Dick's Sporting Goods by Boch
Dick's has plenty of free parking available. (Photo by John Boch)
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Gun stores across America have long lines of customers waiting to get inside. Dick’s Sporting Goods does not.

A while back, CEO Ed Stack made the strategic move of removing America’s favorite rifle and other hot-selling modern sporting rifles from Dick’s shelves. More recently, he ordered an end to all firearm sales at many of his stores.

And on top of all that, Mr. Stack hired a lobbyist to press Congress to pass more gun control laws.

So now, while every other gun store across America has more business than they can shake a stick at…

coronavirus gun sales store
People wait in a line to enter a gun store in Culver City, California. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

Ed Stack’s stores look like ghost towns.

For about 40,000 of the chain’s employees, their boss’ poor decision-making has left them without paychecks. Just in time for Easter. I think I’d like to see what Mr. Stack gets from his employees for National Boss’s Day.

CNN Business shared the news with the world.

Dick’s Sporting Goods is finding it difficult to operate without any sports, gyms or basically any other physical activity.

If Dick’s Sporting Goods still sold popular self-defense guns, magazines and ammunition, they would have plenty of revenue to keep their doors open and their employees on the payroll. Instead, Ed Stack’s poor business strategy of putting wokeness over business considerations is having bitter consequences for his employees.

The sporting goods retailer that (SIC) it’s furloughing a “significant number” of its roughly 40,000 employees beginning Sunday. Affected employees will still continue to receive their benefits.

Try to buy groceries with your health insurance card.

Dick’s (DKS) said in a regulatory filing that because of the coronavirus, it’s “increasingly evident” that its more than 800 stores aren’t going to reopen anytime soon. It will keep on a small number of employees to fulfill online orders and curbside pickups.

If only they carried items that Americans really want to buy during a national emergency.

[buy_now link=https://amzn.to/2yEZpib]

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124 COMMENTS

    • You guys forgot to mention Dicks had 5$ million worth of firearms destroyed because if it “saves one life” we should do it. Now furloughed 40,000 employees. If it “saves one life” (and it probably will) they should immediately un-furlough those 40,000 employees.

      • The wife and I were just talking about that, and wondering why they didn’t donate the guns to police departments and various law enforcement-related groups for the tax write-off, instead of destroying them entirely. Not a very good financial decision.

      • Any way to PROVE that they actually destroyed inventory? They get full credit from the progs just by CLAIMING they did so.

        No one is stupid enough to destroy it. There should be an IRS investigation to see if they deducted the value of such. Would be fraud I think to do so as this would not “shrinkage” or a casualty loss.

        • No idea if they did or not but several firearms manufacturers and distributors refused to sell to them long before that.
          They said they had about 5 million worth of firearms.
          Probably less of msr or high cap mags and handguns.
          Fuck em

  1. And as usual, the people who pay dearly for the phony social conscience are the the people who can least afford it.

    • I mean, it’s fucked up to say that because of the pandemic and people will lose their jobs, but honestly, if you support Dicks and you work there after all the shit they have pulled… you kinda deserve it. So yea, pretty much fuck em and hopefully they will go out of business. To add salt to the wound, I hope a gun manufacturer buys every single location.

      • Yep…I hope that Dick’s just goes out of business altogether!! Serves that dumb fool right!!! His business will probably collapse. Nobody really wants to pay for Dick. Indeed…You definately get “Dick of the Year ” award! Lol…..

  2. My family, my relatives and my friends all stopped buying anything at DICK’S many moons ago when they pulled their gun control “bullshit”! Other sporting goods can be bought anywhere you dumb ass Stacks!!
    I feel for the employees. However, the real sporting goods stores will be hiring you layed off folks!
    “DICK’S GOING DOWN IN FLAMES”

        • StLPro2A: Or put another, more succinctly, is….. Dicks has E D (ergo, E. D. = erectile dysfunction)!

