, and by that we both are talking about outside the stores being Upper managment at the company and conglomerate of JJE.

You must remember i am a PSA Cheerleader at heart. I love anything Palmetto State, and that includes Jamin's Palmetto State Armory gun company.

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During our visit to the Magnolia store earlier this afternoon we went over to the old Piggy Wiggly and took a look through the windows (without licking them) to see what sort of progress had been made inside.

Really didn't see anything to suggest any sort of work is going on am I mistaken?

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Here's a website which gives you an overview of the property which is a lot larger than in Summerville:

http://columbiaclosings.com/wordpress/?tag=magnolia-pointe

And unlike Summerville the property is not empty. About 50% of the storefronts are still occupied. It's a once nice but now seedy-looking large shopping center with partial occupancy by businesses that generally serve and attract low-income customers. It's in an area with extreme traffic congestion located away from direct access from the interstate.

As it is the new temp store works but it would work just about anywhere. There are hundreds of vacant storefront properties on the North-Northeast end of Columbia where such a store would generate foot traffic. That, and the overhead is small compared to a superstore.

To be frank, I am having trouble understanding why PSA finds this property attractive for anything more than what's there now.

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Again we'll disagree. I can see that my attempt to diffuse the thread /post above failed.  You dont know all the people i talk to, you dont know who if any folks are my "sources"  You used to be one if you recall back when you used to work there.. again *used to work there*  As for my insight, some is self deduced, some is told directly, some is common sense and public domain.  I'd have to say you're too close to the folks to see the problems from a customers standpoint versus from a friends stand point.

If Chet is back at fern, good for him.  Like i said, the only issue i had with him is the bad advice he gave me about selling a rifle to someone out of state. basic information that most gun store managers should have been able to tell me the right thing to do.  He coulda wound me up in a lot of legal issues if i had listened to him and it went south.  Luckily i didnt feel comfortable with his advice, so i called another store and got alternate advice, and help.

I say what i want to because its america, im a fan of anything South Carolina and because i can.   Bottom line is archer maybe you do more damage than you help? for a long time your attitude has been less than positive on the forums.  I find your steer clear statement oddly ironic, as the same could be said about you since you are no longer employed there.  but i digress.

we can agree here, perhaps thats what chet was doing in his personal life, when he quit and came back since you say he's back now.

im not sure what youre getting at about the less than noble motives, however i think that youre statement is meant to do nothing but stir the pot.  I am  a supporter of PSA, always have been, and for now always will be, although upper management did have a conflict with me once that almost made me walk away.  This is a discussion forum, i discuss things.  maybe im right, maybe im wrong, maybe folks listen to me, maybe they dont, doesnt really matter. I'm here for fun, love of the hobby, and discussion of my favorite products/stores/companies in the industry.  I expect people do the same.  If PSA wants to fix rumors about products, stores, or personell thats up to them to do on their time, and theyre welcome to do it.  Id imagine they have a marketing director, and hopefully a social network director to assist with these media based situations.

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It's your story, GCO, so you can tell it anyway you want to. Be warned though. I am the kind of person that likes to say "I told you so." It'll be clear when that time comes. Fanboy on, my good man.

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I'd like to see the Magnolia location start stocking some Strike Industries products if nothing more than their charging handles and dust covers.

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that would mean that PSA would have to run a truck to stock them though.  smh...

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I stopped by Magnolia (again) during rush hour traffic last week.  It took me longer to get out of the shopping center than I spent in the store.  It's no wonder that center is dying since everyone learns quickly to only shop there during off hours.   All they need is a traffic light at the hardscrabble entrance/exit.

I asked store guy about upcoming sales on lowers or LPK's.  He said to just watch the webpage.  Came here to the EE and ordered a LPK from Pete @ Legal Transfers then I checked the PSA website.  Dammit!  They had just put up a LPK with MOE stock and grip for $99 I HAD to order.   So now with a spare LPK, I'm going to be forced to buy another lower.

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The place with the sign out front that says something like "Our Pho is best Phoo!"  

Stopped in to try and get one of the $39 lowers.  Counter guy said he would honor net price if he had any. He sold out in two hours last Wednesday. Called main store to get a couple more cases Wednesday and nothing from them yet.  See, they're even slow with their own stores.

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I hope upper management has an epiphany and finds a better location as this one is difficult to navigate in and out of and has no presence from the road (if they go ahead with rumored plans at that location I don't see them single handily revitalizing that shopping center.... range or not).  Not trying to piss in someone's cornflakes but I think PSA/JJE's investment of resources and time would be better served on a more viable location that would yield a better return in the long run for everybody.

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Agreed. Why would they want to be a landlord for the other businesses in that shopping center?

Last time I was there was around 3:00 in the pm. Making that left turn out of the shopping center and onto Hardscrabble Road was an unnerving experience.

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last i heard they were negotiating the buy/lease of the building.

I'm happy with the transfer to fernandina, im happy for jd, and hope they pay him more than chetters was making, as in my opinion he deserves it with his knowledge and proven commitment to customer service in my opinion. Besides, he has such a kick ass beard.

Since JD is now taking over Fern, I dont suppose the fudds will be fudds much longer. Education and proper customer service will take the forefront, and i think we're in for a good transformation.  Now pull Casey out of Archery range and give him a proper management position, and Fern is rockin its way to awesome sauce.

All that to say, I dont want Magnolia to be an after thought.  I absolutely love most of the Magnolia staff, as they are top notch folks as well.  I do hope that PSA continues to persue a location for a range on the NE side, even if its not in the existing magnolia location shopping center. A nice new range up on the N.E. Side of town owned by PSA would be a great thing for everyone.

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JD's a good man and I'm glad Jamin is putting him in charge at Fernandina even if it means I have to drive 20 miles farther to do business with him.

I have seen many store managers come and go at Farrow over the years... there is a reason JD has served the longest and is still rocking.

He has his work cut out for him restoring customer service at Fernandina but I have no doubt he will do it; nobody does a better job at making their customers feel like family than JD.

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Casey hasn't worked on the archery range for quite some time. He's been working as part of the range (firearms) crew. That said, when he was part of the store staff (store staff is separate from range staff) and working in the archery department, he held a Management/Lead position. Sometimes excelling in a management/lead role is a matter of timing and it didn't work for Casey at that time. Maybe things will be different this time if JD so chooses to make that move with Casey. Sadly, the success of the Fernandina store (or any PSA retail store for that matter) won't rest solely on the shoulders of JD (or each store's respective store manager). They will need the support of whoever is running the Retail Division now and the company as a whole. It takes considerably more money and effort to make a dollar in a retail environment versus an e-commerce environment. Each respective environment also requires a different business mentality/acumen. I have spoken with JD and congratulated him on his promotion. He's well aware of the challenges that are ahead of him and I have no doubt he and his team will meet those challenges head on.

Also, the former Store Manager's name is Chet, not "chetters." Don't say anything about him we all know you wouldn't say to him.

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How is JD going to run his hair extension shop from Fernandina?

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Encountered quite a few fudds at both shops recently, they were more interested in fingering the merch. vs helping customers