New Schaumburg Field & Stream to sell handguns
In a 4-2 vote Tuesday night, Schaumburg trustees agreed to allow a new Field & Stream store to sell handguns within the existing Dick's Sporting Goods at Streets of Woodfield shopping center.
Trustees Frank Kozak and Jack Sullivan voted against the sale of handguns, after four longtime village residents expressed opposition to Dick's officials' request.
"I don't want to see more handguns sold in Schaumburg, in a place I've always considered to be very family friendly," said Mary Memhardt, a career teacher and 38-year resident of the village.
"Why would you want to start selling guns with everything that's going on in the world?" fellow resident Barbara Garvin asked. "I'd like you all to take a stand and say we're not selling guns in Schaumburg."
Resident Ken Zdunek said he didn't believe a store that sold guns was appropriate within two miles of a school, much less across the street from Schaumburg's economic engine, Woodfield Mall.
"I'm not opposed to guns," Zdunek added. "More in the Woodfield area is not a good thing."
Dick's already sells long guns such as rifles in Schaumburg and has security measures in place that have kept those sales free of any problems, store officials said.
The proposed expansion to handguns, however, was enough for village administrators and the Schaumburg Police Department to take a fresh look at those security arrangements.
Dick's officials said their policies allow only trained staff access to guns, and requires new purchases and returns to be escorted to and from the front door. Security cameras, shatterproof display cases and thorough background checks on both employees and purchasers are designed to keep all transactions on the property safe, they said.
Nevertheless, trustees Kozak and Sullivan weren't persuaded to vote yes.
Kozak said he wasn't taking a stand against the Second Amendment, but believes the village doesn't need guns just as it doesn't need gambling.
"I've handled guns only twice in my life and I'm over 70 years old," Kozak said. "I didn't like it either time."
Sullivan said he voted against the request because he doesn't believe accessibility to guns should be so convenient.
But the other four trustees argued that a legitimate and responsible store like Dick's was not the tipping point in society's gun debate. They also denied critics' accusations that sales tax revenue was driving their votes.
Trustee Marge Connelly said opposing the gun sales would be a feel-good vote for her, but nothing more than cosmetic.
Trustee George Dunham concurred, adding that licensed and legitimate gun owners, by and large, are not the ones committing atrocious acts with firearms.
"The bad guys are going to get the guns from somewhere, regardless," he added.
Trustee Tom Dailly, while less enthusiastic about plans to brand the east side of the building with the Field & Stream identity, said his objections were not to gun sales.
"Anyone who thinks not selling handguns in Schaumburg will make them any safer is being naive," Dailly said.
Representatives of Dick's said they did not have even an approximate estimate of when the work to bring the Field & Stream brand to the second floor and east facade of the store would be completed.