          On another associated subject, as to the current (recent) employees being laid off, according to “Richard Cranium” (aka, Dick Head) CEO Ed, is due to the (Wuhan) Covid-19 coronavirus. In actuality, the Dick’s Sorting Goods stores have been bleeding financially for several years–since the company FIRST announced they would not be selling certain gun, rifle and pistols, and related peripheral accessories!! The employees being suspended, laid off and/or fired are complicit in the demise of the company (stores); they’ve know for most of all their jobs could and/or would end (terminate) within the near future. Those employees that make the “40,000” did nothing about finding other employees; they rode “THEIR ship to its death!”

    • Yep. I quit buying from them long ago. Since the local store, is near where I usually shop, I stop in when I’m in the neighborhood, fill up a shopping cart with assorted goods, and leave in the back of the store. This should keep the employees busy and employed.

      • Same with Wal-Mart.

        Recently they said they are getting masks for employees, guess where from? China. So many opportunities to keep US companies in business making PPE and they chose to get masks from fucking China. If I could burn down every single wal-mart McVeigh style, U-Haul’s stock would skyrocket in a week. Why TF do people work for these places? Even funnier when you see employees with bumper stickers all pro american and crap, but they work and shop and places like Wal-Mart… This is our downfall.

  3. They’re lobbying for gun control under the pretense of wokeness, but it’s really just a way to harm their competitors.

  4. Why are they still open at all? I know gun stores are “essential” because the government made them the only way to legally buy new guns, but as we’re all well aware, “Dicks” is not a gun store.

    Are there jock strap and yoga pants emergencies that need to be filled with curbside pickup?

    • It depends on the locality. The federal government didn’t shut businesses down. They provided guidelines. States and local governments did that.

      • And in some locales, such as Los Angeles, the decisions for some stores (guns) were made by the Sheriffs themselves.

        • And probably in complete ignorance of the laws and processes to buy firearms. Law makers and enforcers don’t let little things like facts get in their way.

  5. Is it too early to enjoy a hearty HA HA? Anyone buying anything from Dick’s after Newtown is an azzwhole! On another topic my old friend told me the ISRA range in Bonfield(Kankakee,ILLinois) reopened yesterday. And invited me to go shooting eventually😃

    • I used to belong to that ISRA range. Why did they close in the first place? My range in FL has been open even during major construction.

      • No one to open it/watch it I’m told. Whatever it’s a 45 mile drive for me which won’t happen until the plague ceases. And I can replace any ammo I shoot without paying outrageous $. Oh my friend lives in Bonfield. I’m originally from Kankakee. I went to the range as a kid with my dad a long time ago…

      • In NSW Downunder, the SSAA closed their ranges, at least in the Sydney area, a few weekends a go. NSW Rifle Association followed a few days later. It will probably be months before the ranges re-open.

        • Southern
          The same in Qld.
          Really annoying as I have new rifle I haven’t fired a shot out of yet. Plus two others to finish sighting in.

    • Man, the gun club just down the road from my house shut down for a spell. After the nearest indoor range shut down all but the store. Now I feel like that kid did when he learned that Larry’s mom made liver too. Really wanted to pop a few caps this week. The wife says I’m pouting so much, I’m about to trip over my lip.

  6. When Dicks bought out G I Joe’s I knew it would not be good, & they proved me right,
    Dicks never had what I wanted & could never find a sales person to help me, & worst of all, everything they had was way overpriced, I personally hope they do go away for good.

    • Maybe so but if they currently sold guns and weren’t assholes about the Second Amendment they could keep their doors open and customers would be buying a shitload of guns and ammo from them.

    • probably true however, in the slump of sales now i’m sure if they had a stock of 9mm and 223 ammo to sell it would see them through. Academy is doing a great job at the moment, not price gouging like brownells, sgammo or having to cancel orders like cabelas/bass pro.

    • That would have been very different with the recent run on guns and ammo. The could have made so much money over the last month…

      I haven’t been in there at all since they started destroying themselves (I mean destroying guns).

    • Don’t be an idiot Mr. Pud… Just because guns sales only made up 3% of their total sales you seem to have completely forgotten that those same gun buyers also shopped at Dicks for practically everything else; now Dick’s has lost those sales too.
      False Equivalency my ass… shut the fuck up and go back to your left side.

