A historic California gun shop located not far from an elementary school has been purchased by the city to keep its doors closed forever.
The Culver City Council approved the purchase of Martin B. Retting, Inc. more than $6 million after more than six decades of being housed in Los Angeles County, according to KTLA.
Various members of the Retting family owned the store, but the store’s current owners announced on their website in July that they planned to sell the decades-old gun shop — instead closing it in early September.
“Despite having overcome and grown after everything the firearms industry could throw at us, it turns out that one thing we can’t beat is the inexorable march of time,” wrote Martin B. Retting, Inc. management. in the notes about it website.
The Martin B. Retting Gun Shop has been at that location since 1958.KTLA 5The old owner announced the store will be closing up shop.KTLA 5
Culver Vice Mayor Yasmine Imani-McMorrin said the city made the purchase when public safety concerns were raised by local families about the possibility of a new gun store popping up in its place.
Culver 878, a gun safety group that has led efforts to keep other gun stores from springing up in its place, said it was relieved the city acquired the store.
“Stopping the sale of guns in our school zones will have an impact on our children and families that will be felt for generations,” said mother and Culver 878 member Melody Hanson during a Sept. 11 town meeting to hear from community members, according to the outlet.
The Culver City Council bought the building from the store for more than $6 million.KTLA 5 The store is less than 1,000 feet from La Ballona Elementary School. KTLA 5
Many who attended the meeting insisted that they wanted council members to vote to approve the purchase of the property.
Since 2005, Culver City has prohibited new gun stores from opening within 1,000 feet of a school.
Martin B. Retting, Inc. – which has been in the family since 1958 – is just 800 feet from La Ballona Elementary but, given its long tenure at the location, has been revealed to have kept its doors open since the restrictions were put into effect.
The California Department of Justice reported in 2022 that several firearms used in crimes and suspected crimes across the state were purchased from the store.
Although the city has gone ahead with the purchase, not all of the community is satisfied.
Despite being purchased by the city, some residents believe the purchase will not contribute on the scale believed to combat gun violence.KTLA 5
“I am not a supporter of the Second Amendment by any stretch of the imagination, however, I am a supporter of good government,” Gary Zeiss said during the meeting by phone, according to the outlet.
Zeiss argued that the city had bought the building without a proper plan for what to do with the land.
“There is no evidence that the value of the property is in any way proportional to the value of other properties in the area,” Zeiss said.
Mayor Albert Vera confirmed the city has no immediate plans for the property but hopes the building will eventually serve as a space for the entire Culver community to enjoy.
“The City’s decision to purchase the building was largely based on listening to the community and its desire to have different uses for the location. It will be an engaged process with the community on the next steps for the building and what will happen in the end,” the statement provided to KTLA read.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
