Last day for Riley’s

It is sad to see a long standing shop go under, but they really have been inconsistent the past several years. As was mentioned above, there were a few guys who gave solid advise and customer service, but several who were only interested in pushing what they wanted to sell. Perfect example...my wife wanted her own handgun...took her to Riley's and the guy who was helping her only wanted to push her into a Kimber 1911. WTF? He basically ridiculed everything else she asked to look at.

Went down the street to Shooters...they guy who helped her talked to her at length, showed her plenty of options, narrowing down her likes and dislikes, and eventually we left with something she loves.
 
It wasn't incompetence it was money. The new owner didn't have the capital Ralph did. This new guy couldn't afford to buy used guns. Ralph had deep pockets. Ralph would buy stuff he thought would be valuable in the future and keep them in his office. I know because I bought a few. This new owner didn't have the cash on hand that Ralph did.
And RIP Denver. Anyone that went to rileys years ago will know who he is.

I did not know Denver passed away.
 
It's sad to see any business fail.

I used to work there back in the Bob, Ralph and Denver days.
I used to work on Dick Riley's cars.
He'd come chugging down the hill in his Stanley Steamer, pull into the shop and fill it up, from the garden hose.

I remember taking in trades and test firing them in the tunnel down stairs.

When S&W first came out with the 500, we had a customer order one from the custom shop with a 2 inch barrel.
He owned it for less than a month and traded it in for a longer barreled version
I had to function test that revolver, in the tunnel.
I was low man on the totem pole.
It burned all the hair off my hands and lower arms.

I had a little old lady come in one evening.
She saw a S&W 44 with a long barrel and wanted to buy it.
It was the biggest handgun in the case at that time.
She didn't approve of the man who had "desires" of her daughter and figured the S&W would scare him away.
She was sweet and I didn't sell her the pistol.

Denver passed away quite a few years ago.
Brain cancer took him.
Denver was a 270 Winchester fan, in the M-70 Winchester Featherweight of course.

Riley's always smelled like friend to me.
The gun oil and solvents.
I have Hoppes #9 air fresheners in my truck.

Jim who owns Shooters Outpost, is a passionate business man, just like Ralph, Bob and Denver at Rileys.

I see people here getting their panties in a wad about the business practices that Jim has.
You won't find a better selection any where in NH.
Please stop with the internet bullshit.

Federal and state laws are a burden every businessman needs to recognize.
They are a burden, try running your own business.
Prices are what they are.
Can you buy it cheaper on the internet?
No.
Can you have service after the sale from ammo.com
No.

Just my 2 cents
 
It's sad to see any business fail.

I used to work there back in the Bob, Ralph and Denver days.
I used to work on Dick Riley's cars.
He'd come chugging down the hill in his Stanley Steamer, pull into the shop and fill it up, from the garden hose.

I remember taking in trades and test firing them in the tunnel down stairs.

When S&W first came out with the 500, we had a customer order one from the custom shop with a 2 inch barrel.
He owned it for less than a month and traded it in for a longer barreled version
I had to function test that revolver, in the tunnel.
I was low man on the totem pole.
It burned all the hair off my hands and lower arms.

I had a little old lady come in one evening.
She saw a S&W 44 with a long barrel and wanted to buy it.
It was the biggest handgun in the case at that time.
She didn't approve of the man who had "desires" of her daughter and figured the S&W would scare him away.
She was sweet and I didn't sell her the pistol.

Denver passed away quite a few years ago.
Brain cancer took him.
Denver was a 270 Winchester fan, in the M-70 Winchester Featherweight of course.

Riley's always smelled like friend to me.
The gun oil and solvents.
I have Hoppes #9 air fresheners in my truck.

Jim who owns Shooters Outpost, is a passionate business man, just like Ralph, Bob and Denver at Rileys.

I see people here getting their panties in a wad about the business practices that Jim has.
You won't find a better selection any where in NH.
Please stop with the internet bullshit.

Federal and state laws are a burden every businessman needs to recognize.
They are a burden, try running your own business.
Prices are what they are.
Can you buy it cheaper on the internet?
No.
Can you have service after the sale from ammo.com
No.

Just my 2 cents
I loved going there back in the day. Everyone was friendly, even Jim once he got to know you. They had so many good used guns. That’s why I went there. Denver made fun of me for buying an HK 94 they had. He said it was useless. I still have it 30 years later. It’s like losing a friend.
 
I had a little old lady come in one evening.
She saw a S&W 44 with a long barrel and wanted to buy it.
It was the biggest handgun in the case at that time.
She didn't approve of the man who had "desires" of her daughter and figured the S&W would scare him away.
She was sweet and I didn't sell her the pistol.