    • 3% is also misleading, they lost 100% of my business. And firearms were less than 3% of what I used to spend there

      • A good example of the slow decline in a business model. Resulting in eventual death. Can be found in the death of Kmart. Back in the day they were a full service store. Everything from diapers to firearms. Then they made the decision to virtue signal against firearms. And stopped selling firearms related products. Then came outdoor sporting goods. Then products for men in general. Look were they are now. You can’t because they no longer exist. When a company turns it’s nose to half of it’s potential business. To virtue signal. It’s generally an act of cutting of your nose to spite your face. Be Safe Out There Maintain OP SEC and as always Keep Your Powder Dry.

        • The same decisions ruined Sears. At one time you could buy tires, have your vehicle serviced, buy tools- clothes etc.. Seems they lost sight of what made them in the first place.

        • Ed. In my youth we bought firearms through mail order from Sears. They haven’t had any of my business since they quit selling guns in stores.

          Does 1 shopper choosing never to enter your store again doom your business? Depends on how many single shoppers take that same path. I bought a lot of things from sears. Car tires. Batteries. Appliances, etc.

          All that came to a halt when they dumped gun sales. I haven’t been in a K mart either.

      • “3% is also misleading”

        And also untrue.

        Dicks discontinued ALL HUNTING business, not just guns. For every gun they sold, they also sold many boxes of ammunition, tree stands, camo clothing and boots, orange safety gear, cleaning kits, packs, hoists, bows, arrows, crossbows, hunting knives, range finders, scopes — everything hunting related across hard lines (equipment) and soft goods (clothing and footwear).

        The hunting sector was close to 15% of Dicks business without counting cross-sells.

      • They lost all my business including fishing, camping, soccer gear for the kids, bike inner tubes, shoes, wife’s yoga stuff, etc. They’ve blown it with me and as far as I’m concerned, they don’t even exist anymore. Between locally-owned shops and internet resellers, I can more happily get everything I need without setting foot in a Dick’s. Especially in the case of local shops, I feel better about my purchases.

        • For us Dick’s was local, and not a damn was given with the longer trip to Bass Pro/Cabela’s or the occasional LL Bean.

    • I used to go there when they had guns and other stuff I couldn’t find cheaper at SportMart. The only gun stuff I ever bought at Prick’s was a Maverick 12ga for $180 and one case of .22LR… but, I bought ski stuff, cycling stuff, fishing stuff, sports clothing, etc. Now, I won’t buy ANYTHING from this anti-2A asshole. They lost a lot more than 3% of their sales by pissing on the 2A!

      • I’m similar. I don’t think I ever bought gun related products from them, but I bought camping gear, exercise equipment, hiking clothes, etc. Now, I might walk through to get to the rest of the mall and gauge how many people are shopping.

    • They lost all my dollars, and many of them went for angling supplies they could otherwise still be selling to me and mine.

    • As others have pointed out, they lost 100% of the business of the people who used to buy guns there. I haven’t shopped there since they revealed their anti gun colors.

  7. Dicks didn’t have to choose to sell out the rights of Americans,however they did make the choice to be un American Dickheads

  8. I hate Dick’s but this has nothing to do with their stands on guns. They are a nonessential business. Even if they still sold guns it would not bring in enough business to keep their stores open.

    • What makes anyone think that guns and ammo would be the only thing bought? It might be a strong motivation to get people in there. Get people in the doors and all kinds of things could happen. It might not be enough to keep the hurt away but it might prevent catastrophe.

      • We know that Dick’s profits were up even if tiatal sales were down. That meant they were losing money on their firearms business. I am as big a gun guy as anyone here but I know the world doesn’t revolve around guns.

      • “What makes anyone think that guns and ammo would be the only thing bought?”

        Where the stores are closed due to executive orders, nothing could be sold.

  9. How big of a golden parachute does he have? So the gun confiscating, kill gun owners who opposes confiscating guns far leftist fanatic that runs the company will be fine while the employees get screwed. He doesn’t care. He wouldn’t even care if all 40,000 of them died. He wouldn’t care of Dick’s Sporting Goods completely collapsed and went bankrupt. He still has his money which he is still going to use to fund anti-gunners.

