Nebraska gun dealer opens up shop at home, neighbors concerned

Working from home has become commonplace.

But some residents in a Sarpy County neighborhood worry that a proposed home-based business is far from normal.

Near 176th and Cornhusker Road, Wade Wickey is a gun collector who plans to sell firearms online as a licensed dealer working from his Tiburon home.

“This is an internet-only business, all sales are on the internet. This is not a store where people can just drive up and say show me what you got,” he explained.

While waiting for the ATF’s approval which could take months, Wickey applied for a special use permit to sell from home.

Sharon Heck is opposing it.

“This is not about being for guns or against guns. It’s a matter of selling guns in a neighborhood where families live,” Heck said.

One concern is a school bus stop close to Wickey’s house but he promises no gun sale appointments during student pickup and drop off times.

“It’s kind of ludicrous to do this but to satisfy the chicken littles out here, the sky is falling because guns are involved,” he said.

Lisa and Rick Hoffman have a teenage daughter using the school bus corner.

“Knowing people are coming and going with children walking by and guns that just seems like a recipe for disaster. I do worry about criminal elements targeting this home,” Lisa Hoffman said.

Besides secure safes, Wickey — who is retired — watches cameras for porch pirates.

When a weapon is delivered to his front door, Wickey says it will be on camera. He will then be waiting at his door for the delivery service to hand it over and signed for. No packages with guns in them will be left on his porch.

Tiburon homeowners say selling guns even just online should be in a commercial building not a neighbor’s basement.

“We all have a 2nd Amendment right to bear arms, but I don’t know that we necessarily want to consider that the same thing as a 2nd Amendment right to market arms from your private residence,” said Rick Endacott, a neighbor.

Wickey says most guns will be shipped out and only a few customers vetted by the ATF will pickup at his house — appointment only.

“Once I get a steady stream of income, then I’m going to buy a retail store or rent a retail store and do it out of there,” he said.

But any weapons dealing from home triggers concern and opposition among neighbors.

The Sarpy County Planning Commission will hold a hearing on the special use permit Tuesday night.

One board member won’t be voting. Pat Lichter is abstaining because he’s a partner in the internet gun sale business.

Lichter says his grandkids use the school bus stop nearby and he’s not concerned about their safety.