But Jeff Monroe said they planned to begin building a 4,515 square foot building off the former nursery retail center as soon as the Warren County Board of Commissioners approved their plan.
“Our customers for years now have been asking us for a local place to safely shoot indoors. We want to give them what they want,” said Monroe, a criminologist and gun-rights advocate.
The Monroes have operated 22three, which he called “the Brooks Brothers of firearms,” on the southeast corner of Broadway and Mulberry Street in downtown Lebanon for about four years. They have been providing training at another private site to customers.
Earlier this month, the county’s regional planning commission recommended the commissioners approve their plan for the indoor range, store and offices on 10 acres of the 46-acre site.
The recommendation was conditional on proper handling of 7,000 cubic yards compost or topsoil still on the property.
The former owners ran into problems with the Ohio EPA and county officials over an organic composting business operated just south of the former nursery on U.S. 42.
The commission also recommended 22three be barred from ever operating an outdoor range on the site.
Mike Yetter, the county’s zoning manager, said the range’s concrete-wall design would eliminate the potential public nuisance from noise or rounds leaving the building.
Springboro City Manager Christine Thompson, a member of the commission, said the indoor range would fill a need of area police officers required to regularly practice shooting.
“They suffer from a lack of facilities to be honest with you in our area,” Thompson said.
Monroe said the facility could accommodate police.
In addition to consolidating operations and expanding services, the new location will allow 22three to offer customers the chance to try out a gun before buying it.
“It will allow us to let the customer try to identify what works best for them,” said Monroe, a former city councilman now chairing the county’s board of elections.
The move will also allow them to expand firearms training.
“Training is very popular right now. We expect that trend to continue,” said Wendy Monroe, the training coordinator and a councilwoman in Lebanon.
Monroe said he was unsure about the future of the Lebanon store.
“We have a great following in Lebanon. That’s a business decision we haven’t made,” he said.
The commissioners are expected to consider the plan in January.
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