http://www.gopbi.com/auto/epaper/editions/wednesday/martin_stlucie_e38710993754e1000098.html
from the Palm Beach Post
from the Palm Beach Post
Supplies, weapons flying off shelves
By Teresa Lane, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
Handguns, military assault weapons and MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) were flying off the shelves at T.H.B. Sales in Fort Pierce Tuesday, where salesman Beau Griffith was so busy he had little time to talk to a reporter between sales.
"This morning they started buying anything and everything," said Griffith, who sells new and used guns, ammunition, hunting supplies and some survivalist gear. "After 9/11 it picked up and it hasn't stopped, really. Half our business is women, but it's men who come in more during wartime. Everybody's looking for self-defense weapons."
Monday evening, President Bush issued an ultimatum to Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, to surrender within 48 hours, making many rethink their personal security plans as war seemed imminent.
Stuart gun dealer Ron Lenard described gun sales as "brisk" the past several weeks, saying many people are buying guns to protect their families.
Lenard, an NRA certified instructor, said his classes for gun safety have been filled the past six weeks with new gun buyers.
"I don't usually take more than eight people in a class," said Lenard, who now holds classes weekly instead of every other week. "Normal classes have five or six people, but now I'm running with eight or nine a class."
At Quick's Industrial Surplus in Fort Pierce, owner Bob Quick answers dozens of calls a month from customers looking for Army surplus gear and gas masks, but Quick sells a different kind of surplus goods -- industrial machinery.
"I send them down to the Army surplus store on Military Trail in West Palm Beach," said Quick, whose business is listed under "surplus and salvage merchandise" in the telephone Yellow Pages. "The calls always pick up when people get jittery."
At Delray Gun Center in Delray Beach, perhaps a few more customers than usual walked in the door looking to stock up on ammunition. If the first Gulf War is any gauge, that will change, owner Mike Caruso said. Business shot up 30 percent once the shooting began.
"It's got to be visual," Caruso said. "They've got to see the bombs drop on CNN."
At Grey Goose Gunsmithing Inc. in Port St. Lucie, owner Judy Woerfel is waiting for the same crush of customers she saw after Sept. 11, 2001, when "people were standing in line to buy guns."
"Our business was up two times after that, and it lasted for several weeks," Woerfel said. "It'll probably start up again any time."
But it was baseball as usual at Thomas J. White Stadium in Port St. Lucie, where the New York Mets are still playing games and practicing their curve balls just as they were a week ago.
Off-duty police officers in uniform always have worked as security officers at games and the Mets have their own security guards, but beyond that Mets officials are mum on their protective measures. "Fans coming to the ballpark will be well protected," spokesman Jay Horwitz said. "People shouldn't have any fear or trepidation about coming out to the park."
Palm Beach Post staff writers Pat Moore and David Sedore contributed to this story.
Palm Beach Post staff writers Pat Moore and David Sedore contributed to this story.
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Copyright © 2003, The Palm Beach Post.
