Ten years ago, Mandall's Shooting Supplies was an unusual hub in Old Town Scottsdale. Back then, it was the place to go if you were looking to shoot some high-powered, fully automatic guns or buy an expensive, vintage rifle from Spain.
Now, all that's left of Mandall's Shooting Supplies is the most bizarre sign in Old Town Scottsdale -- a cute, cuddly teddy bear holding a machine gun.
The teddy bear sign's been hanging from the building since Mandall's
Shooting Supplies was incorporated in Arizona in 1975. It's pretty
rusty now, but the image of a stuffed animal with gun at the ready is
clearly visible -- it's actually the highlight of the otherwise
gentrified intersection at Scottsdale Road and Goldwater Boulevard.
Unfortunately, the store closed when owner Marty Mandall retired, sometime prior to 2005. The only things visible through the storefront windows are some empty shelves, tables, and chairs, so we can only imagine this place in its heyday, when it housed 25-yard indoor ranges for rifle and pistol, offered fully automatic weapons for rent, and showcased its plethora of imported firearms (like Erma E M1s from Germany, Cabanas Master Bolt Action Rifles from Mexico, and the Alpine. 243 rifle from England).
Hopefully, the most unusual sign in Old Town Scottsdale will hang out a bit longer.
(Editor's note: After this blog was published, we received information that Marty Mandall died in March, 2009. Here is a link to a blog about Mandall's passing.)
The machine gun teddy bear sign is located at the old Mandall's Shooting Supplies building, 3616 N. Scottsdale Road.
Unfortunately, the store closed when owner Marty Mandall retired, sometime prior to 2005. The only things visible through the storefront windows are some empty shelves, tables, and chairs, so we can only imagine this place in its heyday, when it housed 25-yard indoor ranges for rifle and pistol, offered fully automatic weapons for rent, and showcased its plethora of imported firearms (like Erma E M1s from Germany, Cabanas Master Bolt Action Rifles from Mexico, and the Alpine. 243 rifle from England).
Hopefully, the most unusual sign in Old Town Scottsdale will hang out a bit longer.
(Editor's note: After this blog was published, we received information that Marty Mandall died in March, 2009. Here is a link to a blog about Mandall's passing.)
The machine gun teddy bear sign is located at the old Mandall's Shooting Supplies building, 3616 N. Scottsdale Road.
