My Local Waldenbooks Doesn't Carry Gun Magazines

[TheBluesMan]

No, not *that* kind of magazine, the paper kind...

Last week, I stopped at the local mall's Waldenbooks store. I went in to browse the firearms related magazines. (aka gunrags) I saw Playboy, Penthouse, High Times, Advocate, Tattoo and other interesting titles, but not one gun magazine. I asked the sales clerk where I could find Guns & Ammo. She replied that they didn't carry it. I inquired about firearms related magazines in general and learned from her that Walden's hasn't carried any gun magazines since she had worked there. Interesting eh?

I decided to find out why, so I emailed Waldenbooks' customer service department. It took them more than a week to get back to me. Of course I sent this email every single day to be sure they couldn't ignore me.

Here is my letter and their response:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>To: waldenstoresccare@bordersgroupinc.com
From: David Miller <david-j-miller@usa.net>
Date: March 23, 2000
Re: Magazine Selection

Hello,

I was in a Walden Books store today at Summit Mall in Akron, Ohio. I went in to find the latest issue of Guns & Ammo. When I did not see it, I asked the sales clerk if they carried the magazine. She responded that they did not carry any firearms related magazines for as long as she had worked there. I thanked her for her assistance and left the store.

Could you please tell me what Walden's policy is on which magazine titles your stores carry?

Is it up to each individual store owner/manager, or are your stores all "company run" under a set policy?

Thank you,

David Miller

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To: David Miller <david-j-miller@usa.net>
From: waldenstoresccare@bordersgroupinc.com
Date: March 30, 2000
Re: Waldenbooks Magazine Selection

Dear Mr. Miller:

Thank you for bringing your experience with our Summit Mall store to our attention. I apologize for the delayed nature of our response to you.

We believe that quality customer service is of utmost importance, and appreciate knowing when we are not living up to our customers' expectations so that we may review the situation.

In relation to your question regarding Gun magazines, we do not have a corporate policy against selling gun magazines. In fact, we sell thousands (if not millions) nationwide. We have a selection of magazine "core" titles that are carried in all of our stores, and several other titles that stores may order. It appears that there may not have been sufficient demand in this particular store to warrant carrying gun magazines. Our stores do have the ability to try ordering a magazine, at least on a test-basis. I would encourage you to contact the store manager, Maureen. The store should be able to order Guns & Ammo (distributed by IPD), Shotgun News or Gun World (both distributed by Ingram). I would also encourage you to bring a copy of this Email with you to the store, so that Maureen can more easily be of assistance to you.

Thank you for your interest in Waldenbooks.

Sincerely,
-Peter
Walden Customer Care[/quote]

I did a search on TFL to see if this fact had been discussed before and found only a brief mention in a thread entitled The Pornographying of Firearms. It was noted by TFL member Brainiac that the Walden store at his local mall in Texas didn't carry any firearms related magazines. Apparently, Waldenbooks used to be owned by... (ready?) Kmart. They bought Walden in 1984, and... <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>In 1994...Kmart combined the Walden Book Company with Borders book shops, another of its subsidiaries, to form the holding company known as the Borders-Walden Group. In November of that year, ...the holding Group was renamed Borders Group, Inc. (BGI). BGI includes Borders and Waldenbooks. While the companies operate as separate units, the Group is designed to minimize overhead and enhance the core strengths of each business.[/quote]
Here's their homepage where I found the above quote.

Well folks, I guess it could be worse. At least there's no corporate policy against gun magazines. It makes me wonder, though, if the "no gunrags" thing is a carryover from the Kmart days on a local level. I'll be going back to Waldenbooks tomorrow and talking to Maureen. I'll see if I can get them to carry Shotgun News, then post my results here.

BTW, I picked up the May issue of G&A yesterday at my local Borders store. They have quite a good selection of firearms related magazines and books.


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RKBA!
"The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security"
Ohio Constitution, Article I, Section 4 Concealed Carry is illegal in Ohio.
Ohioans for Concealed Carry Website

[This message has been edited by TheBluesMan (edited March 30, 2000).]

 

[Ledbetter]

I buy my gun magazines at the local gunshops, in order to give them business so they're around in the future.

