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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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All - isn't "Greg at Bent Gate" the same character 'luring' everyone to Mountain Project a while back? At the same time, he was on MP luring people to ST? He also did this stuff at Alpine Zone and other places.
In other words, he's big ol' troll. He's got a lot of fishies on his lures right now, no? :/
Remember? See e.g., http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1938915&tn=100.
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Ljohnson
Social climber
The land of ice, snow and rocks
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I respect Gary and everything he has done for the Boulder community....
But aside from Dan helping me with BoCan beta, the staff at Neptune's has always (in my 18 years of patronage,) been unhelpful and aloof.
As a manager for a locally owned outdoor retailer and guide service I wholly support locally owned business, but if my business had poor customer service I would expect my business to fail.
Then again, I don't have a toe in my shop.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Sport climber
moving thru
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Against my best inclinations not to comment on this thread for a variety of reasons......dang am gonna say something.
Business, Personal and other battles are just that....battles that bother the heart and soul if yo believe'in in em. Chill is the word. People and life are more important than strife....jess sayin'. lynnie on a dang cold winter nite.
Peace All.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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I only visited Neptune Mountaineering once, in IIRC about 2003. I was in Estes Park for Access Fund meetings, and then spent a few days in Boulder. A visit to Neptune's was essential, given its reputation. I was there on a quiet weekday afternoon, and had a good look around over several hours. I'm reasonably familiar with climbing retail, and from what I could see and hear the place was well run, had wide and deep selection, and had knowledgeable and experienced employees. (The museum stuff of course added greatly to the character, but let's leave that aside.) Overall, it seemed very much sui generis.
There are lots of climbing stores that start small, cozy, and with attitude. The owner's a climber, his friends work there, they mostly have climbing-related stuff, and funky decor. They were common in the 1970s - up here we had MEC, which then matched that description, the Swallow's Nest, and Der Sportsmann in Leavenworth. Many didn't survive more than ten years, and those that did almost always did so by greatly broadening and (usually) diluting their roots. Most often by getting into clothing then, which would now be the "lifestyle" products. More corporate oriented ownership, with all its attendant demands for homogeneity and results. And so on. We all saw it happen - I remember meeting people who knew REI when it was a funky little store run by Jim Whittaker, in the 1950s. Somehow Neptune's managed to grow to a respectable size, and sustain things, without falling into the trap that so many other retailers did.
There are some retailers which have grown considerably, become somewhat corporatized, but do still deliver the goods in terms of climbing gear, community, services and stuff - even if you have to hike past kilometres of neon coloured puffies to get to it. In some ways size, discipline and diversification allow them to continue doing a good job serving their core areas, and retain at least some "authenticity". But it's a hard equilibrium to maintain.
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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PH, just enjoying re-reading your postings and wanderings into the past....some great memories there! :-)
I'll make sure to get your message to Linda...
much love to you and Tami!
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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I recall Gary always being cordial, interested, interesting, and helpful whenever we went into his shop bitd.
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George
Ice climber
Los Alamos, NM
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I am not sure who the Greg@Bentgate guy is, but the profile picture is NOT Greg Floyd, founder and co-owner of Bent Gate.
He might be a manager or employee, but definitely not the owner. Even if Greg the owner felt that he had good reason to dog on a competitor, he is way to business savvy (and too classy) to do it in a public forum.
I worked at Bent Gate 2004-2006. Their growth is a direct result of very good management by the owners and analytical buying It helps when you "steal" your buyer from a PhD program and turn him into a climbing bum, instead of hiring a climbing bum and hoping he can crunch numbers.
That is not to say that during my time there that we did not hire some less than great employees or piss off the occasional customer. Every retail business does that, but it is how you deal with it that matters. As a manager there I personally responded to a few cases where a pissed off customer posted on a forum. We addressed the issue directly and made a loyal customer.
I am sad to see Gary sell Neptune and I hope he did well in the sale. He is one of icons of the outdoor industry and stayed true to his vision of running a core climbing/skiing shop. Time will tell if the new owners can increase profitability without losing what has made Neptune Mountaineering an institution.
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Prod
Trad climber
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prod, you made a big production in the other thread about a climbing mag not treating climber contractors right.
So here we have an example of a business treating their employee climbers right.
So what do you do, jump in with the group, upon the announcement of the sale of the store, bashing the guy.
