Silvertowne Messed Up My Order?

Just a few insights into Silvertowne:

The IRS audited them in the 70s. They said ST was the largest sole proprietorship (unincorporated) the IRS ever audited. The IRS said no business worked on such small margins and claimed millions in taxes due. When they were done, they figured less than $5000 was due.

One day a dealer went there and asked about eight shipping crates over against the wall. They said it was a small dealer's inventory they paid $45,000 for. The dealer wrote them a check for $50,000, neither party opened the crates.

Back when the shop was in the basement, I stopped after a show. Leon greeted me and said "I'd invite you in for dinner, but anyone, including family, who isn't cleared before 5pm Friday, cannot come in until 9ayem Monday." He pointed to a gorilla-guard behind him. "He's here in case I try to bend the rule."

Wow, that's a fantastic offer, Hawk. Thanks for that. Wife and I do enjoy travel but usually limit our trips to the western US. If, by some stroke of fate, we managed to get down your way, we would love to accept your most generous offer.

As I've pointed out, Silvertowne is a mom and pop that grew. I've mentioned that the shop used to be in their basement, but here's something even weirder:

I don't remember if this lasted into the 1980 PM boom, but it was at least into the late 70s. If you wanted to call ST, you had to call the operator and get put through to their four digit phone number. This was a dozen years after the rollout of touch-tone phones.

That's not all. At the end of three minutes, the line went dead. No warning, no explanation, no apologies, no exceptions, just "click". To continue the conversation, call the operator...

Does that sound like a huge corporate operation?