Roach's Sporting Goods, Cambridge, MA

Finalygotabeltfed said:
Anyone remember Ivanhoe's in Watertown? We used to go there as grade school kids and look at the guns in the racks. I remember going there with my father to pick out my first gun at age 12.
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I used to buy from Ivanhoe's all the time back then. They used to be right next door to M&H racemaster.

I think these are the same people who run this place.
http://www.ivanhoeoutlet.com
I bought a lot of ex-LEO Glock mags from them.
 
Yes, I bought a number of guns at Ivanhoe's when I first got into shooting in the mid-1970s.

They also had a wholesale company, located near You-Do-It-Electronics back in those days.

It was a sad day for me when they closed the retail store.

Ivanhoe Outlet is indeed the vestiges of the business, but when that opened you had better have had a badge when you walked in there. I did pay them a visit one time on a return from a business trip and my badge is the only thing that kept them from throwing me out the door literally! I have recently been told that they now do only mail-order.

I believe that Interstate Arms (a LE Distributor) is the vestiges of the old Ivanhoe wholesale business.
 
Interesting, I bought a mossberg 590 from Ivanhoes. I knew they were a big police outfitters just by looking at the place. I think they had a sign out front too something to the effect of police sales only or something. I had just turned 18 or 19, picked up my FID card that morning and that was the closest place near me. I went in and the guy treated me great even though it was quite obvious I was not LEO.

I remember it clear as day as he showed me all alot of 'things only police officers can buy'. There was a short black shotgun on the pegboard that I asked him about and he said that was about the only thing I could get from there. $220 lighter, I walked out with a 9 shot riot gun with a vented heat shield, ghost ring sights and a tactical sling that I used for duck hunting (lol). A year after I traded it in for $150 towards another mossberg 835 from 4 seasons that I still have. Should have kept that 590. Sure looked 'evil'.

Oh, just to keep this on topic. Roach's is a decent place. Prices aren't great but you can sometimes find come really nice stuff and/or oddball items there. I remember it having alot more fishing related items in the past but since I last visited there a couple of months ago, things aren't the same.

I may go back and give another look around. I'd probably buy something to justify the trip and to patronize the business or operating in such a negative town.
 
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I buy a fair amount of my ammo and lots of other misc junk from Roach's just because it's so close to me. Sure, the prices aren't as good as Four Seasons and I've never bought a firearm from them, but the guys at Roach's are as nice as can be. They always seem to have some interesting used stuff. One time I was eyeballing the .500 they had in there and I didn't even have to ask to see it. The salesman took it and out and said "you have to hold this". :) As others have lamented, parking can be a pain but there is something enjoyable about walking down the street in Cambridge with a bag full of ammo, gun cleaner, and whatever else.





pj150 said:
Interesting, I bought a mossberg 590 from Ivanhoes. I knew they were a big police outfitters just by looking at the place. I think they had a sign out front too something to the effect of police sales only or something. I had just turned 18 or 19, picked up my FID card that morning and that was the closest place near me. I went in and the guy treated me great even though it was quite obvious I was not LEO.

I remember it clear as day as he showed me all alot of 'things only police officers can buy'. There was a short black shotgun on the pegboard that I asked him about and he said that was about the only thing I could get from there. $220 lighter, I walked out with a 9 shot riot gun with a vented heat shield, ghost ring sights and a tactical sling that I used for duck hunting (lol). A year after I traded it in for $150 towards another mossberg 835 from 4 seasons that I still have. Should have kept that 590. Sure looked 'evil'.

Oh, just to keep this on topic. Roach's is a decent place. Prices aren't great but you can sometimes find come really nice stuff and/or oddball items there. I remember it having alot more fishing related items in the past but since I last visited there a couple of months ago, things aren't the same.

I may go back and give another look around. I'd probably buy something to justify the trip and to patronize the business or operating in such a negative town.
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Had not bee in there much since I was a little kid, but have been stopping in now and then as they are an easy walk from where I live and it is simple to pick up some ammo or targets etc. They sometime have some very interesting used pieces and two came home with me this weekend. Both were Marlins, a 39A and a 336. Both were pre-safety versions in good shape with mounted scopes. Scopes were nothing to write home about, but they work. Took them up to Mass Rifle to see how they went and try the new and improved Loeb range. The rifles were nice as was the range. Also, the guys in Roach's are some of the nicest I have met.
 
I'll add my .02 cents.

I think Roaches is great. I've somewhat become a regular there since getting my license and living a block away doesn't hurt either. I also don't have to fight for a parking spot! I try to stop in there at least once a week just to see what's new.

