Yikes - end of an era

From the Skagit Valley Herald:

Kesselring loses firearms license
For more than 65 years, Kesselring Gun Shop has sold firearms to the hunters, collectors and protectors among us.

But starting Oct. 1, the family-owned shop will sell firearms no more.

Nobody will say why.

Don Kesselring, reached at his shop by phone Wednesday, said he had made a deal with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Part of the deal means not talking about why his business lost its license.

A spokesman for the ATF also refused to provide details about Kesselring�s license.

Was the license surrendered or revoked? Bill Perkins from the Seattle office of the ATF won�t say. A July 2 post by the shop on its Facebook page said the business is being forced to surrender its license.

Don Kesselring said the business will continue to sell gun parts, clips, magazines and ammunition, while his brother, Keith, will sell firearms out of a pro shop at a shooting range in Burlington once it opens. Kesselring Gun Shop is also prevented from providing gunsmithing services.

The place is a local legend -- the go-to for firearms and gunsmithing. Here is their website and Facebook page. The latest update from Facebook:

Here's an update on what is going on with the shop; we are NOT closing we just will no longer be selling firearms as of October. We will still be selling everything else though such as ammo, reloading supplies, etc. We had originally stated we wouldn't carry ammo either but that decision was recently changed.

This sucks...