And the moment we've all been waiting for! *drum roll please!*
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Tennessee used car dealer's free gun promotion a success
Copyright © 2000 Nando Media
Copyright © 2000 Scripps Howard News Service
By HAYES HICKMAN, Knoxville News-Sentinel of Tennessee
POWELL, Tenn. (August 27, 2000 1:29 p.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) - After a week of unforeseen international media coverage, the modest banner hanging outside Advantage Auto Sales tempted passing motorists with a sales pitch the world had already heard: "Buy a car, get a gun this Saturday."
Television news trucks shared the small lot with its 25 or so used cars. Meanwhile, reporters and cameramen zeroed in on the few arriving customers - any one of whom could become the first to take advantage of auto dealer Greg "Lumpy" Lambert's controversial sales promotion.
A self-professed gun-rights advocate, Lambert touched off a circus of media attention after announcing his novel idea to offer vouchers for a free rifle with every vehicle sold Saturday.
The announcement kept his telephone ringing with reporters throughout the week, and when the sale began, price-haggling took a back seat to interviews as Lambert welcomed the attention.
"It's turned into more of a statement," said Lambert, 34. "It's not going to break my heart if I don't sell any cars today."
And whether or not the hoopla turned away any potential buyers, Lambert said he was sure that "now the whole world knows there's a car lot here. It's already successful beyond my wildest dreams."
Members of the East Tennessee Friends of the National Rifle Association were on hand to distribute literature and sign new members. Attendees could also join the Rights Education Fund, a local gun-rights group of which Lambert is a member.
At least 26 people joined the NRA and 19 bought memberships in the REF, which previously only boasted five paying members.
By day's end, Lambert had sold three vehicles, and each buyer accepted a voucher for a bolt-action rifle - including a man in California who purchased his 1992 Mazda pickup truck over the phone and without seeing it for $2,795, plus shipping costs. Lambert made arrangements to have the free rifle shipped to a local gun dealer as well.
"He just wanted to make a statement," Lambert said.
The guns, worth about $100 each, were available after a mandatory background check at GunCraft Sports in Knoxville.
"No one bought a car today just to get a rifle. ... It was just icing on the cake," Lambert said as the sale came to an end. Besides, "even if no one had shown up at all, the media attention was well worth the trouble."
Contact Hayes Hickman of The Knoxville News-Sentinel in Tennessee at hickman@knews.com.
[/quote]
This story can be found HERE.
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God, Guns and Guts made this country a great country!
oberkommando sez:
"We lost the first and third and now they are after the Second!(no pun intended)"
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Tennessee used car dealer's free gun promotion a success
Copyright © 2000 Nando Media
Copyright © 2000 Scripps Howard News Service
By HAYES HICKMAN, Knoxville News-Sentinel of Tennessee
POWELL, Tenn. (August 27, 2000 1:29 p.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) - After a week of unforeseen international media coverage, the modest banner hanging outside Advantage Auto Sales tempted passing motorists with a sales pitch the world had already heard: "Buy a car, get a gun this Saturday."
Television news trucks shared the small lot with its 25 or so used cars. Meanwhile, reporters and cameramen zeroed in on the few arriving customers - any one of whom could become the first to take advantage of auto dealer Greg "Lumpy" Lambert's controversial sales promotion.
A self-professed gun-rights advocate, Lambert touched off a circus of media attention after announcing his novel idea to offer vouchers for a free rifle with every vehicle sold Saturday.
The announcement kept his telephone ringing with reporters throughout the week, and when the sale began, price-haggling took a back seat to interviews as Lambert welcomed the attention.
"It's turned into more of a statement," said Lambert, 34. "It's not going to break my heart if I don't sell any cars today."
And whether or not the hoopla turned away any potential buyers, Lambert said he was sure that "now the whole world knows there's a car lot here. It's already successful beyond my wildest dreams."
Members of the East Tennessee Friends of the National Rifle Association were on hand to distribute literature and sign new members. Attendees could also join the Rights Education Fund, a local gun-rights group of which Lambert is a member.
At least 26 people joined the NRA and 19 bought memberships in the REF, which previously only boasted five paying members.
By day's end, Lambert had sold three vehicles, and each buyer accepted a voucher for a bolt-action rifle - including a man in California who purchased his 1992 Mazda pickup truck over the phone and without seeing it for $2,795, plus shipping costs. Lambert made arrangements to have the free rifle shipped to a local gun dealer as well.
"He just wanted to make a statement," Lambert said.
The guns, worth about $100 each, were available after a mandatory background check at GunCraft Sports in Knoxville.
"No one bought a car today just to get a rifle. ... It was just icing on the cake," Lambert said as the sale came to an end. Besides, "even if no one had shown up at all, the media attention was well worth the trouble."
Contact Hayes Hickman of The Knoxville News-Sentinel in Tennessee at hickman@knews.com.
[/quote]
This story can be found HERE.
------------------
God, Guns and Guts made this country a great country!
oberkommando sez:
"We lost the first and third and now they are after the Second!(no pun intended)"