It's true, most (not all, as some prices are comprable to FS) of their gun prices are about ~5-10% higher than Four Seasons but what do you expect? FS could probably lower their prices a tad more and still be perfectly fine due to the pure volume of sales that they do. Other, smaller shops have to stay alive somehow...which usually means slightly higher prices. FS has spoiled a lot of us, for sure [grin]

I don't know the older generation of owners/employees but the younger/current guys are fantastic. They're friendly, willing to shoot the breeze, always ask to show you anything you want to see... or are happy to leave you alone if you want to just browse.

Their inventory turnover isn't as rapid as FS'... but they've got something new in the handgun department every week.

As for ammo, the selection is medium sized to small. Not much in the way of .223... I go to FS for that. Roaches always has plenty of WWB 9mm at the same price as FS. And they sell reloaded .45 in Winchester brass in 100 round bags for $27 (of which I've purchased 1000's of rounds of and have never had any problems).

Anyway... That's about it. It should definitely be on your list of shops to stop into.

Hanwei
 
When I went through Cambridge a lot, I used to stop at Roaches all the time. I was a friend of the 2 original owners, Charlie and Bill, and had doen business with them for close to 35 years. I only get in there about once every 3 years now. They have almost always been terrific.
 
Now, I'm dating myself, but my dad bought my first pistol, a Colt Woodsman, for me at Ivanhoe's 55 years ago. When my grandson turns 4, a year from now, it will be his. And, any of you old timers remember Bernie Gould's little gun shop in Meffa?
 
I bought two guns from Roaches over 10 years ago. A Browning Hi-Power and Kahr K9. At one time during the great primer shortage of the 90's, I just about cleaned them out of Winchester and CCI small/large pistol primers.

Paid them a visit a few weeks ago to pick up new holster. Sad to find out about Charlie and Bill no longer being with us. They were a great bunch of guys. I think Charlie was still relatively young. Nasal cancer did him in I believe.
 
one-eyed Jack said:
Now, I'm dating myself, but my dad bought my first pistol, a Colt Woodsman, for me at Ivanhoe's 55 years ago. When my grandson turns 4, a year from now, it will be his. And, any of you old timers remember Bernie Gould's little gun shop in Meffa?
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I bought a S&W 1917 from Bernie back in the early 60's. He sat like a toad on a stool behind the counter.
 
flotter390 said:
I think Bernie was my uncle!!! Did he have his shop in the basment of his house?

I'd ask my parents but they are both sick right now.

Fred
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It was a long time ago, but as I recall, he placed an ad in either the Shotgun News, or local paper advertising 1917's for around 40 bucks.
I think he had a tiny store right in downtown Medford.
Bernie sitting on that tall stool sticks in my mind. I still have that pistol.
 
I recently had the oppourtunity to stop in here while attempting to complete a FTF transaction of a firearm "not on the list" with another NES member who did not have the foresight to bring an FA-10... To make a long story short, one call to Roach's resulted in the offer of said form which saved the day !

Of course I made a courtesy purchase and picked up a copy of Massad Ayoob's "In The Gravest Extreme".

The store has a interesting selection of everything from off list handguns to some rather attractive O/U & SXS shotguns.

One of the cases up front houses a nice selection of Buck & Kershaw knives with some unique and/or hard to find models from each line.

All of the staff were very helpful and their service was top notch.
 
BIG GUN said:
It was a long time ago, but as I recall, he placed an ad in either the Shotgun News, or local paper advertising 1917's for around 40 bucks.
I think he had a tiny store right in downtown Medford.
Bernie sitting on that tall stool sticks in my mind. I still have that pistol.
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Bernie was my mother's brother and had that store and then moved it or displayed what he had left in his basement of his home.

Fred
 
I thought I would just add to the existing post instead of creating a new one.

I just got back from Roach's earlier today where I purchased my first firearm, and M&P9.

I think there was only one other person in the store at the time so I pretty much had their undivided attention. Joe was very pleasant and more than happy to spend an hour or so talking to me and answering my newbie questions. We even spent some time laughing at the ridiculous questions on the FA10 (remember, this was my first purchase).

Long story short, they clearly appreciated my business and I appreciated being treated fairly and with respect. They will definitely get more of my business as I'm up that way regularly. As others have said, their prices are higher than a lot of other places in MA but I didn't mind if it helps to keep that little place open in enemy territory.
 
That's why the thread is here, for people to add their comments.

I would go to Roach's more if it wasn't so hard to find parking.
 
BIG GUN said:
I bought a S&W 1917 from Bernie back in the early 60's. He sat like a toad on a stool behind the counter.
Click to expand...

I had Bernie install a Lyman micrometer peep rear and a front sight on a millitary surplus bolt action rifle I bought in 1966. He did a great job and boy, do I feel old.
 
I bought my first gun, a 12 gauge Noble pump, from Roache's, and was treated very well considering my "rookie" status. When I began to reload I bought most of my components there, until my habit became so expensive that I had buy in bulk. Over the years, I bought a used 1100 for $300 in as new condition which was a good price at the time (I still have it and it functions perfectly). I also bought a used 1911 in .45 for a good price that went to Charlie Kelsey to become a Gammon (DG 11) one of my most prized posessions. I was always treated well at Roaches and truly enjoyed every visit. I haven't been there in years, mainly because don't buy much of anything at retail anymore. I think a visit is in order.
 