  10. I used to buy golfing, sports gear, and archery items from Dicks. Now I won’t spent a penny there. I am sad to see all these workers unemployed, but am glad to see Dicks getting hurt. Trouble is that they will be receiving a part of the federal stimulus and will restart with the rest of the economy.
    If they were smart enough to have had gun sales, their bottom lines would be healthier during this pandemic. It’s a matter of being adaptable enough to thrive in differing market forces…too bad the CEO wasn’t able to see a time when guns and ammo is king in a market.

  11. Since the anti-gunners equate firearms with penises, it made sense for a store that sold guns to be metaphorically selling “Dick’s”. But when Dick’s stopped selling metaphorical Dick’s shouldn’t they have changed their name to “No Dick’s” or “Dildoes”?

  12. I go to Big 5 Sporting Goods. California closed 250 of their stores, but they fought it and are open for business and still selling guns and ammo.

    They are selling out of exercise equipment because the gyms are closed.

  13. I do go into Dicks to look and try things out then find them online somewhere else. They will not get my dollar.

    They will go the path of Sports Authority, ie closed. They are in expensive large stores with lots of overhead.

  14. I feel for the employees. They don’t deserve this kind of bullshit.

    Generally speaking, it’s interesting to ponder what a sporting goods store sells and if it’s essential at this point in time. The argument could go either way.

    One thing is readily apparent to me; “sTay aT hOme!” is the new mindless meme to parrot for purposes of virtue signaling and it’s encouraging self-destructive behavior both generally and in relation to the current situation. Not only is it bad advice, it’s exceptionally corrosive in terms of civil rights.

    • @ strych9:
      “One thing is readily apparent to me; “sTay aT hOme!” is the new mindless meme to parrot for purposes of virtue signaling and it’s encouraging self-destructive behavior both generally and in relation to the current situation. ”

      On the other hand, NOT staying at home could turn to be self-destructive behavior for an old geezer like me. So, I’ll just sit here and hunt-and-peck on this keyboard.

  15. In MA, all retail is shut down, except for groceries, liquor, etc. Gun stores are shut down too. Gas stations, while hurting, are open. Millions are out of work all over the country, and the virus is not to blame. Our politicians are. They implemented economic shutdown and social isolation, “for our own good.”

    I think this is just the beginning of the end for brick and mortar retail generally. Department stores are done for. Anything you want to buy from Dicks, Macy’s, Penny’s and the like you can buy online.

    Gun stores, liquor stores and gas stations will survive.

  16. They “dicks” don’t support our 2nd amendment, therefore I cannot support them!!! Guns would have saved them from social suicide, but you can’t fix stupid! If you look at the world, being armed keeps the crud from gaining control! all socialistic countries treat their subjects like cattle, and livestock eventually gets slaughtered!
    Stay armed, exercise your rights! Carry everyday!!!🇺🇸👍

  17. This article is either ignorant or dishonest. Many states are forcing stores to shut down. They would be furloughing workers whether they still stocked guns or not.

  18. I haven’t been in a Dick’s since the day before Ed Stack declared they would no longer sell AR-15s. I remember looking at an AR in a rack and wondered how long it would be there. Turned out the next day was it. I bought fishing equipment and at least one Cross Bow there too. Living in a university town Dick’s had lots of students and recent grads there including the “Lodge” and the kids I met working there all got jobs elsewhere after the AR debacle so, IMHO if Dicks can’t sell over priced sporting equipment and goes belly up I could care less!

  19. This is such a bogus article. Dicks was never a gun store therefore they still would have been ordered to close.
    I’m a gun owner myself but if you’re going to write an article don’t be a CNN.
    Get your facts right

    • Years ago the local Dicks here had a larger gun inventory than most other stores in my area . The hunting section of the store used up 25% of the floor space. They had the largest selection of ammo available in my area. The last few years It has been a ghost town. Hope it stays that way.

    • There exists a Dicks 1 mile from my house.

