Bi-Mart, Fred Meyer also raising gun sales age to 21

(Update: Bi-Mart issues statement, raises gun purchase age to 21)

Bi-Mart and Fred Meyer have joined the move by U.S. retailers to limit gun purchases to those 21 and older.

A statement issued by Bi-Mart on Thursday says:

“Bi-Mart has been a part of communities throughout the Northwest for over 60 years- we are committed to serving and caring about our customers. That care extends to the products we sell and whom we sell them to.

“In recent weeks we, along with many members and our neighbors in retail, have paid close attention to the national discussion regarding firearm sales.

“Joining in that discussion– we support the responsible sale and use of firearms. Since the day Bi-Mart was founded, we’ve always carried a mix of merchandise that supported the shooting sports and hunting community. We’ve done this without selling assault type weapons. This style of firearm is not part of our current mix of goods and will not be in the future. We have never stocked or sold AK or AR platform rifles or bump-stocks and we do not stock high capacity magazines for these firearms.

“Our policies for firearm sales meet or exceed all Federal and State laws where we operate and currently follow all government age restrictions. We will continue to carry our current selection of items for the hunter and sport shooter.

“That being said, we agree with many policy makers and our peers that increasing the age limit to 21, in order to purchase a firearm, is a step in the right direction. In support, Bi-Mart and Cascade Farm and Outdoor stores, a division of Bi-Mart, will only sell guns and ammunition to those 21 or older that meet state and federal requirements for purchasing firearms.

“Our goal is to support responsible firearm use and make a positive contribution to the local, regional and national discussion of this issue. Our policies have always been a reflection of our values at Bi-Mart- we will continue to make choices based on what we think is best for our members and the communities we serve.”

Meanwhile, Kroger is raising the minimum age to buy guns at its Fred Meyer stores, joining other major retailers in placing restrictions on gun sales that exceed federal law.

Like Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods a day earlier, Kroger says it will immediately limit gun and ammunition sales to people 21 and older.

The nation’s largest grocery chain said Thursday that recent events show that gun retailers need to take action.

Students returned this week to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida for the first time since a troubled teenager killed 17 people there, mostly children.

Fred Meyer sells guns at 44 stores in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. Assault-style gun sales were ended everywhere but Alaska several years ago. Special orders for those guns are now unavailable in Alaska.