Ian H. shot us an email about this development: High Bridge Arms hopes to re-open by the end of the year making the Mission the home to the only gun store in SF.
While the authors of all those glowing Yelp reviews and consumers of “Law Enforcement Supplies” are totally stoked, the locals aren’t so crazy about the idea.
The Northwest Bernal Alliance kicked off this email campaign:
Friends and Neighbors,
Once before we asked that you write letters to SFPD Permit Office telling them to deny High Bridge Arms (3185 Mission Street) a permit to sell guns in our neighborhood. That hearing has been continued 5 times and is now due to be heard SEPTEMBER 8TH.
It’s become more urgent now.
There have been several robberies at gunpoint right in our neighborhood and one recent hold up with a gun, at the Cancun restaurant right next to the High Bridge Arms Gun Store.
We’ve been successful in causing delays in the permit process by forcing the owner to comply with the SF Planning Code but the hearing is slated for Sept 8th and we believe unless there is a great outcry from the neighborhood, the permit will be granted and once again we’ll be home to the ONLY GUN STORE IN ALL OF SAN FRANCISCO.
No matter how you feel about guns, I think you’d agree that they should not be anywhere near our homes and/or schools.
PLEASE WE URGE YOU- take the time to send an email to the SFPD Permit Office and let them know how you feel.
And if you can call the Sergeant directly 415.553.9550Attached is a sample letter – re-arrange it – add to it – write your own - but please send it before Sept 7 to:
ATT: Permit Code/Enforcement Sergeant Coggan<William.Coggan@sfgov.org>
CC —Ingleside’s Permit/Code Enforcement Officer <William.M.McCarthy@sfgov.org>
CC—-Ingleside’s Captain Cassanego<Louis.Cassanego@sfgov.org>
CC—-us so we know it was sent – northwestbernal <northwestbernal@aol.com>;
The hearing takes place 9/8 at 1pm at the SFPD Permit Station on 850 Bryant. More over at Curbed SF.
What this announcement ignores, is that most gun crimes are committed by illegally owned guns.
By the same logic, we should ban auto dealers in the city, since drunk driving accidents are one of the leading causes of death for teenagers.
Regardless of your thoughts on the first amendment, this is a legal business serving a need in the community. If you think a reputable gun store raises crime in your neighborhood I triple-dog-dare you to provide the statistics to back that up.
I lived near High Bridge for three years and every time I walked by and the few times I went in, at least half their patrons were cops or other law enforcement. I’m hard-pressed to see how that brings a dangerous element to the neighborhood.
“By the same logic…”
Cars serve the purpose of transportation. What is the purpose of guns, i’d like to know…
Um, so they’re saying that right now there is no gun store yet there are gun crimes. So, the gun store is in no way related to the gun crimes. Because they’re already happening sans-store.
I understand their sentiment… that they don’t like gun crimes and hence, they are against the selling of guns in the high crime area. But they disprove their own argument. They clearly imply that the criminals already have guns. So, they are no longer in the market for guns. The gun store leading to more gun crime plank is a specious non-sequitor.
Now enough of the bernal peeps flexing their specious machinations. Here’s my own hardy blow: you’d have to be a grade-a moron to buy a gun in the county in which you intend to commit gun crimes. Let’s play detective. “Somebody just got shot? Hey Bob, pull up that list of people who own guns in SF county. You know, the one with the data we get from all the gun stores in the county. Start asking the SF residents who own the kind of gun used in the crime where they or their gun was at the time.”
The guns used in crimes in SF will either have been stolen, bought in another county or through an intermediary.
But again, the criminals already have guns without the store. I’m not saying I’m for the store… I’m just saying these people are cranks.
The hoodlums behind neighborhood stickups are NOT buying their guns retail, this is a dumb protest.
Personally I don’t think we should have gun stores period. Anywhere. Sure there is the argument that, without stores it becomes contraband is just sold illegally anyways and less regulated. I just don’t think anybody should have them anywhere. Police can’t even control the use of them.
Really why do civilians need to purchase guns? Hunting perhaps but I don’t see any deer running down the city streets. To protect yourself from a robber?
Because as good Americans, we all should!! It’s our second amendment right! So we can have militias and stuff.
Look at the countries who don’t permit gun ownership. They’re assholes to their citizens.
Yeah, totally, maybe Japan and England’s super-repressive governments would finally take their jackboots off the throats of the populace if people could go around wielding guns there.
Yes, we should just be lambs and wait for the slaughter!
^ Yep, this pretty much confirms this City is going down the crapper.
“Regardless of your thoughts on the first amendment, this is a legal business serving a need in the community.”
Yeah? So is Ike’s. I want a sandwich more than I want a gun, so I’m gonna stay out of this fight.
And actually, I just ate, so I’m gonna ignore the whole Ike’s thing too.
