Boston globe Mill article

Now if you have a home in a area that is zoned for business, and you can convert the garage into a shop, you might stand a chance but not much of one

This is what Mike Wheelock at TiteGroup Sporting (remember him?) did. His property had (or was immediately adjacent to) an old Nynex distribution hut that he used as his "shop". Probably 12' square, but it had its own address.

Man, I miss Mike,
 
Most places in MA are not going to give you a license for a FFL business in a home, just on zoning issues alone.

Even in parts of NH it is getting harder and harder to do.

"Kitchen Table" FFL's have been in trouble since the Clinton administration

isn't there something about where your records are stored that makes it near impossible for a home FFL?

Now if you have a home in a area that is zoned for business, and you can convert the garage into a shop, you might stand a chance but not much of one
I wouldn't be so sure about this. At one time I held a home FFL/MA Dealer in both Natick and Framingham, zoning wasn't an issue and neither has changed the zoning since. The MA dealer is the issue now. An up here in NH Nashua may not like it but zoning allows home businesses as long as you follow the rules. No none family working there (although you aren't limited to resident family), you can't have a bunch of cars coming and going and no exterior changes or signage. The signage is easy, just name the shop similart to DW619, that's not a sign it's an address.
 
There is none. It is a shorthand for the real issue which is that you cannot get a MA Dealer's license out of your house. (I will go dig out the needed references for this if you really insist). Without a MA Dealer's license you are not exempt from the AWB nor the magazine capacity restrictions. This makes selling even out of state problematic because who wants to buy guns with pinned/welded muzzle devices and 10rd mags?

You can get a FFL out of your house if the zoning permits. It is of questionable utility w/o the MA dealers license. The case that is interesting is an 07 FFL (manufacturer) and a state gunsmithing license. This does not seem to be prohibited as I know of cases of this. Think of having a shop but doing cerakoting at home...
I... Know someone who tried that. Near Bourne. He had problems. Gentleman long sense moved, and I believe also passed away. Was active here in 2010-2011. Put something like 400k I to building a proper (by proper I mean epic) garage /shop to do business out of with a reloading room, 20x20ft safe, 10x12 ft safe and safety equipment and couldn't get his permitting in place.

Wasn't a zoning issue. Just couldn't clear the paperwork.

Bailed and moved to TN. Was supposed to have been their forever home last thing. Just went sideways since he was wheelchair bound and didn't want to be away from his home to also run his shop.
 
Most gun shops got the vapors and folded like a cheap lawn chair when her manifesto came out. Afraid they would be placed on double secret probation.

I remember @Fooped had a whole FFL AR-15 business. A pretty big one right up until the letter came out. I remember him being very pissed off, closing his business up and moving out of the state in pretty quick order. Too bad as he had some nice stuff.
 
The building is in the middle of town and right on the corner of RT. 2A, RT.119 and RT.225. It would be a nightmare to demolish and build a new, modern building whether for retail or residential use never mind the financing and zoning hassle. Like I say keep your powder dry, next year could be interesting. We'll see if the Globe keeps the story alive and if Maura bites.

The town and state will/would approve anything else at the moment
If you wanted to open a 90k sq foot brothel buy the mill because they will approve anything to get away from the guns
 
The building is in the middle of town and right on the corner of RT. 2A, RT.119 and RT.225. It would be a nightmare to demolish and build a new, modern building whether for retail or residential use never mind the financing and zoning hassle. Like I say keep your powder dry, next year could be interesting. We'll see if the Globe keeps the story alive and if Maura bites.
119/2A/110
 
If I felt like digging up the CMR relative to this it would point out that you need a separate address from your home. So you need more than your garage unless you get a separate street number for your garage (123 Main St and 123A Main St). Doable, but the hoop count is ever increasing.

The ATF will check with the local building inspector or equivalent official responsible for enforcing zoning code in the city/town. The will confirm that the intended use is valid under local zoning. So for a home based FFL, that it is an acceptable accessory use for your home to have a retail business or similar.

