Raygun's Ames store is now open — despite city council's objecting to the gun in its sign

It's official. Raygun in Ames is open, despite Ames City Council's concerns about the store's signage on Main Street.

During the council’s regular meeting Tuesday, council member Gloria Betcher asked to remove the approval of the Raygun store’s exterior sign from the consent agenda.

Removing an item from the consent agenda usually requires the council to discuss the items, rather than adopting it with no discussion.

“I asked to remove this item from the consent agenda because of the image of a cat with a machine gun on the sign,” Betcher told the council. “I’m concerned with how this image will affect those who have been affected by gun violence.”

Council member Tim Gartin suggested Ames City Attorney Mark Lambert respond. Gartin suggested denying the sign due to the image would be a First Amendment freedom of speech issue.

Lambert confirmed Gartin’s concerns.

“Yes, that is a potential First Amendment concern,” Lambert told the council. “If you are going to not approve it for what the image has on the sign, then that is a First Amendment problem.”

“Approval has to be content neutral,” Gartin said.

Lambert agreed.

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The exterior sign, called a blade sign, requires City Council approval because it is a sign that extends from the exterior of the building. The council would not have any say over a sign inside the store.

“Normally these sign permits roll through city council consent agendas,” Raygun Founder and Owner Mike Draper said.

Draper pointed out that the sign features Gary the Cat holding a ray gun, not a machine gun.

“We’ve had no issues with the sign at our other locations,” Draper said. “But we all lived through 2020 and we are extremely sensitive to gun violence issues.”

Draper pointed out the company is a regular donor to Giffords, the Gabby Giffords' gun violence advocacy fund.

“Gabby herself has been to the store,” Draper said.

Draper said he doesn’t think that Betcher’s concerns are “ridiculous. We’ve talked about the issue internally.”

Raygun’s Director of Operations Blake Crabb spoke to the council about the sign.

“It’s weird,” Crabb told the council. “That’s kind of why we like it. And we haven’t had any negative comments from customers about the sign.”

Betcher ended up joining the rest of the council to vote for allowing the sign on the exterior of the building.

“I don’t mean to besmirch the reputation of Raygun by any means. And I’m a gun owner,” Betcher said.

“And we are excited to have you on Main Street,” Mayor John Haila added.

The new store is located at 301 Main St., Suite 106 where Hair Professionals once occupied. The storefront is on the ground level of the Sheldon Munn Hotel.

Teresa Kay Albertson covers politics, crime, courts and local government in Ames and central Iowa for the Ames Tribune and Des Moines Register. Reach her on Twitter @TeresaAlberts11 and at talbertson@registermedia.com, 515-419-6098.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Raygun's Ames store is official open, despite sign controversy