Tucked inside the Lewis County Mall, Joe’s Outdoor Sports Shop is a haven for those who like to spend their weekends in the great outdoors. Joe Rosbach started out as the property manager of the mall. As manager, he had helped the previous owners of the store move into the mall after an adjoining building caught on fire, forcing them to relocate.
“Hunting and the outdoors has been a passion of mine since I was a little guy. One day, I made the comment to the previous owners that if they ever wanted to sell the business to let me know,” Joe says. “Well, long story short, here I am.”
Joe has owned the store for 11 years now. He is stocked full to the brim with practically anything you need for sport or home protection. You may even feel overwhelmed at all the options. Don’t worry, Joe is there to help.
Since he is an avid outdoorsman, you can be sure he educates himself on his merchandise and, of course, uses it himself. While at bigger stores, you may get a clerk who spends their free time playing video games, but Joe lives his work. This makes for better customer service than you will find anywhere else. Joe says he learns something new about the industry every day and he strives to help answer any and all questions his customers may have.
“If a customer has a question and I am unsure, I will try and do everything possible to get the answer,” Joe adds. “And in some cases, a customer will go do research on their own and come back in and educate me.” Then, Joe can pass that new knowledge on to the next costumer who asks.
Though big box stores give the illusion of always having the best prices, he says “that just isn’t the case.” Often, his pricing is actually better and the knowledge he possesses if you are unsure about what to buy is priceless. Buying the wrong item will cost you a lot more in the long run.
In these cases, Joe is there to make recommendations based on what you are looking for – whether it’s for hunting, self-defense, or just recreational shooting. “These days there are a lot of first-time gun owners and there are a lot of factors that go into buying the right firearm that fits their needs.”
Determining what caliber of firearms you are comfortable with, the size of weapon (dependent on whether you want to conceal carry or not), whether you are more comfortable with a semi-automatic or a revolver, or just something that is suitable to keep in your home – these are just a few questions Joe can help you answer.
And with so many choices including new and used firearms, black powder guns and muzzle loading supplies, ammunition, optics, reloading equipment, gun accessories, hunting equipment, and paintball, including filling C02 tanks, you are sure to find what you need.
But, he adds, he doesn’t pressure. He wants the final choice to be the customer’s so they are happy with their purchase. “I want everyone who comes into the store to get exactly what they are looking for,” he adds. “I have never been one for high pressure sales and that is not what you’re going to get here.”
Aside from helping you with purchase decision making, Joe’s Outdoor Sport Shop offers many services to help you get out of the store and into the woods quickly. He is able to complete firearm transactions in a fraction of the time of bigger stores. In addition, if he doesn’t have what you want he can get it – usually in just two to three days. He can do special orders as well as transfers from online. In both cases, the firearm is sent to the store and he does all the appropriate paperwork before you take possession. He can even do private sale transfers if you are selling your own gun. Both parties come into the store and the buyer has to pass a background check before taking possession. The fee for this service is just $30. The store also buys, sells, trades and consigns new and used firearms. These are just a few ways Joe does all he can to help customers out. Need a scope? Joe can open up the backdoor so you can look through it and be sure it will work for you before purchasing.
Married with two teenagers, Joe is by no means lacking in things to do. However, even with his busy schedule he tries to stay involved in the community as much as possible. He has been involved with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Friends of the NRA, Mule Deer Foundation, and several other fundraisers and events. He acts as the FFL dealer for these types of events – receiving the firearms and assuring they are properly transported to and from the event. The winners then come into his shop to do the paperwork prior to taking possession. He also donates merchandise to organizations for fundraisers and donates when he can to local schools, youth sports, equestrian events, cub scouts, and local fundraisers for people in need.
Above all, Joe values his customers. “The most important thing is the relationships I have made over the years,” he says. “There are a lot of good people out there and some of my customers have become my closest of friends. For that, it has all been worth it. The only regret I have is not writing down all the stories I have been told over the years, true or false (a lot of both), I would have been able to write a very comical book.”
So stop in and say hi and swap a story or two. True or not, Joe will just be happy for the camaraderie. For more information, visit Joe’s Outdoor Sports Shop website, call 360-740-6219 or stop by at 177 NE Hampe Way, Chehalis. They are open Monday – Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
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