Hoover Tactical Firearms
Hoover Tactical Firearms is a gun shop located at 1564 Montgomery Highway in Hoover which caters to law enforcement. It was opened in September 2009 by Peyton Zarzour, a former Hoover Police Department detective. Other partners in the business include Thomas Wright, James Rawls and Hoover City Council member Gene Smith III.
In 2011 Zarzour leased a former Bruno's in order to expand the store from 2,800 to 52,000 square feet. The facility includes pistol and rifle ranges, a 6,500 square-foot showroom, rooms for gun safety and weapon certification classes, and an on-site deli.
The store's classrooms are also used for meetings by other groups, such as the Rainy Day Patriots. That organization scheduled a debate between candidates for U.S. Senate in the 2016 Republican primary. Four candidates (Jonathan McConnell, John W. Martin, Shadrack McGill and Marcus Bowman) appeared, while incumbent Richard Shelby did not attend. On the day it was scheduled, Smith barred the group from holding the event on the grounds that it needed to have been booked separately from a regular meeting and further explained that, "[b]ecause he's not here to defend himself, no negative statements will be made about Richard Shelby."
In 2017 the venue was selected for a February 25 "Town Hall" meeting with U.S. Representative Gary Palmer. That event was later relocated to the Hoover City Hall because some constituents were uncomfortable with the choice of a gun store.
The store's building was acquired by Sanders Capital Partners for $3.225 million in 2022.
References
- Ellaby, Liz (September 2, 2009) "Gun shop catering to law enforcement opening on U.S. 31 in Hoover." The Birmingham News
- Walton, Val (May 11, 2010) "Sir, yes, sir! Gunny to sound off in Hoover." The Birmingham News
- Kent, Dawn (June 3, 2011) "Hoover gun store aims big at former supermarket site." The Birmingham News
- Kent, Dawn (December 17, 2012) "Hoover gun store fills with shoppers in the wake of shootings." The Birmingham News
- Koplowitz, Howard (February 18, 2016) "Alabama Senate debate canceled after Hoover Tactical owner bars candidates from attacking Shelby." The Birmingham News
- Thornton, William (November 7, 2022) "Hoover Tactical Firearms building acquired for $3.22 million." The Birmingham News
External links
- Hoover Tactical Firearms website