Here’s why (most) local gun shops are staying open — and how the coronavirus has impacted sales
Local gun shop owner Fred Grauch, who oversees Philipsburg’s Belding & Mull, understands the seriousness of the coronavirus — but, like most area owners, he’s chosen to stay open as demand for guns and ammo soars across the nation.
“You saw the toilet paper run. Well, the joke online is after the toilet paper run, you got to get a gun to protect your hoard of toilet paper,” Grauch said. “But our response is we do serve police departments ... but we’re also staying open to the public.
“We agree that after food and health care, a lot of people say the third most-important thing is safety and protection.”
Grauch isn’t alone. Of the eight area gun shops contacted Wednesday, only one — Clearfield’s Grice Gun Shop — announced it was closing its store, although online ordering is still available.
“After carefully considering all the facts, Grice Gun Shop is closing our store due to COVID-19,” the store said in a written statement on its Facebook page. “The three-day anniversary sale is postponed ‘til it is responsibly safe to have it.”
Both nationally and statewide, there’s been a marked increase in gun and ammo sales. According to Pennsylvania State Police, a 220% increase in background checks took place Tuesday compared to the same time last year, despite two separate three-hour statewide outages with the system. And, locally, Grauch estimated he’s seen about a 30% to 40% uptick in sales Monday and Tuesday.
But, locally, the rush to buy guns and ammo appears subdued compared to other parts of the country. In parts of California, which is among the hardest-hit states by the coronavirus, it’s not unusual to see lines stretching around the block. The Los Angeles Times published a photo Wednesday that showed one man sitting on a lawn chair in the middle of a queue in Culver City.
In Centre County, according to gun shop owners, there’s been a noticeable increase in business — but it’s been similar to past increases that occur whenever gun-control becomes a daily news topic, like when Barack Obama was first elected or when politicians debated banning certain semi-automatic weapons after the Sandy Hook school shooting. At J & E Guns and Hunters Warehouse, both in Bellefonte, no line extended out the door Wednesday.
J & E Guns boasted about a half-dozen cars in its parking lot Wednesday afternoon. Hunters Warehouse also still had open street parking available.
“I think it’s extremely important that people have the ability to protect themselves in a bad situation,” Hunters Warehouse owner Tom Engle said. “And this is the worst situation since I’ve been alive — and I’ve been in business since 1981. I’ve seen a lot of bad situations but nothing like this.”
Engle said his shop remains well-stocked, and Grauch said this week usually serves as this season’s sales week, so his shop is also far from empty. Elsewhere, the Walmart on Benner Pike was running low on ammo but the shelves were not bare. State College’s Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is offering curbside pickup, does not offer ammo if it’s not purchased in-person.
“We’re busy,” Grauch added, “but we’re not super busy.”
Gun shop owners are still taking precautions during the global pandemic, which has caused 133 confirmed cases in Pennsylvania, according to the state health department, as of Wednesday afternoon. Engle said he thankfully bought Purell in bulk and frequently wipes everything down, while Grauch is using Lysol to clean everything — guns, door knobs, sinks, “anything someone can touch” — while urging customers in his 5,000-square foot store to stay 6-10 feet away from one another.
Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday that all nonessential businesses and government offices should close, for at least the next two weeks, in an effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus. But he would not force businesses to close.
There are no confirmed cases in Centre County, as of Wednesday afternoon.
“What’s good right now for the cities isn’t necessarily what’s right for us out here in the country, but that’s just my opinion,” Grauch said, adding his shop might change how it operates if the coronavirus gets closer.
Added Engle, who also cited safety and protection as reasons for staying open: “We will stay open until we’re not allowed to be.”
This story was originally published March 18, 2020 at 4:25 PM.
