CANYON LAKE, Texas — Texas-based Lowe's Market touts taking care of their community, teammates and their families with more than 140 stores across five states.
Now customers looking to stock up on items ahead of a day on the water on Canyon Lake can purchase ammunition in the same place they can buy meat, bags of ice or a gallon of milk.
The partnership with another Texas-based company, American Rounds, lets shoppers use computerized vending machines to buy bullets quickly and easily.
According to the Associated Press, American Rounds said the machine uses an identification scanner and facial recognition software to verify the age of the person purchasing the ammo. The company says its transactions are more secure than online sales, where the purchaser may not be required to submit proof of age, or at retail stores that run the risk of shoplifting.
However, advocates worry that selling ammo in a vending machine will lead to more shootings in the U.S.
“I’m very thankful for those who are taking the time to get to know us and not just making assumptions about what we’re about," CEO Grant Magers said. “We are very pro-Second Amendment, but we are for responsible gun ownership, and we hope we’re improving the environment for the community.”
More ammo vending machines are coming
Currently, there is only one machine in Alabama, one in Texas and four in Oklahoma. However, another machine is expected in Texas in the coming weeks, along with one in Colorado.
Lowe's Market CEO Alan Buxkemper confirmed to My Canyon Lake that they will add a second vending machine to another area store and that they're "doing it in a safe and responsible way."
“People I think got shocked when they thought about the idea of selling ammo at a grocery store," Magers said. "But as we explained, how is that any different than Walmart?”
In 2023, an online retailer settled a lawsuit brought by families of those killed and injured in a 2018 Texas high school shooting. The families said the 17-year-old shooter was able to buy ammunition from the retailer who failed to verify his age.
Vending machines for bullets or other age-restricted materials is not an entirely new idea. Companies have developed similar technology to sell alcoholic beverages. A company has marketed automated kiosks to sell cannabis products in dispensaries in states where marijuana is legal.