Plans for an indoor firing range in the former Save-a-Lot in Eureka have fallen through and an Ace Hardware Store is now reportedly moving into its place.
In June, the city's board of alderman approved plans for Tier One Weapons Systems, a gun shop and custom rifle manufacturer currently located in the same shopping center, to build the 25-yard range.
However, Tier One Weapons System owner Sam Andrews said Thursday that the workers busily renovating the exterior of the former Save-a-Lot aren't his. Instead, Rockwood Bank is leasing the space to Ace Hardware, according to Andrews.
A representative of Rockwood Bank deferred comments on the deal, which was described as not final, to President Joe Lunt, who was unavailable until Monday.
Andrews said the reason for the change is in part because he "couldn't get a deal done" with Rockwood Bank after he stalled the plan following Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of a controversial bill nullifying federal gun laws.
According to Andrews, a provision of the bill would have exempted weapon manufacturers such as himself from federal excise taxes on gun and ammo sales, as long as they occur within the state.
"It cut our profit margins by 11 percent," Andrews said. "The investors got scared."
So they decided to put the proposal for the gun range on hold. In the meantime, Andrews said Rockwood Bank was approached by Ace Hardware about possibly locating in the space.
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