L.L. Bean has become the latest company to discontinue sales of firearms to anyone under the age of twenty-one. The company made the announcement yesterday on Twitter.
The Maine-based outdoor apparel company has become the fourth high-profile retailer to announce age requirements for firearm sales this week following Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart. Korger also announced that it would discontinue selling firearms to anyone under the age of 21 at its Fred Meyer general merchandise stores this week.
In addition, Dick’s announced that it will be discontinuing all sales of assault-style rifles through its stores.
L.L. Bean has thirty-seven stores in the U.S. but only one, its flagship store in Freeport, Maine, sells firearms. It also does not sell firearms or ammunition through its website, although it does sell some accessories like rifle bags.
In the wake of the deadly school shooting that claimed seventeen lives in Parkland, Florida, last month, there has been a public call for tougher gun laws. The White House has announced support for raising the eligibility age for assault rifles, but it is unclear whether such a measure has the support in Congress to become law. It is already illegal to purchase a handgun if you are younger than 21 years of age, but the eligibility age for purchasing rifles of any kind is 18.
During a meeting at the White House this week, President Trump encouraged lawmakers to pursue comprehensive gun-control legislation, including the age requirement, as well as expanding the nation’s firearms background check system.
“You have to be very, very powerful on background checks. Don’t be shy,” Trump told lawmakers during the meeting. “I’d rather have you come down on the strong side than the weak side. The weak side is easier to do.”
Skepticism however, remains as to whether a viable path exists for such legislation in Congress. “I think that’s ideal if you could do it all at once,” Senator Marco Rubio, one of the White House meeting’s attendees, said afterwards. “I just don’t think it’s likely to pass knowing this place.”