Gabriel Rom

grom@lohud.com

HARRISON - A new firearm store is set to open its doors in Harrison in the coming weeks, sparking concerns from some residents.

L&L Sports, run by Louis Zacchio, will be located at the rear of Harrison Mall at 261 Halstead Ave. The shop, which received a change of occupancy approval from the Harrison Building Department in October, will be a full-service shooting-sports retailer, selling rifles, shotguns and handguns. Safety classes from NRA-certified instructors will also be offered.

More than 1,000 people have signed a change.org petition opposing the store's presence in the village. Zacchio, also a Harrison resident, said there is no reason for concern.

"I am taking every measure possible to protect my inventory from theft or damage," Zacchio said. "I want to be a good neighbor. If you don't like a product you don't buy it, but you don't try to put the person selling the product out of business."

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State law requires anyone who enters or leaves the shop to have their rifles or shotguns unloaded, cased and locked.

Harrison resident ​Vanessa Pretorious said she's worried about the impact the store would have on the downtown area.

"I'm not really against guns in general, but I feel like it's a weird store to have in downtown Harrison," Pretorius said. "If you're trying to revive an area, that doesn't seem to be the store to put in."

Michelle Foristel, who lives on Bentay Drive, had similar concerns.

"The owner sounds very reasonable, but my concern is that we're just a little town and I don't understand why the gun store has to be here, but I guess it has to be someplace," Foristel said.

Nick Crecco, a board member of the Dutchess Sportsmen Club, said an increase in tax dollars from gun businesses would benefit the community.

"There are thousands of residents in Westchester who carry firearms and it's our God-given right to do so," Crecco said. "Gun stores don't put hands in the guns of criminals, but in the hands of legitimate citizens."

Some residents, who plan to make their concerns heard at a Nov. 3 Harrison Board of Trustees meeting, have inquired about how and why the store was slated to open without any public hearings.

"It's not illegal and it's within the zoning so it's kind of hard to say no," said Harrison Town Board member Joe Stout. "It's a legitimate business."

Calls to Town Supervisor Ron Belmont and Town Attorney Frank Allegretti were not returned.