The Founder of Grice Gun Shop Dies

Lynn “Scoot” Grice, founder of Grice Gun Shop, died on Saturday, Jan. 18. His business which will celebrate its 70th anniversary this year, grew from a small gas station to a 70,000 square foot store and warehouse that serves people and businesses all over the country. (Obituary photo)

By Julie Rae Rickard

CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield community is mourning the death of Lynn “Scoot” Grice, 91, the founder of one of their most successful businesses.

He was known for being a hard worker which led to his store growing to serve people all over the country.

“Being raised only by his mother, he learned the value of a dollar and to appreciate the rewards of hard work,” it notes in his obituary.

“After graduating from Clearfield High Vo-Tech Electrical School in 1952, Scoot was working over 80 hours a week between the gas station and the Harbison Walker Brickyard. In early 1953, he was drafted to serve his country and spent two years with the Medical Corps with the United States Army.”

It was after he returned to Clearfield in 1955 that Grice Gun Shop truly began as he took over his uncle’s gas station.

His uncle, Tom Grice opened a gas station with a partner, Barney Collins of Hyde at 114 North 3rd St in Clearfield in 1945. The station building measured just 14 feet by 14 feet. Collins later sold out to Joseph Rumsky who eventually sold out to Tom, explained Scoot in a previous interview with me.

After Tom suffered a heart attack, he closed the station. In March 1955, when Scoot returned from the service, he reopened the station. Eventually he started reloading ammunition and sporterizing guns there in his spare time.

“There were thousands of military rifles left over from the wars. We started restoring them,” Scoot said.

They received the rifles at no cost so the only expense they had was for the labor they put into restoring the guns. They also began to build custom rifles.

In 1961, Scoot and his wife, Janet were able to purchase the ground the station was on and in 1962 the first phase of construction began on what became Grice Gun Shop. Unsure of this new business, Scoot maintained the gas pumps and grease pits for a while before discarding them completely in 1966, he said.

In the middle 1960’s, the business was growing. Scoot eventually hired George Gill who was their gunsmith for more than 30 years. In 1963 they added 20 feet to the back of the building. As the business continued to thrive, in 1970 they added a second floor.

Scoot’s son, Tom, who was named for Scoot’s uncle, started working at the shop at the tender age of eight. After his graduation from high school, Tom joined the staff full-time.

In the 1980’s Grice’s started doing business with other gun shops throughout the U.S. They purchased the property at 216 Reed St. and in 1985, built the present gun shop.

In 2000, the business and warehouse occupied 70,000 square feet.

At that time, Scoot said Grice’s was one of the biggest gun sellers east of the Mississippi. In addition to guns, they are a total hunting supply store. Grice’s is also a wholesale distributor for gun shops in all 50 states.

Customers come from as far away as Columbus, Ohio for their annual anniversary sale which is held in March. This year they will celebrate their 70th anniversary.

Scoot was a strong supporter of the community. In 1994, he started the Grice Clearfield Community Museum which has over 70 classic cars and hundreds of animal mounts.

His other interests were prairie dog hunting in South Dakota for which he was nicknamed “Chief Flying Dog”.

He enjoyed flying airplanes, and during his semi-retirement, he earned his pilot’s license.

“Scoot is survived by his wife of 72 years, Janet of Clearfield; son, Tom Grice and wife Brenda of Clearfield; two grandchildren, Dustin Grice, and Sierra Danver and husband Tyler; two great grandchildren, Caliahna and Cody; and two sisters, Marie DelPrato and Helen Backhus. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Bertie Imler,” according to his obituary.