Gander Outdoors – F Lake

Stopped into the new gander in forest lake this afternoon.

I’d have to say that there is a little to be desired as far as fishing gear goes but the marine supplies are outstanding. The staff was very helpful and seemed very excited to help people. I was able to find some odds and ends marine hardware that were difficult to find in a google search. Obviously the Overtons influence was heavy.

I only made it half way through the store before my wife found out I was there.

I’ll be going back for sure. The staff said that there was still a lot of gear coming in and that more and more rows of merchandise were going to be added. They get a in my opinion.

That’s the same opinion I had with the Lakeville store when I went there. I will for sure go back for marine stuff. Fishing stuff…ehhh…nothing too impressive.

So there turned there best fishing selection store into just a plain jane fishing store again. Good Job!!

Personally, you can get overpriced fishing crap anywhere. The marine supply stuff has a lot more value to me. It likely has a higher profit and will probably be more sustainable than the old gander mountain clothes store.

I heard the same. Hope to check it out soon.

Charles wrote:

So there turned there best fishing selection store into just a plain jane fishing store again. Good Job!!

They are growing it. It’s (for the most part) a brand new company. The Lakeville stores selection has grown since opening, I expect the same at all of their stores until they figure out a good system. It’s not like they will know right off the bat what is a hit to stock and what will be a dud. Let them learn, let them grow.

I’ve been pretty impressed with the new Gander store in Lakeville, I can only imagine Forest Lake will be the same. They’ve had a few specialty sinkers that FF didn’t when I was on the hunt, plus they had the line I was looking for that FF didn’t either. I will go to the new Gander long before going to Cabelas.

They get a big from me also.

I really hope this concept survives long enough to tune their stores to the Midwest market. They need to be really, really, really on top of the fishing and hunting game or they will spin into the sea in flames.

Overtons is well known in the south, but this ain’t Florida or Alabama. You can’t make it here year around no matter how good your boating selection is. You’re not going to sell many life vests and bilge pumps in January.

Grouse

Funny how Cabelas and Gander have flip flopped in the public’s eye.

I’m looking forward to the re-opening of the EP location. Plus a new super Scheels is supposedly going into the EP Mall next year where Sears was. Finally get some options in the SW metro, but as long as Fleet Farm is open don’t really NEED anything else

It’s kind of unintentionally going back to their roots. Back when Gander Mountain was the Holiday Sports, there was a lot more boating stuff. It has been frustrating that here in MN, where I believe we are second to Florida for number of boats per capita, that there are so few places to actually buy boating stuff. Besides Fleet Farm, there hasn’t been any place with a lot of boating stuff. Even though Cabela’s has a pretty good selection in their catalogs, they stock very little of it in store. That’s the one thing I’ve liked about the Bass Pro shops I’ve visited in the south. Tons of boating stuff and a larger fishing section than Cabela’s as well.

I’ll have to check out the new Gander soon.

Actually I thought the Gander F Lake fishing department was pretty good. I didn’t shop for rods or reels, but tackle wise pretty good. And FWIW, the Authentix plastics were cheaper than FF by 20 cents. They also had more jig selection, as FF hasn’t stocked up for Spring yet it seems. And agree about the boating / marine selection – good.

Either way, I’m glad to have another option close to home.

biggill wrote:

I’d have to say that there is a little to be desired as far as fishing gear goes but the marine supplies are outstanding. The staff was very helpful and seemed very excited to help people. I was able to find some odds and ends marine hardware that were difficult to find in a google search. Obviously the Overtons influence was heavy.

I agree completely, It wont be my first choice for fishing supplies, tackle, etc… but had an ok selection and a lot of great marine products that is a great resource when doing boat maintenance or projects on boats or trailers. Will be my first stop for my next boat project.

I wish the pre-gander Berger Bros. could have toughed it out. That was a great store. Maybe a bit pricier than others, but a great store and they had people in the know working the floors.

They held on OK with Holiday for a while. Even the early Gander weren’t all that bad. It’s when they went on their growth spurt that they forgot what got them there and they changed their identity. It happens anytime the bean counters replace the guys that built the place.

With new owner being openly anti-republican and going as far as to say stay out of my stores I don’t see myself ever going into one.

onestout wrote:

With new owner being openly anti-republican and going as far as to say stay out of my stores I don’t see myself ever going into one.

This again?

blank wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>onestout wrote:</div>
With new owner being openly anti-republican and going as far as to say stay out of my stores I don’t see myself ever going into one.

This again?

Haunting isn’t it…. I doubt 3 guys on IDO really flops in the “public eye” , the perception of Cabelas over Gander.

onestout wrote:

With new owner being openly anti-republican and going as far as to say stay out of my stores I don’t see myself ever going into one.

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I checked out the new Forest Lake store the other day.

I was disappointed that they don’t carry anything for the Great Lakes.

While I understand that the store is two hours away from Lake Superior, there are a lot of fisherman in the metro that go up there.

At least the old Gander had a fairly decent supply…..

Their boating selection will most certainly make area dealers like Hallberg’s step up their game.

B-man wrote:

I was disappointed that they don’t carry anything for the Great Lakes.

While I understand that the store is two hours away from Lake Superior, there are a lot of fisherman in the metro that go up there.

At least the old Gander had a fairly decent supply…..

I talked to an employee there about that and he said there is a lot of stuff on it’s way for trolling. I HIGHLY recommend talking to a manager about what you want to see there. They seemed really interested in hearing what I wanted to see.

Competition is only an asset for the angling community. I took advantage of the spend $25, get $25 free coupon that went around online early this Spring. I got my 8 crankbaits for $25 and can’t complain. That deal alone will get me into their store sometime.