Mayor Jerry Larson: Village cannot legally ban Dick’s Sporting Goods popup; residents should 'vote with their feet'

Mayor Jerry Larson said East Hampton Village cannot legally bar a chain store from opening in the village and described the planned Dick’s Sporting Goods presence as a temporary, apparel-focused pop-up tied to the U.S. Open.

Larson said the village’s attorney advised that "the village could not pass any type of legislation that would eliminate ... any type of store from coming into town." He and the show’s host discussed zoning options that may limit certain uses — for example, the village already bans drive-throughs — but Larson emphasized those are not the same as outlawing a class of retailer.

The mayor described the Dick’s operation as limited to apparel, initially stocking golf apparel "to coincide with the US Open" at nearby Shikok Golf Course, and said the store planned to "transition to some other apparel" after the event and leave in October. He framed the temporary entry as unlikely to displace longstanding local retailers permanently.

Larson acknowledged the issue drew strong reaction on social media but urged residents considering how to respond to exercise consumer choice rather than rely on litigation. "Probably the best thing people could do is if you don't agree with it you just don't shop there," he said, noting the legal costs and low chance of success if the village or taxpayers pursued a lawsuit.

Why it matters: the exchange clarifies what the village can and cannot do under local law, explains that zoning and site-size constraints are the principal regulatory levers, and outlines the specifics of the Dick’s pop-up so residents can weigh economic and community impacts.

The mayor did not announce any ordinance, formal restriction or pending legal action; he described conversations with local business owners and with Gubbins representatives about the temporary store. No vote or formal municipal action was recorded in the broadcast.