To what end? The store is sold. Neptune is not running it anymore. Nothing anyone says will change Neptune's management, because he won't be managing.
The point? To kick someone in the teeth on the way out.
Remember that what comes around, goes around. When you make the bonehead mistake and crater, you can look forward to a bunch of people letting your relatives know about all your deficiencies.....because that's how you want to do things, I guess. I walk to a different beat.
As for the specific issues involved with my deleted post, the relevant sources:
You must have reading comprehension problems, or you are just too anxious to get to your point and forget to read what others have written. I am not nor was I bashing Neptune. I'd bet I spent more in that store this year than 98% of the Boulder posters who spent any money there this year. I spent money there yesterday. There was no "BIG" production from me in the Climbing Mag thread, I made an observation and commented on it. And it differed from your perspective so you called me Stupid. Please keep reading below.
And I was not standing up for Locker when I called you a DICKHEAD, I was pointing out to you that you are a DICKHEAD and have shown that to be true more than once here. Just because you went through a program does not give you any right to be a DICKHEAD, apparently it is just the way you are. Personally attacking someone when you can't come up with a logical counterpoint to their argument is a DICKHEADISH move.
Cheers,
Prod.
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philo
Trad climber
Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?
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Prod I did read up thread that it might be a troll.
It's hard to keep up with threads that take off when I am working.
If it is a troll I appologize.
If it isn't I stand by what I said.
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Remember that what comes around, goes around.
I don't recall any negative comments when Culp's store went under.
I think it's pretty funny how Gary's supporters fully admit and even brag about how incredibly polarizing he could be, then take offense in the next breath at how ungrateful the same people he alienated are for not recognizing what a great community builder he was.
He ran a great frat house for a rather small part of the Boulder community, that is all I see. A bunch of people who would otherwise be cleaning toilets and flipping burgers in an otherwise elite town were given a home and a feeling of status. Threats to that world by outsiders were dealt with accordingly. I never saw a Neptune crag cleanup day or anything of the sort for the larger community - only perks for the insiders.
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philo
Trad climber
Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?
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I don't recall any negative comments when Culp's store went under.
That's because you only see and hear what you want to see and hear.
And that becomes more evident every time you hit return.
Bob got crapped on hard here.
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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Bob got crapped on hard
Some people pay good money for that kind of thing...as long as you're wearing leather.
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philo
Trad climber
Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?
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Clean up in sports wear.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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When did we start eating our young?
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philo
Trad climber
Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?
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I missed something other than the boat. What is a TGR thread?
And who cares what JLP thinks? JLP cares.
An army of one.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
SLO, Ca
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Does this thread have more posts than that Chessler antique ropes thread? You Boulder guys take your retail thing quite seriously!
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goatboy smellz
climber
Nederland-GulfBreeze
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Shopping is a competitive sport in this town.
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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The TGR thread is just some disgruntled guy ranting. I asked the employee in question at the time and as it turns out the customer/TGR tread author had thrown something at the employee (it is on video...) and THAT is why he got booted. Funny he didn't mention that in the thread.... Funny how is wasn't mentioned anywhere in the > 700 replies over the next couple months, either, even at the peak where Neptune employees were posting any and all slander and personal information they could find on the guy. Even Gary himself chimed in. You'd think such a detail would have been highlighted.
Really, by far, it is the most hilarious internet rant thread I've ever read.
If someone got lit up and started throwing sh#t around the store - all the funnier.
In fact, it could possibly be even funnier than watching a certain employee popping veins in his forehead, sweating, turning red and throwing things around behind the climbing counter after a customer asked all the wrong questions about something I completely forget.
I've never seen such drama at REI - for sure.
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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Yeah, at that time wasn't La Sportiva THE best-selling rock shoe in the country, and certainly in Boulder? I remember how stunned I was when we did that (I was there then)....and it barely changed our sales, did it?
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philo
Trad climber
Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?
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Nice one Phil.
Gary has got balls and class.
Hey JLP we all get that you are all kinds of butt hurt because the Neptune staff did not sniff your O-ring in a properly deferential manner. Obviously because you didn't measure up to their hard dude clique. So give it up. Go take your platinum card to REI. You can impress the noobers by strutting your all knowing badboi stuff there. Surely you will measure up there but might want to wear your heel lifts just to be sure.
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