Grizzly’s PA Moving Sale and New Benchtop Bandsaw for 2016

Grizzly announced this month that they’ll be closing their Muncy, PA showroom and warehouse at the end of October. I visited on Saturday, for what normally would have been the fall tent sale, but was a moving sale instead. As of this writing, all new in-stock merchandise is 10% off and floor models are 15% off. Demo Shop units are advertised as 25% off, but there’s essentially none left.

If you’re in driving distance of Muncy, it’s worth stopping in. For a $1,495 cabinet saw like the G0690, you’re not only saving $150 off the retail price, but you also avoid the $150 freight charge. A particularly good value is the G0771 hybrid saw. It’s currently on sale for $675, which, after the discount, brings the price to $607.50. When the sales are over, the price with shipping will be $895. (I use these examples because they’re the two saws I was torn between buying.)

Grizzly’s flier says that “all items must go”, but one employee told me that five tractor trailers of tools and equipment leave daily for Missouri. Granted, those tools are leaving, but if there’s something you need, I would suggest getting it now rather than hoping that the discount will eventually drop.

Grizzly has several tent sales each year, where they sell damaged and returned merchandise. There were tent sale items are for sale in the warehouse, but far fewer than at a typical Grizzly sale. There are no table saws left, and probably not enough woodworking equipment in general to warrant a trip, if tent sale tools is all you’re looking for. Metal working machines were more prolific, and there are quire a few small lathes left in particular.

I ended up purchasing a 7x14 Mini-Lathe and two cute little Shop Fox Micro Mills. The new lathe will hopefully replace my Shop Fox Micro Lathe from an earlier sale. It’s a brand new unit, but the control box was damaged in shipment. A new control box was included and it looks like all the parts are present. We’ll find out soon. As for the mills, one is missing the x-y table and the other is supposed to have a bad motor. (The bigger problem is that I don’t actually need another milling machine.)

The best deals at a Grizzly Tent Sale are in the first minutes after the doors open and a few hours later, when they’re ready to negotiate on price. I made all my purchases later on, so I had a good bit of time to wonder around and talk to people.

One person I was excited to get a chance to speak with was Shabir Balolia, Corporate Manager and son of founder Shiraz Balolia. We talked about the closing of the Muncy location, which he said essentially came down to two causes: First, the cost difference between shipping from the Missouri and Pennsylvania locations to the east coast is negligible, with Missouri sometimes even being cheaper. Second, visits to the showroom have declined significantly, while internet orders have skyrocketed. Speaking personally, I’ve often stopped at Grizzly’s immense showroom and been the only person there, so I can understand the reasoning.

Shabir also spoke with me about his plans for a new benchtop bandsaw. It will be the first benchtop bandsaw to feature a carry handle and upper/lower ball bearing blade guides, as well as other innovations. Shabir was excited to talk about it and clearly expects it to be the highest quality benchtop bandsaw on the market. Look for it in the 2016 catalog or on Grizzly’s website, come January. Shabir asked that I not share any other specifics, but definitely keep an eye on Grizzly if you’re planning a small home workshop.

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