A Virginia couple wanted to open up a coffee and firearm story — who doesn’t love a nice cappuccinos after firing off a Glock — but overregulation is ruining those plans.
The Washingtonian reported on Wednesday that Kevin and Tammy Jones can’t get the permission to sell coffee.
Their store, Bullets & Beans in Hamilton, Virginia, is located in a former Farmers & Merchants National Bank and doesn’t meet the local zoning regulations to build a coffee shop.
Coffee shops are required to have a parking lot, something Bullets & Beans does not have. They also require a special-use permit from the town council because they’re too close to residential property.
Gun sales are considered retail and are permitted on the property without any further regulation.
Parking may be an issue for residents, so restaurants that have a high volume of patrons sitting at one location for an hour or more should have to provide the parking.
The knee jerk reaction from some liberals, though, was to insist the local ordinance should have made nearly impossible to sell guns. Somehow, the lesson they take from this story is that two wrongs make a right.
This seems good right? I mean coffee kills people every day.
— Isosceles Kramer (@J_J_JH_S) September 29, 2016
While there’s really no problem with a local community trying to solve an issue with parking, there is a real concern with overregulation and licensing laws.
According to the Institute for Justice, there are 102 licenses required for low- and moderate-income occupations. For example, a massage therapist in Virginia needs to collect a state license costing $105 and pass a test.
This problem with licensing and overregulation is a major burden for small businesses across the country and costs the economy dearly. Starting a business should be as easy as starting a gun shop, not as burdensome as a coffee bistro.
