Company withdraws application for Chicagoland gun store, shooting range

The Airsoft weapons and tactical gear company MiR Tactical, Inc. has withdrawn its application to open up a gun store and shooting range in a Chicago suburb.

The Pioneer Press reported the company had wanted to relocate its Buffalo Grove retail store to a 29,000-square-foot vacant furniture store in the northwest suburb of Mundelein. The proposal included plans for a shooting range behind the building and a large indoor Airsoft tactical field.

Company officials had been scheduled for a meeting with the Mundelein Village Board on Aug. 28, but Mayor Steve Lentz canceled the appointment after receiving notification that the application was being withdrawn.

“It came up suddenly this afternoon,” Village Administrator John Lobaito said on Aug. 28. “We communicated with them that we need something a little more formal (than an email) and we’re waiting for their response.”

Lobaito said that as of Sept. 1, Mir Tactical had not responded or sent a formal letter regarding the application withdrawal.

Commercial zoning in the proposed Munderlein area does not allow for gun sales or shooting ranges, and MiR Tactical’s application had requested seven waivers from city officials.

MiR Tactical CEO Roman Botashoff spoke up for the proposal at a July 19 zoning hearing, in which he argued gun sales were heavily regulated and presented videos demonstrating sound reduction equipment. However, the zoning commission unanimously voted against the project, with some expressing concern that replicas and real firearms would be so close to one another.

Out of an audience of about 50 people, 10 spoke out against the project at the hearing, some arguing it was too close to residential homes and a local day care.

Originally, an outdoor obstacle course had been included in the proposal, but that was removed in an attempt to compromise.