Finalygotabeltfed said:
I haven't been to that shop in twentyfive years(its just out of my way most times) but used to frequent it with my older brother and father as a kid in the early 60's and as a teenager when you could ride a bicycle or get on a public bus with BB or pellet gun and the entire world wouldn't collapse in fear.

They were there long before the city of Cambridge fell to communism and I'm glad they have prevailed against the many attacks on them to close them down. I've bought a couple of guns from them years ago and they(the elder owners) were great about ordering something you wanted.

Anyone remember Ivanhoe's in Watertown? We used to go there as grade school kids and look at the guns in the racks. I remember going there with my father to pick out my first gun at age 12. A Winchester single shot 12ga and that thing kicked like a mule....but I loved it.

The sorry state of affairs in this state today is depressing to say the least.
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I bought a few guns from Ivanhoe when they were in Watertown: S&W Model 60 for $150, High Standard Supermatic Trophy for $150, and a S&W 39-2 for about the same price; those were the days. I also did a little business with them after they moved north to an industrial park, Billerica, I think. What a change! Poor service, bad attitude; what a bunch of ***holes.
 
Roachs? I had almost forgotten about them. I'm actually surprised that there is still a place to buy a gun (legally) in Cambridge, considering that Boston has shut down their last gun shop within city limits. I bought a Ruger Old Army there back in the 80's. (wish I still had it) I stopped in there about 5 years ago for a quick look-see. I was turned off by the fact that you couldn't even enter the "evil gun area" without first showing a gun permit. I guess it's illegal to even see a gun inside a glass case in Cambridge without a license. I always thought it was funny that they happen to be in the same building as a Post Office. I wonder if they have a pass-through window in the back room, so the postal employees don't have to walk all the way around. [wink]
 
Gotta say I think that Roach's is a great place...friendly staff, decent prices in general, the know there stuff. I bought my first shot gun from them a used 1100 and to this day when I walk in, they've never forgotten me. Great store overall....and there is no area for guns that they won't let you in...even without a permit. They have never once asked me to see a permit till I've either asked to see a gun or buy one.
 
One of the first things that I did when I moved to Cambridge was visit Roachs. As far as the gun permit required sign to look at the guns, I think that it is for visual purposes and that it is not enforced - at least not when I was there. In fact, when my wife and I stopped in there, I didnt even notice the sign. However, she did and she pointed it out but before I could remark, one of the guys behind the counter heard her and said that we were free to walk/go anywhere in the store. He was well aware that I just moved to MA and had no firearms' license.
 
I think they put that up there just so they would have the option to ask any undesirables to leave if needed. It might also have been something the great city of Cambridge required. In any event, it has been there for years and I've never seen seem enforce it
 
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They didn't enforce it the last couple of times I went in there. Then again, I think the guy recognized me even though I haven't frequented there in a while. Been there a few times in the past, bought a few and sold a few. Nice guys working there. Hope they continue for many years to come, but being a gunshop in Cambridge is very tough and I can tell it's taken somewhat of a toll since the mid-90s back when I practically visited them at least once a week. From what I understand, they dropping all the reloading stuff. Quite a shame.
 
I stopped in there today with a friend just to take a looksee and maybe some primers. No pistol or rifle primers to be found, but they did have #209 shotgun primers for $37.95 (ouch). They also had some bags of lead shot for $44.95 a bag. Passed on that too. The big score was Remington (green) 12 gauge once-fired hulls for $3.00 per 100. I bought two bags, and a box of (135) clay targets for $14.95.
 
It's great to see that they are still in business. I worked beside them for a airconditioning and refrigeration company from 1971-1978. I became good friends with Charlie and we used to have lunch together most every day and shot skeet at Maynard Rod and gun on weekends. He and Bill were great guys and good friends RIP. To this day if some idiot dry fires a gun in a store I cringe wating for Charlies reaction. Anyone that remembers him should remember that. They used to have long guns in a rack in the middle of the area and cases of ammo there as well. One time they found some clown had loaded a gun and left it there on the rack. Are the boys running the store now? I really need to take a ride down and see it again. I so hope their hair has turned gray as that gave me a rashion of crap last time I was in years ago and mine turned.
I do remember Ivanhoe's in watertown and Scotts Surplus in Waltham where I bought my frirst pump 22 when I was 12 for about $25.00 now they are big bucks. At that time our neighbor drove me up to get it. Mom just said oh you bought a gun with your snow shoveling money huh? Damn I am getting old and things have changed.
Even back in the 71-78 you could look at a handgun but it didn't come out of the case till you showed your permit and most shops where like that.
 
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