A sad day today for New York City's shooting sports enthusiasts and those who embrace the city's history...
John Jovino's Gun Shop, a gun store opened right on the street in Lower Manhattan that separates Chinatown and Little Italy, has announced that they are permanently closing due to maintenance costs from the COVID-19 lockdown. It was opened in 1911 by John Jovino, the son of Italian immigrants shortly after the passage of NYC's notorious Sullivan Law which was initially drafted and endorsed by the Irish Mafia dominated Tammany Hall to keep firearms out of the hands of their rival gangsters from Italy, China, and Eastern Europe. The law required an extensive application process through the NYPD, massive fees, and long waiting times in order to purchase or carry a handgun and effectively barred legal gun ownership from the city's working class communities who are barely scraping by with rent and utility payments. To this day, the Sullivan Law remains the backbone of the city's infamously draconian firearm laws and the current fees for a residence only handgun permit is $399 plus a mandatory $100 NYPD fingerprint processing fee. Licenses must be renewed every 3 years. Celebrities such as leftist satellite radio shock jock Howard Stern and Prohibition-era Irish gangsters routinely used their connections within the extremely corrupt police department to easily obtain full carry licenses with almost no restrictions.
In 1920, the gun shop was purchased from John Jovino by the Imperatio family, also of Italian heritage, who operated the store through the colorful and history-rich 1920's all the way to 1995, when it was purchased by Chinatown businessman Charlie Hu. In honor of the store's long heritage and the person who founded it, as well as the store's iconic presence in several blockbuster movies which featured New York City as the primary setting, Mr. Hu retained the store's original name, operating it for a small but faithful group of clients until it's forced closing in March 22, 2020, as part of Governor Cuomo's "non-essential businesses" decree in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before it's closing, John Jovino was one of just THREE gun stores that cater to civilians in New York City. The other two being DF Brothers and Sons located on 79th Street under the D subway line in Brooklyn, and surplus militaria importer/dealer S&S Firearms in Glendale, Queens, which was founded by Francis Bannerman and Co. in the 1970's.
A city's cultural icon closes after 109 years of faithful business...
"The Revolver"... Just as much as a neighborhood icon as the gigantic, brightly lit and futuristic looking Hong Kong Supermarket and it's more humble neighbor, Vincent's Italian Cafe, located just one street down...
ETA: News link:
untappedcities.com
John Jovino's Gun Shop, a gun store opened right on the street in Lower Manhattan that separates Chinatown and Little Italy, has announced that they are permanently closing due to maintenance costs from the COVID-19 lockdown. It was opened in 1911 by John Jovino, the son of Italian immigrants shortly after the passage of NYC's notorious Sullivan Law which was initially drafted and endorsed by the Irish Mafia dominated Tammany Hall to keep firearms out of the hands of their rival gangsters from Italy, China, and Eastern Europe. The law required an extensive application process through the NYPD, massive fees, and long waiting times in order to purchase or carry a handgun and effectively barred legal gun ownership from the city's working class communities who are barely scraping by with rent and utility payments. To this day, the Sullivan Law remains the backbone of the city's infamously draconian firearm laws and the current fees for a residence only handgun permit is $399 plus a mandatory $100 NYPD fingerprint processing fee. Licenses must be renewed every 3 years. Celebrities such as leftist satellite radio shock jock Howard Stern and Prohibition-era Irish gangsters routinely used their connections within the extremely corrupt police department to easily obtain full carry licenses with almost no restrictions.
In 1920, the gun shop was purchased from John Jovino by the Imperatio family, also of Italian heritage, who operated the store through the colorful and history-rich 1920's all the way to 1995, when it was purchased by Chinatown businessman Charlie Hu. In honor of the store's long heritage and the person who founded it, as well as the store's iconic presence in several blockbuster movies which featured New York City as the primary setting, Mr. Hu retained the store's original name, operating it for a small but faithful group of clients until it's forced closing in March 22, 2020, as part of Governor Cuomo's "non-essential businesses" decree in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before it's closing, John Jovino was one of just THREE gun stores that cater to civilians in New York City. The other two being DF Brothers and Sons located on 79th Street under the D subway line in Brooklyn, and surplus militaria importer/dealer S&S Firearms in Glendale, Queens, which was founded by Francis Bannerman and Co. in the 1970's.
A city's cultural icon closes after 109 years of faithful business...
"The Revolver"... Just as much as a neighborhood icon as the gigantic, brightly lit and futuristic looking Hong Kong Supermarket and it's more humble neighbor, Vincent's Italian Cafe, located just one street down...
ETA: News link:
John Jovino, Oldest Gun Shop in NYC Closes Permanently - Untapped New York
One of Little Italy's oldest businesses, John Jovino Gun Shop, has closed after 109 years. Founded in 1911, it was the oldest gun retailer in NYC.
untappedcities.com
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