Popular gun store finds new home in Arlington

CLARENDON, Va. - A well-known Virginia gun store has a new home. 

NOVA Armory is now in Clarendon, and the move is causing some concern for residents in the area. 

The new location is on Wilson Boulevard ---- just a few feet away from a grocery store, bars, and restaurants.  

One coffee shop manager says he was shocked when he heard the news Monday morning that they were setting up shop in the area.

"Having a gun shop here in this area will make it a little bad," said Abdul Qader Dali, manager at Three Whistles Coffee.

Dali has been serving up coffee in the Clarendon area for almost 10 years, and says this isn't the place for anyone to sell guns. 

NOVA Armory is now steps away from Dali's coffee shop. 

"In America, it's easy to get a gun to the store and walk out," Dali said. "I don't feel safe having a gun shop in this area." 

NOVA Armory's old location is less than two miles away in Lyon Park. 

Now, it's nestled between a vacant building and a restaurant. 

Teresa McGervey says the new location of the store could attract crime. 

"That is something that I would be concerned about," she said. "[If] somebody gets on the metro, comes here and knows there is a gun store in this area, [they] get in and get back on the metro and nobody will be able to do anything about it."

McGervey also believes, however, that it's time for businesses to return to the area after many left during the pandemic. 

"The hard part is that there are so many empty storefronts here that anyone who is willing to pay the rent, they are probably going to let them move in," she said. 

Richard Barrett, a resident in the area, told FOX 5 that he admires guns and how they work. He's looking forward to visiting the shop. 

"It's got me excited. I'm not even going to lie," he said. "It's an essential thing to have these days, considering the violence isn't going anywhere. It feels like things are going upwards considering the stigma that guns are bad." 

FOX 5 reached out to NOVA Armory and asked why they left their other location about five minutes way. We are still waiting to hear back.

We know that when they first opened back in 2016, there was some concern from the community about a gun shop coming to that neighborhood. We went to the old location Monday and a restaurant next door says NOVA Armory is actually missed, and they wish they would come back.