It is really not an ATF limitation so much as local zoning that is getting in the way in most cases.
Yeah, a while back I knew of a FFL that has his garden shed listed as 724 1/2 Evergreen Terrace, for MA Dealer License purposes. ATF inspectors thought it was funny, apparently (they're not all named Richard Cranium, I guess).
 
The town and state will/would approve anything else at the moment
If you wanted to open a 90k sq foot brothel buy the mill because they will approve anything to get away from the guns
Actually, that's likely not possible, as most towns established Adult Entertainment Districts, a few years ago, as if they didn't, a strip club could open anywhere.

On route 9, in Framingham, by the Tara, there used to be a Ground Round. When that closed, someone wanted to open a strip club - the town them created an adult entertainment district directly across the street, which was essentially unbuildable. Touche.

They have to put in a pig farm, I guess.....
 
My former FFL in Wrentham operated out of small office on the second floor of a barn on his property. I don't think it had a separate address from his house.
 
Because MGL allows one to obtain an LTC from the PD in their town of residence or in which they own a business.
"or in which they own a business." is only if the COP wants to renew the LTC for the business owner. Despite prior renewals, after a change in COP many years ago where I had a business unrelated to firearms (as if it should matter), I was told 'no, not going to be done, go to the town where you live'.
 
My former FFL in Wrentham operated out of small office on the second floor of a barn on his property. I don't think it had a separate address from his house.
He is still in business, but up in New Hampshire now... and your memory is correct: He wasn't required to use a separate address for the FFL and barn.
 
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"or in which they own a business." is only if the COP wants to renew the LTC for the business owner. Despite prior renewals, after a change in COP many years ago where I had a business unrelated to firearms (as if it should matter), I was told 'no, not going to be done, go to the town where you live'.
Way back when I moved my FFL from Acton to Littleton and applied for the Mass dealer, they asked me if I would like a LTC from Littleton in add'n to my Acton one. They aimed to please. Jack.
 
Despite prior renewals, after a change in COP many years ago where I had a business unrelated to firearms (as if it should matter), I was told 'no, not going to be done, go to the town where you live'.
The "own a business" provides a legal mechanism for eligible non-residents of MA to obtain a 6 year LTC instead of the one year temporary one.
 
He is still in business, but up in New Hampshire now... and your memory is correct: He wasn't required to use a separate address for the FFL and barn.

Last time I spoke to him, which was over 4 years ago, he mentioned he was retiring to NH.

Recently found out he was back in operation in NH. Not sure if he ever ended up taking a break or went right into operation after the move.
 
Actually, that's likely not possible, as most towns established Adult Entertainment Districts, a few years ago, as if they didn't, a strip club could open anywhere.

On route 9, in Framingham, by the Tara, there used to be a Ground Round. When that closed, someone wanted to open a strip club - the town them created an adult entertainment district directly across the street, which was essentially unbuildable. Touche.

They have to put in a pig farm, I guess.....
IIRC this was the result of a court decision that strip clubs and adult stores had 1A rights, so they could not be banned, but they could be zoned.

In MA it was a big deal because of some adult shop up at the top of Winter Hill in Slummerville, the C.O.P. parked a cop on the sidewalk every day to drive business away... since Slummerville didn't have a local law preventing it from locating there they eventually created a adult entertainment zone, as did many other communities .

I remember being at Town Meeting and speaking in favor of an article creating an adult district up off Pleasure Island Rd, and people were speaking against it because they were not smart enough to figure out why the article was on the warrant... we had to explain it to them in very simple language.... the article also defined how much space constituted adult useage... so the local dirty book store "news stand" had to sell more lottery tix, smokes, and newspapers to keep from getting labeled an adult book store. You didn't want the local 7-11 not to sell Playboy ya know.

Up in Dracut, the zone is on 38 just before the NH line.