This is a blog about random things in the mission like street art and bands, not a discussion about the rights of Americans. I’m pretty sure you are trying to tackle something that’s way over your head. Your attempt to battle the bill of rights with a blog is embarrassing. Please post more cool pictures from the neighborhood and stay out of the debate of our rights. This posts comes off as biased, objective, and mostly ignorant.
The post doesn’t seem to show any bias as far as I’m concerned. It seems to state the facts of a current issue that people in our neighborhood are talking about. Which is, I think, part of what this blog is about.
In any case, this is a blog written by Americans, and Americans living in The Mission are just as American as any other Americans. So I’m not sure why you’d be shocked or bothered to see us talking about our rights. That’s a right I’m sure we have.
Well, I can’t argue, you sure do sound mighty American. All those people who regard themselves as Mexican’s are obviously just confused. Thanks for clarifying.
Whoa, you’ve got some serious habit of seeing things that aren’t there. Are reading something else and commenting here by mistake?
Biased, objective, and ignorant is a pretty bold claim for a post where I stated no personal opinion. Or maybe you just read what you want to read.
If you want my objective opinion in case the subtlety of my sarcastic headline was lost on you: I agree with your (apparent) point of view that law-abiding citizens should be able to buy a gun in San Francisco.
Guns aren’t my thing. I think most people who think they need to own guns are pieces of shit. But I don’t think someone who buys a gun at this store will immediately start shooting people when he exits the store.
However, I think the residents of the neighborhood are entitled to their opinion and I’m not going to shit on them just because I disagree. I don’t live in that neighborhood, I don’t have kids, and I’ve never been the victim of violent crime.
Biased, and ignorant seems to fit you to a T Vic just like Vagg stated. Your biased opinion about most people who think they need to own guns are pieces of shit. Come on. What crowd do you run with? I would find some new friends. There are mainy good reasons to own a weapon. A small business man who must take his daily receipts to the bank, home invasion protection, etc.
keeping it real on missionmission! There used to be a fantastic gun shop on 2nd or New Montgomery, I can’t remember which. Anyway remember Hunting and Fishing American Traditions! Support open carry, support concealed carry!
That would be the Gun Exchange. Along with Markell’s the best gun shops in SF back then.
Will be a nice companion to the 7-11 at mish&30th.
It would be the irony of ironies if the neighborhood that defeated American Apparel sat back idly while a gun store continued to operate in the middle of the neighborhood.
Is this a neighborhood that only cares for its boutiques and eateries. Or do we care about our neighbors too?
Wait, High Bridge is going to serve food? Is it going to be organic, and foraged from within a 100 mile radius using fair trade labor? OMG, I’m going the day they open!!!
Well, Burrito Justice’s famous “semi-permeable hipster membrane” might come into effect here (though frankly, this alleged membrane doesn’t do much to explain the existence of the Odeon, er, Knockout).
The gun shop has well-made, well-engineered, well-priced items that are built to give many years of excellent service. Everything Merkin Peril DOES NOT PROVIDE to the consumer. If you don’t like guns, don’t get one – same with everything. Big deal, PC-Nimbys.
I have been the victim of an armed robbery and I have had a close relative murdered by a gunman. People who choose to defend themselves should have the opportunity. The constitution protects that right at least on one’s own property, even in SanFrancisco. The effort to prevent this store from opening is an effort to prevent self defense. A subtle form of murder. And I am E. Zach Lee-Wright
There may come a time in everyones life when a gun might come in handy. If I am intent on taking what I want from you (to support my habit) and I have a gun and I know you do not, whatever you have that I want will belong to me. I was the victim of a break in and I had just bought a gun for protection about 4 months before the break in. The police showed up in about 5 minutes. If I did not have the gun both my wife and I might have been killed. The person was high and was going to do a home invasion (along with two known drug dealers waiting in the street). It is a crazy screwed up world out there and if you want to be a dead tree hugging pacifist living in lala land that is your right and privledge, myself I prefer to be a living self defense family and home protecting 2nd amendment advocate. It is ridiculous to think this gun store is in business with the intent to sell guns to criminals, the ATF would shut them down immediately. I do not like fast food stores that create a heavy toll in health care problems and cost and kill untold thousands of people with their unhealthy menues. If you really care about the Mission and SF perhaps your time could be better spent getting all the McDonalds and Burger Kings, etc. shut down.
GET OUT A CHOPPER AND POPS CAPS IN THIS THREAD.
You don’t want gun stores but pot dispensaries run by asian gangs are OK! this protest is retarded.
I thought that the people of San Francisco were all about rights and buying locally to support the community? Protesting a legit and well-respected shop owner just because he sells guns is no different than those who protest gay marriage. Both are rights that people have which biased people don’t care for.
You may not like it, and you have the right to voice your opinion, but he has a right to run his business and law abiding citizens have the right to purchase and own guns.