      I bought three long guns at Dicks before the betrayal. I stocked up on ammo there and spent a fortune on hunting clothes. Bought a safe too. Gun cleaning supplies, scopes, Clays for trap shooting, even ear protection. Hunting and fishing licenses.

      Now all that hunting and shooting revenue goes to Cabelas, LGS, and on line retailers. So yeah Dicks WAS a gun store and now they cater to the woke crowd. All the above is what gun stores sell and they could have kept the doors open during this meltdown if they still carried the guns and ammo.

  20. Haven’t shopped there since they dropped ARs. It’s not that I don’t respect their employees not their fault etc but until people finally come to the conclusion that guns don’t kill people – people kill people this crap will never end. Really sorry for their employees.

  21. I feel bad for the workers on the floor. But the best thing to happen is for this company to go out of business. AND HAVE THE GUN RIGHTS PEOPLE BE BLAMED. It will teach the other retail billionaires a lesson. Do they really want to lose the business they created???
    Because Mr. or Mrs Billionaire, you too can lose your business if you are just as stupid. Some rich people think it can never happen to them. But it can. It happened to Smith and Wesson back in the 1990s. After a nationwide gun community boycott.

  22. I stopped shopping at Walmart for the same reason. When they decided to pull most all guns and ammo from the shelves I stopped giving them all business. I also stopped shopping at Meijers stores when they pulled sporting goods (guns&ammo). Its getting hard to buy clothes days.

    • Yeah, Walmart got shot up a few times and decided to make their stores less safe for their patrons by asking that no one show a gun in their stores. Then wrote a letter to the president pressing for gun control and stopped selling ammo for “scary guns” and pistols. So yeah, I stopped buying anything from them. Wife used to drop $1k/mo there on groceries and household goods. I would buy some hunting and automotive stuff there but no more. Not a dime!

      Let’s examine what Walmart should have done in a letter to its patrons:
      “Walmart grants permission to all law abiding citizens to open or concealed carry in our parking lots and stores and we ask that all legal gun owners begin to do so immediately. Should a shooter enter any of or stores please use whatever force is necessary to end the spree, preferably before the 2nd shot is fired. Walmart will defend you in court, pay any and all legal fees, and replace any weapon taken as evidence with one of the same or better quality. You may keep the replacement whether or not your original weapon is returned to you. Remember to always transport your weapon to and from our parking lot in accordance with state and local laws.

      Together we can end these tragedies by showing the would-be perpetrators that we will not be intimidated and we will stop them with deadly force if necessary.”

      Now that’s how you solve this problem!

      • Dear Anonymous,

        I agree with what you said. I was in my local Wal-Mart, shortly after the El Paso incident.
        Open carrying, and was approached by other patrons, who commented to me that they
        were glad to see me there with my firearm on my hip. This occurred several times, in just a few trips in the store.

        • Thanks Allen T’nT, gave me an idea for a tee shirt: “The police are not required to protect you, give me my gun and I will!”

          Must be a shorter way to say that and fit it on a tee shirt? Anyone?

  23. Long before their fiasco with the weapons I went to Dicks looking to purchase binoculars. They had limited stock and only 2 on display so I looked for an employee; that search soured me on their store for I had to go to the first floor shoe department to find someone. A supposed knowledgeable person could answer my questions, NO, ; the employee knew nothing about binoculars or their stock. That was the end of any and all dealings with Dicks. I am surprised they have lasted this long for their pricing, product line can be beat by many local stores.

  24. In my experience, they’ve been “closed” for years.

    It’s easier to buy chitlins in Mecca than to get the attention of a Dick’s employee.

    • Gene:
      Dicks does own Field & stream. However, the Field & Stream in our neck of the woods (Troy, Michigan) is now a Sportsman’s Warehouse. I don’t know if that represents a change in ownership or is just a rebranding. Anyway, this store continues to sell guns, though I have not been in there to scope it out, since the Dicks AR-15 debacle.

      • I just looked into it, and Sportsman’s Warehouse is a separate company listed on NYSE with stores in numerous states. They have purchased several Field & Stream stores from Dick’s and rebranded them. They announced the purchase of two more Field & Stream stores from Dick’s in march of this year. Looks like I can go shopping there now.