Just the same, my hat's off to you for making sure that the public has easy access to information about shooting and the second amendment.

 

[chink]

I got a problem. My local mall doesn't carry waldenbooks. They use to, but then they got replace by something else. In fact all the waldenbooks in my area (San Jose, Ca) are gone.

I appluad Walden Books for their response. You rarely get all that information in an email to customer service. The fact that they took the time to figure out who your local store manager is, and suggested that you ask her to order it has to be work something.

Also, I have seen companies take longer than a week to response to email. With a form letter, so a personalized email bye a real person. In 1 week isn't back. Heck, I've seen it take an extra 2-3 days for an email to arrive a one account. The email mail system isn't perfect and sometimes stuff is delayed.


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It ain't mah fault. did I do dat?

 

[Bruce in West Oz]

In a similar vein, some of our local newsagents have started putting the shooting magazines in the "Restricted" (Adults only) section of the stands, in plastic wrappers!

I tell them, politely, and take my business elsewhere.

I've also stopped asking if the stores carry gun magazines if I don't see them in the stands -- I've now been abused twice by "anti-gun" storeowners who tell me they "wouldn't have those things in their shop" -- usually while they're rearranging the latest Hustler or gay magazine on the racks.

B

 

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Just for info I have found that Barnes and Noble and Borders usually carry gun magazines and books. Even in antigun places like
Chicago and New York.

Interesting is what you seen in airports.
TX airports have Guns and Ammo for sure.
Northern ones don't.

 

[Horny Toad]

Glenn,

Not always true. I was in Newark Airport about 2 weeks ago and they had quite a large selection of gun mags in several gift shops. Amazed, I bought a few.

Horny Toad



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NRA Life Member
SAF Member
GOA Member

 

[loknload]

My local Walden and B Dalton don,t handle them either. But the local Borders does. Have to get them as soon as they get on the shelf. I'm going to start subscribing to them and save some money and aggrevation.

Happy Shooting

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We preserve our freedoms by using four boxes: soap,ballot,jury, and cartridge.
Anonymous

 

[Miss Demeanors]

I will have to check my store to see if they carry it. I used to get Guns and Ammo at the local grocery store, but it hasn't been there lately. I asked the clerk and she asked someone and so on and so on, eventually the answer came back as "We don't carry that one anymore." I guess you never know, one of the guns from the magazine might just get up and start shooting people.

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Sandys' Homepage
RKBA forums
We are as one as we all are the same fighting for one cause -Metallica

 

[TomMarker]

Barnes and Nobles has a great section of magazines.. all the gun/knife/martial arts magazines you could ask for

I stopped going to Waldenbooks awhile ago. Their selection of everything is just too limited.

 

[monoboy]

My local K-Mart doesn't carry *any* magazines, much less firearms titles. The Borders downtown (15 miles away), carrys quite a good selection. A new Borders is being built near my house (.5 miles), and I'm hoping they will carry them as well.

A private (non chain) newstand has a *huge* selection of firearms mags, yet like another poster mentioned, puts them in the section with all of the porn. I know I drool over all of the cool firearms, but still...

This is in PRK. You mileage may vary, batteries not included, some assembly required, member FDIC.

 

[Long Path]

I've thus far been very impressed with every aspect of Borders, especially for their willingness to stock hard-to-find music, even if it's not going to be sold by the case-load.

Local Walden's, B.Dalton, and Borders all carry gun mags. But then, here in N. TX, you're missing out if you don't.

 

[TheBluesMan]

Got hung up today at lunchtime and didn't make it to Waldenbooks to talk with Maureen. I'll try again sometime in the next few days. We'll see what happens.

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RKBA!
"The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security"
Ohio Constitution, Article I, Section 4 Concealed Carry is illegal in Ohio.
Ohioans for Concealed Carry Website

 

[JJR]

I went to my local Waldenbooks today and they had them all... even the extra creepy ones . Then again, I'm kinda surprised that they don't also sell ammunition and hi-cap mags seeing as just about everyone else does around here.
I don't think that there's any corporate conspiracy, just a fight for valuable shelf space.