Gun Shop - 1960
I began working at Baron's Sporting Goods, Duboistown, Pa. They called him Baron after Baron Von Munchausen, the German folk lore story teller. He was a WWII vet, artillery in Germany. lost most of his hearing. He was like a father to me. It was a small store but we sold fishing and hunting gear. He was a Weatherby agent too. People came from miles around to buy and visit. He was very well liked and had a great reputation as a gun smith. Friday nights were the best. The usual locals gathered and we all reminisced about big bucks and fish that got away. He had a pet racoon that had the run of the store. He loved us kids, Jake & I had our box of .22 shells that we would buy at a penny and a half apiece until the box was empty. He "sold" Jake a '93 Marlin 30-30 for $30.00 because it was "not a Winchester and taking up space on the gun rack". I worked Friday nights and all day Saturday until I joined the Navy in April of 1964. He had a cabin at Seneca Lake in N.Y. and would spend the weekend fishing. "Hey Zack, I brought you a nice laker for supper." He retired in '78 and moved to Florida where he passed in '88. I am still in contact with his daughter in law and grandson. He was one of the men who made me what and who I am today.
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Great story
May he RIP
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I used to hang out with a WWI vet known locally for custom made stocks. He sold me the first gun I ever bought. Later I worked for a veteran of Korea who sold guns in his shoe repair shop.
Thanks for reminding me of those times.
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Great story… Thanks for sharing it
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Great story. I miss the old local shops, guns, hardware, barber
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I can recall, in the mid-1960's, wandering around Mashburn Arms in OKC..….looking at fishing stuff.
In the mid-1970's, after college, I was back in the store, buying one of my first rifles......a Savage-Anschutz Model 164M.
I sure miss the old hardware/gunshop "aroma".........and cruising the gun racks..…while shuffling my shoes along the old wooden floors.........😌
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Good story. Need more like that.
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Never hurts to have a mentor.
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I did my time in a little used gun shop in West Homestead Pa. Owner was a boilermaker by trade. Was only open in the evening's an Saturday. If he was working over I would open up with a friend. Shop was no real big 3 or 4 people at the counter was over full. Really got my start on the old stuff there.
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Late 50's, Donaldson's Department Store on 7th & Nicollet - the busiest intersection in Downtown Minneapolis. Custom gun shop on the second floor, I remember lusting over the big bore Winchester lever guns on the rack. Uff Da.
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Great story Eddie, thanks for sharing. Places/folks like that are etched in one's soul and that's a good thing.
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Back then they didn't turn the price tags around so you couldn't see the price (my pet peeve), now most all turn the tags so you have to ask what the price is & it seems they all get attitudes when asking. Different times & people for sure and I miss'em.
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