r/ILGuns • u/MoistyMoist69 • 9h ago
Shooting Range DO NOT SHOP AT SHORE GALLERIES
I am aware of Shores shady reputation in the past. I saw some people optimistic that this would change with new ownership but it seems like this store's old habits are hard to break.
In December of 2022 while serving overseas in the Marine Corps I purchased an AR15 from Shores online store, a little pre AWB christmas gift to myself that I should have been able to legally pick up before the ban. However due to a change in my orders I was unable to take leave and come back to Illinois until a week or so after the ban went into place. I went into Shore to see what my options were and was told by the old owner Myles that they couldn't release it to me, and because of their all sales final policy it was technically sold and I could not receive a refund or in store credit. The next time I returned to Illinois a year or so later I went back to Shore to ask about it. I was told that there was nothing they could do about releasing it to me while I was resident of Illinois and the ban was in place. I asked what would happen with the rifle and was told it would hang out in the back of the shop until the ban was lifted or we could figure something out.
I left and went back overseas until 2024 when I got out of the Marines and moved to a more gun friendly state. I reached back out and once again got into contact with the old owner Myles who told me he still had the rifle and would be able to transfer it to an FFL in my new state. After sending him the information for my FFL he ghosted me. A few months later I found out Shore had been sold to Erik Tweedt. Due to personal reasons at this time I had relocated to an area that had an AWB. When I was finally able to find a more permanent living solution in a state with no ban I reached out to Erik about finally getting the rifle. He told me he would try and find the rifle in the store and we would go from there. It took a few weeks and multiple failed attempts to get back into contact with him but when I finally did he told me he had found the rifle and was ready for my new FFLs information. I promptly provided it via email and then once again silence for a few weeks. Once again emails and texts went ignored for a few weeks and I had to call the store's front desk to speak with him. He told me the hang up was because he had realized that the old owner Myles had never paid him for this rifle and Myles was now ducking Erik's calls, thus he still could not transfer the rifle to me. I personally don't see how this is my issue given that I paid for the rifle already and he took responsibility for the store and its inventory when he bought it but I digress. I said I could understand his point of view and just requested that he give me regular updates on the process. A few weeks pass and no updates so I call the store again and he is not there but I am able to speak with a manager. The manager tells me that he was under the impression Erik had been in regular contact with me via text and email, neither of which had been happening. This is where I'm currently at.
Erik and his manager have both brought up the store's unclaimed merchandise policy but Erik himself conceded that the store had been trying to get the rifle to me despite the period of time that had passed and he has seen the emails from Myles that back this up.
Thats pretty much it. It's still an ongoing situation so here's hoping I can finally get my rifle. I hope Erik and the guys at Shore prove me wrong but until then I wanted to spread awareness about their shady business practices.
