Indy Gun stores from the 80s and 90s.

[BigMoose]

I got to thinking the other day and I can not help but think there were more gun stores around Indy in the 80s and 90s.

But the only concrete example I could think of was that Dons had a chain store setup. (Greenwood, now the police range, plus some others)

But I am quite sure there were many more local gun shops back then. What happened to them all? Can anyone remember some names of them and locations?

Chain Store wise I know I remember the Indy wall marts actually selling guns as well as every single WallMart. Plus a few hardware stores and some auto parts stores.

 

[VUPDblue]

Shoes gun rack in speedway, Pop Guns West at 56/Georgetown, Dons guns Greenwood and Castleton, those are the ones that come to mind for me....

 

[BigMoose]

Shoes gun rack in speedway, Pop Guns West at 56/Georgetown, Dons guns Greenwood and Castleton, those are the ones that come to mind for me....

Now your shaking the cobwebs loose, that was back when Pops was at Mithoffer and 10th street I think. North side of the Washington Square mall.

 

[citizenkane]

Albros at Emerson and 465
The Bullet Hole on Madison

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I remember Shoes. I was a regular there as a Westsider. Used to ride our bikes there. Shoes and 500 Guns.

Bought an Australian FAL there on my 18th Birthday, after school (I went to Ben Davis).

How about the Bullet Hole on the southside? We used to go shooting there as kids.

What was the name of that big pawn shop downtown? All those photos of John Wayne and the big guy with all the silver jewelry who thought he was a cowboy? Tons of pistols though.

 

[DanVoils]

Shoe's was originally in Chapel Hill then Gary moved to Speedway. There was also The Bullet Hole across from Don's at 96th and Keystone. Verne Trester's Gunsmithing was next to 500 Guns in Speedway. Kmart sold guns and ammo as well as the local hardware store. I could even buy ammo at the Co-OP on Lafayette road. There were a lot of little general store type places where you could get ammo. Mostly .22 and shotgun shells. There was a very small store in Fayette called Smith's that sold ammo. I remember being about 12 or so and going in and buying .22 shorts with no problems or parents with me. There was also Galyans in Plainfield. They had a very very large assortment of guns and ammo. Plus a **** ton of other sporting goods. When they were bought out by the parent company of The Gap they turned into a clothing store and discontinued 90% of the sporting goods. Then Dick's bought them and they went away. I also remember TSC selling guns and ammo as well as Palmby's in Brownsburg selling ammo.
There were others but their names escape me. I can remember their store fronts but not their locations.

 

[DanVoils]

Pop's was also at 56th and Georgetown. Nice wooden floors and lots of leather holsters.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Shoe's was originally in Chapel Hill then Gary moved to Speedway

10th and Girl School Road, behind the McDonald's, across the street from Fulton Junior High.

 

[BigMoose]

Now I remember, that place at 465 and Emerson had a range didn't it

 

[rhino]

I got my S&W 686 at Shoe's back in 1995 or so. They were cheap back then because all the cops who used to carry them around the country were switching to bottom feeders.

We got treated not so well at Popguns at 56th & Georgetown pretty much every time we visited. Not sure why we kept going except that it was a gun shop and it was on our "circuit" back then.

 

[SSGSAD]

There were 3 Em Roe stores, one downtown indy, one in Southern Plaza, where I bought my first handgun, and I can't remember where thw other one was. Also, Sports Headquarters, at 12th and Arlington...

 

[12many]

There were 3 Em Roe stores, one downtown indy, one in Southern Plaza, where I bought my first handgun, and I can't remember where thw other one was. Also, Sports Headquarters, at 12th and Arlington...

I think it was at Glendale Mall

 

[12many]

Speedway Shooter's Supply in the Speedway Shopping Center and then later on at 38th & Georgetown.

 

[drillsgt]

I remember Shoes. I was a regular there as a Westsider. Used to ride our bikes there. Shoes and 500 Guns.

Bought an Australian FAL there on my 18th Birthday, after school (I went to Ben Davis).

How about the Bullet Hole on the southside? We used to go shooting there as kids.

What was the name of that big pawn shop downtown? All those photos of John Wayne and the big guy with all the silver jewelry who thought he was a cowboy? Tons of pistols though.

You rode your bike to 500 guns? Was it a better neighborhood back in the day?

 

[12many]

I think it was at Glendale Mall

IAnd I bought my first handgun at the downtown store (Ruger Security Six in .357 Mag)

 

[TopDog]

So..... Were there more guns stores back in the day than now? I was not present during that time period and would have no idea.

 

[12many]

So..... Were there more guns stores back in the day than now? I was not present during that time period and would have no idea.

I can remember 10-12 places in town plus you could buy long guns at K-mart & Woolco (bought my 10-22 at K-mart and a buddy bought a Winchester 94 at a Woolco) the 3 em-roes then as they closed Don had 3 at one time. Yea I'd say there were more back in the day.

 

[FERLACH]

Gun Exchange, 21 N Alton. Small shop in early 80s

 

[BigMoose]

So..... Were there more guns stores back in the day than now? I was not present during that time period and would have no idea.

If you asked this back in 2000, I would say YES quicker then anything.

However, there have been new places opening up since then. I don't think we are back where we were, but we are probably one or two stores from it.

 

[BigMoose]

Now that I think of it. Indy used to have some Dunhams sports.

I never understood why they yanked out of the Indy market.