Avid hunters and outdoorsmen will be pleased to hear the the Oxford student-owned business, Seaview Outfitters, has been approved to sell firearms.

The outdoor clothing and equipment store, owned by brothers Jack and Stephen Thomas, opened its doors at the 22 West Park Place location in August 2011. The store carries everything from the most advanced camping equipment to lifestyle clothing brands including Patagonia, Vineyard Vines, Columbia, Ray Ban, Oakley, Osprey and more. And now the brothers will be able to add firearms to this list.

According to the brothers, their decision to apply for a firearms license was prompted by a lack in resources for responsible gun owners of Oxford and the rest of Butler County.

“We started the process upon returning after winter break,” Jack Thomas said. “The application was composed of FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation] background checks, a review from the ATF [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives], followed by on-site orientations with the ATF.”

As holders of a Federal Firearms License (FFL), the Thomas brothers intend Seaview Outfitters to serve as a central location for people looking for gun safety education, hunting licenses, long-term weapons storage and a place for Oxford residents to purchase firearms for hunting and recreational purposes.

The brothers said they believe having a FFL holder in town will open up many new opportunities to both residents and students.

“A major initiative for us is to be able to provide a safe and legal method of long-term storage for Miami University students,” Jack Thomas said. “This way, there will be a safe and accessible place to ‘house’ one’s equipment.”

As always, safety and security of the community is a main concern.

“We recognize firearms can be abused by the wrong people,” Jack Thomas said. “Our background checking system will add another layer of safety for those in the community.”

“I would be surprised if the community were upset by this,” Alan Kyger, Oxford Economic Director said.

Part time employee and Miami University sophomore Erin Leimkuehler said she is confident in Jack and Stephen and their handling of such issues.

“I know both of them, and they are both very responsible,” she said.

Prior to applying for the FLL, the Thomas brothers approached Kyger for some guidance.

Kyger was one of the first City Council members to learn of Seaview’s latest business endeavor. He explained the zoning code under which businesses in Oxford such as Seaview Outfitters have to abide by.

“The purpose of the Zoning Code is to promote and protect the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Oxford,” Kyger said. “They are free to sell firearms as long as they get a FFL license and operate within the license’s terms and conditions.”

 Now that it is officially an FLL certified business, Seaview is going through with the completion of a secure firearms storage area that will include retail area, long-term storage and a work area for gun owners to clean or fix their guns.