High Bridge Arms Inc. is a gun shop sandwiched between a bar and a Copy Central on Mission Street near Valencia Street in Bernal Heights. It had been in operation since the 1950s, until the current owner closed the shop earlier this year because he was like "this is too much work." Shoot forward to today and gun shop manager Steve Alcairo is attempting to remodel the store and get a zoning permit so he can reopen the shop by the end of the year. But now he's facing opposition from the Northwest Bernal Alliance neighborhood group, who kicked off an e-mail campaign to rally their troops to oppose the gun shop. "I think if you have a neighborhood with families and children, what needs to be on the street are eyes on the street and family-friendly businesses and things that support a neighborhood. I don't think a gun store supports a neighborhood," says neighbor Jaime Ross. Not everyone shares the same opinion as Ross. "I think it's great. It's a local business and there's always cops around," says Jaimee Greenleaf from the Argus Lounge. If Alcairo gets his zoning permit, High Bridge Arms Inc., will be the only licensed gun shop in San Francisco. The permit hearing is scheduled for September 8th. We expect the NIMBYs in full force.
· Gun shop hopes to re-open in Mission District [ABC Local]
· Neighbors Fight the Re-opening of SF's Only Gun Shop [SF Appeal]
· High Bridge Arms Inc. [HBA]
· Northwest Bernal Alliance [NWBA]
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