Home Gun Retail Operation Approved In Southington

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A local resident easily received town approval for a home-based firearms retail operation and, in doing so, impressed Southington officials in educating them about how his business would work.

The Southington Planning and Zoning Commission last week voted 7-0 to approve Southington resident Kurt Guillemette's application to start a small gun retail operation at his 1900 Mount Vernon Road residence, which is in a residential zone.

During a prior public hearing at the March 21 meeting, no members of the public spoke about the operation.

Much of the talk was Guillemette explaining how state and federal laws work regarding such operations and how he would be doing his business.

Guillemette's presentation, according to PZC member Peter Santago, helped the zoning board member better understand what was being proposed.

"I was very impressed with the presentation and I feel good about safety and the process. I thought the applicant did a nice job of, certainly, educating me. He was very, very impressive," Santago said.

Guillemette's proposed gun retail operation would only be on the weekends.

Guillemette said he would likely meet with about four customers on weekends and a typical transaction would take about 30 minutes, reads a letter from Guillemette to the town's zoning office.

He said he is a certified National Rifle Association (NRA) instructor and has taught pistol and firearms courses at the Bell City Rifle Club in Southington.

Guillemette said he has been working in the firearms industry for seven years and has worked at two gun stores.

He said he also works as a towing manager/dispatcher/safety officer for a Bristol company.

Saying his regular day job was busy, the applicant classified his propspective endeavor as being a part-time operation.

"I'm not looking to make a living off it. It's more of a part-time thing," Guillemette said. "So I don't think it will impose any disruptions in anybody's life."

Guillemette said he was advised to garner PZC approval for the home operation in the leadup to securing necessary federal permits from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

He also explained how his business would work.

While he plans to operate a gun retail operation in his home, his house is not a gun store, explained Guillemette.

Rather, he said, he would purchase guns for clients of his, likely students, and help facilitate those students through the myriad government approvals and permits.

Only when a client is, legally, able to purchase a gun does the client get a gun, explained Guillemette.

Otherwise, he explained, a seller faces stiff, federal charges. "That's a felony," Guillemette said.

Guillemette also said he wouldn't have an arsenal of weapons at his residence, despite being a licensed gun retailer.

In fact, he said he would only store one or two firearms in his special gun locker for clients at any given time.

"You're not going to walk in my house and see a whole wall of firearms available," Guillemette said.

From March 19: 'Gun Retail Operation Pitched In Southington Neighborhood'