A customer of ours lost his lease on his shop in Woburn, he tried to get permitted for a new body shop in Wilmington and got turned down.... he saw property in Dracut and looked into it.... Dracut couldn't green light his permits fast enough.... anything he needed they bent over to help with.... it turns out the property he bought was the last parcel in that adult allowed district, and by him building a shop on it it prevented a strip club from opening in Dracut as all the other properties were in other use and were not for sale.
 
Last time I spoke to him, which was over 4 years ago, he mentioned he was retiring to NH.

Recently found out he was back in operation in NH. Not sure if he ever ended up taking a break or went right into operation after the move.
You gotta love a guy who was still doing incoming transfers in MA for $20 a pop when so many others were raising their prices through the roof to avoid losing sales to the Interwebs. [thumbsup]

I don't think he missed a beat after he moved. His website is still up under the old company name. :)
 
IIRC this was the result of a court decision that strip clubs and adult stores had 1A rights, so they could not be banned, but they could be zoned.

In MA it was a big deal because of some adult shop up at the top of Winter Hill in Slummerville, the C.O.P. parked a cop on the sidewalk every day to drive business away... since Slummerville didn't have a local law preventing it from locating there they eventually created a adult entertainment zone, as did many other communities .

I remember being at Town Meeting and speaking in favor of an article creating an adult district up off Pleasure Island Rd, and people were speaking against it because they were not smart enough to figure out why the article was on the warrant... we had to explain it to them in very simple language.... the article also defined how much space constituted adult useage... so the local dirty book store "news stand" had to sell more lottery tix, smokes, and newspapers to keep from getting labeled an adult book store. You didn't want the local 7-11 not to sell Playboy ya know.

Up in Dracut, the zone is on 38 just before the NH line.

A customer of ours lost his lease on his shop in Woburn, he tried to get permitted for a new body shop in Wilmington and got turned down.... he saw property in Dracut and looked into it.... Dracut couldn't green light his permits fast enough.... anything he needed they bent over to help with.... it turns out the property he bought was the last parcel in that adult allowed district, and by him building a shop on it it prevented a strip club from opening in Dracut as all the other properties were in other use and were not for sale.

A lot of this came about as a result of a very fierce battle in Mendon when an adult entertainment venue bought a piece of commercial property to open a strip club. Since the location is very close to the Mendon Drive in it was hard for the town to say the zoning did not include entertainment. The town spent a lot of money, that it didn't have, to try and block the club from opening. In the end Mendon lost. The strip club isn't open yet as the owner ran into funding issues, but at this point he seems to have the funding now and the construction is ongoing.

When this happened all the sleepy towns around Mendon went full bat shite crazy to immediately amend their zoning laws to make sure this didn't happen to them. My understanding is that towns far and wide took this as a "call to arms" to try and protect their towns from the same thing happening.
 
He is still in business, but up in New Hampshire now... and your memory is correct: He wasn't required to use a separate address for the FFL and barn.
The state has gradually cracked down on this and stopped issuing the licenses at the FRB level if they are home based. Some people took a while to catch up with...
 
The state has gradually cracked down on this and stopped issuing the licenses at the FRB level if they are home based. Some people took a while to catch up with...
I forget the details, but Richard had worked out some deal with the town fathers (zoning exception maybe?). He did, in fact, have a legitimate separate building (the barn with office behind his house). Probably wouldn't work today, but this was Wrentham a bunch of years back. Why no street address difference (house vs, barn)? I don't know. 🤔
 
You gotta love a guy who was still doing incoming transfers in MA for $20 a pop when so many others were raising their prices through the roof to avoid losing sales to the Interwebs. [thumbsup]

I don't think he missed a beat after he moved. His website is still up under the old company name. :)

He was great, and I transferred a bunch of stuff with him.
 
The "own a business" provides a legal mechanism for eligible non-residents of MA to obtain a 6 year LTC instead of the one year temporary one.
when I lived in NH in the 90s, I had a MA LTC out of Framingham [smile] , Chief Larrabee was easy to work with.
 
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