Gun Shop Owner Bob Moates Dies

Longtime Richmond area gun shop owner Bob Moates died July 21st after battling cancer. Mr. Moates was the founder of Bob Moates Sports Shop, Inc. in Chesterfield County and Charlotte Courthouse, Va., along with Rebel Sporting Goods in Keysville, Va.

To gun owners, Bob is probably best known for standing up to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg targeted Moates' gun shop as part of a dealer entrapment scheme where the idea was to sue gun dealers, forcing them to either comply with Bloomberg's "overlord" requirement, face huge legal fees fighting the suits, or go out of business. Bob basically gave Bloomberg the finger and ended up winning in the end. While Bloomberg crowed that he won the battle because Moates agreed to install a new video surveillance system to record transactions and implement a computerized system, the city of New York paid for both of those improvements. To quote Moates' attorney, Richard Gardiner:

We're pleased with the outcome. We're getting an upgraded surveillance system at the city's expense.

Gardiner is well known for his work supporting the Second Amendment so I trust his description of the result rather than Bloomberg's attempt at face saving. The fact is, New York sued and they ended up paying for an upgrade to Moates security system so you tell me who you think won.

On a personal note, my grandfather was a regular customer of Bob's Sport Shop and I still have fond memories of accompanying my grandfather buying my hunting licenses and other supplies every year in the shop located on Hull Street Road.

May Bob Moates rest in peace.

Hat tip to VA-Alert