Rock Island Arsenal gift shop closing due to declining sales

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (AP) - The owner of the gift shop at the Rock Island Arsenal says it's going out of business because of declining sales.

Lawrence Ventures Inc. operates the shop independently from the government. Owner Terry Lawrence of Moline tells the Quad-City Times (http://bit.ly/2eG2gYL ) that increased security measures and reduced museum hours have caused declining sales.

A portion of the gift shop's proceeds go to the Rock Island Arsenal Historical Society.

Meanwhile Army Sustainment Command public affairs officer Dan Carlson says there should be news "in the coming weeks" about the Rock Island Arsenal Museum. The museum had its hours and staff cut earlier this year. The newspaper reports about 25 percent of the museum's collection were shipped to an Army museum support facility in Alabama.

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Information from: Quad-City Times, http://www.qctimes.com