  25. Worked for Dick’s for a short while, and Gun sales themselves bring little profit. The profit was made on ammo and other accessories that went with the gun purchase. I worked there before and after Sandy Hook, and I can tell you it did effect the bottom line, so much so, they later started selling MSR’s, (Under the Field and Stream). The gun sales were in the back of every store for a reason. Customers have to go through other impulse items with a high profit margin. When Dick Head Stack decided to to go social justice, he was betting on the high profit sports clothing, and team sports (basketball, baseball, football) sales which have a high markup. Apparel and shoes sometimes have an 80 percent markup, which is why they are always on sale. With this virus, nobody is able to play/engage in any sports activity, hence that’s where they are losing money. He was betting on Soccer Mom’s buying Yoga pants and parents willing to buy their promising athlete a $300.00 bat and $250.00 Mizuno baseball glove.

    The biggest period of sale for golf is before during and after the Masters, so no real sales there. Baseball/Softball, same thing, their sales are dead. What could have helped, is in some states guns stores are allowed to be opened, which would have allowed other sales. But with people not able to work, they aren’t going to buy the overpriced stuff anyway. Good riddance.

  26. I went into the local Academy Sports the day before our useless governor closed all but then”essential” stores. I was looking for a bicycle accessory. I was surprised that Academy was not closing. A woman coming out at the same time as me said “2nd Amendment.” And I thought that’s right. They sell guns and ammo. So they can stay open.

  27. O’Reilly Auto Parts apparently eliminated the assistant manager position. I can’t get an answer from my now former boss, so I don’t know if it was just my district, or company wide, but I was told 8am monday morning by my district manager that they got rid of my position and I was terminated. All of the other employees at my store were kept. Granted, with this extra $600 per week I’ll actually make more on unemployment, but I’m still thinking long term. Jobs are far and few between in this area. Besides, unemployment is not fun to deal with right now. Today they told me that my last name doesn’t match the one they have on file for my SSN. What? FFS I hate dealing with government agencies.

  28. I don’t know about everywhere else, but the Dick’s stores in my area prices almost all their products much higher than other sporting goods stores. I’ve seen their sale prices 40% higher than regular prices for the same items at Bass Pro or Academy. To top it off, a kid I know was injured by a Dick’s sales person because the salesman didn’t know anything about the archery equipment he was demonstrating. I’m really surprised that Dick’s has stayed in business this long. I think they were doomed even before their anti-gun actions.

  29. Hindsight is 20/20 vision. The Board of Directors of Dick’s may be wondering if CEO Ed Stack’s “feel good” decision to drop gun sales was best for Dick’s Sporting Goods financial health or just massaged Ed Stack’s “woke” ego. Guessing he may not be around too much longer.

  30. They got EXACTLY what they deserved . . . they REAPED where they SOWED. We don’t need TREASONISTIC Traitors who will turn Socialistic/Communistic against their U.S. Citizens (or THEIR customers). Team Trump and his allies 2020.

  31. What stockholders would allow a CEO to make decisions that drop the bottom out of the business?
    Why would you keep a CEO that makes incompetent business decisions like that?
    Are you in business to loose money?
    Look to Dick’s and Walmart to find out.
    They are loosing money in the guns and ammo department when all the other companies are doing business as fast as they can during these times.

  32. By discontinuing the sale of guns and ammo the store likely no longer qualifies as an essential business as defined by the executive orders of many states one of which is ILLINOIS. If they had not discontinued guns and ammo sales they may have been able to remain open.

  33. Dicks also sold 12 Field and Stream stores due to lost revenue over lack of sporting rifles and their must be 21 to buy ammo or even a shotgun policy. Now Sportsman Warehouse bought them and sells rifles Ammo again according to the state law where the store is located.

  34. Only purchase from Dick’s if unable to buy elsewhere. If their bottom line if hit hard enough they might change their mind.

  35. Sad! Hope the company is bought out by a group that is not anti second amendment! Only fill sorry for employees, not owner and investors!

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