LOL, You did let her borrow it to get her point across though, right? ;)
 
It's sad to see any business fail.

I used to work there back in the Bob, Ralph and Denver days.
I used to work on Dick Riley's cars.
He'd come chugging down the hill in his Stanley Steamer, pull into the shop and fill it up, from the garden hose.

I remember taking in trades and test firing them in the tunnel down stairs.

When S&W first came out with the 500, we had a customer order one from the custom shop with a 2 inch barrel.
He owned it for less than a month and traded it in for a longer barreled version
I had to function test that revolver, in the tunnel.
I was low man on the totem pole.
It burned all the hair off my hands and lower arms.

I had a little old lady come in one evening.
She saw a S&W 44 with a long barrel and wanted to buy it.
It was the biggest handgun in the case at that time.
She didn't approve of the man who had "desires" of her daughter and figured the S&W would scare him away.
She was sweet and I didn't sell her the pistol.

Denver passed away quite a few years ago.
Brain cancer took him.
Denver was a 270 Winchester fan, in the M-70 Winchester Featherweight of course.

Riley's always smelled like friend to me.
The gun oil and solvents.
I have Hoppes #9 air fresheners in my truck.

Jim who owns Shooters Outpost, is a passionate business man, just like Ralph, Bob and Denver at Rileys.

I see people here getting their panties in a wad about the business practices that Jim has.
You won't find a better selection any where in NH.
Please stop with the internet bullshit.

Federal and state laws are a burden every businessman needs to recognize.
They are a burden, try running your own business.
Prices are what they are.
Can you buy it cheaper on the internet?
No.
Can you have service after the sale from ammo.com
No.

Just my 2 cents


GAME. SET. MATCH.
 
There were a couple of really good sales guys at Riley's who were a pleasure to deal with- Denver who passed a while back and a guy with a Brit accent were two that come to mind.

Denver was a great guy. RIP

Remember the Brit guy but not his name. He was a good one, too.

I seem to remember Ralph sold to his son Chris and another guy. Things sort of ran the same after that for a little while but then one day I walked in. Chris was gone and there was exactly one person I recognized. I bought a pistol from him, but though I've gone in and tried to find something to buy since...nope.
 
It wasn't incompetence it was money. The new owner didn't have the capital Ralph did. This new guy couldn't afford to buy used guns. Ralph had deep pockets. Ralph would buy stuff he thought would be valuable in the future and keep them in his office. I know because I bought a few. This new owner didn't have the cash on hand that Ralph did.
And RIP Denver. Anyone that went to rileys years ago will know who he is.

The incompetent management was more geared towards the steady stream of complaints about the staff.
 
It has to be less than 10 years. The last time I saw him wasn’t that long ago.

5 or 6 would probably be closer to when I last talked to him there
There was a plaque in there with his picture, birth date and death. I know it was more than 5 or 6. Time seems to move faster as you get older. Denver wasn’t that old.
 
When I heard ralph sold out I knew that was the last nail in the coffin.

-Mike
When did he sell?? Out of the loop. Man I was just there a couple months ago and stocked Up before coming home to MA.
 
Pic I took 2015
9rv4.jpg
 
Wonder why no going out of business Black Friday sale. Maybe another store bought the inventory? What there was
 
Yep I hate how Shooters needs to see an ID and a MA LTC. Just let me be.

I dunno maybe I just look trustworthy, but they have never asked me for ID unless I was buying a gun. They have asked if I am a NH resident, and I proudly say yes, and then no ID.
 
Gun dealer Riley's Sports Shop abruptly closed this week, ending a run that began nearly 70 years ago. The store was founded by Dick Riley on Maple Street in Manchester in 1953, later moving to what was the Tall Pines Motel in Hooksett. Riley, a former state senator who died in 2010, sold the store to his employees in 1987. The store later changed hands in 2014. Information on its current ownership was not available Wednesday. Representatives from the store declined comment. On Sunday, the store placed a statement on its front door and Facebook page that any pending orders conducted in store or on the store’s website will still be fulfilled and that customers will be notified upon the arrival of orders. Customers with any pending business can email [email protected]. Thorr Gunsmithing, located behind Riley’s, remains open.
 
Wonder why no going out of business Black Friday sale. Maybe another store bought the inventory? What there was

Lol, if they had any sizeable inventory they wouldn't have gone out of business. You can't have a building that large with nothing in it. Think "disney world, but all the rides are closed". That's how most described it to me becoming.....
 
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