TX: Bookstore Offers Discount for Open Carriers

Gun Watch ^ | 2 February, 2016 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Picture from Brave New Books


Brave New Books, a book store in Austin, Texas has welcomed open carriers and held a symposium on open carry on January 30th, 2016.  The store is said to be the only book store in Austin that has not banned open carry from their store. From kvue.com:

AUSTIN -- Brave New Books is offering a 10 percent discount to all customers open-carrying in their store.

The store is also hosting an open-carry symposium on Jan. 30 to help Texas residents learn more about open-carry legislation.

Brave New Books is doing more than simply not putting up a sign.  The symposium includes a panel of Second Amendment supporters about what is happening in Texas to restore Second Amendment rights.  From Brave New Books Facebook page:

Join us January 30th from 4 to 7 PM at Brave New Books for an open carry and firearms freedom symposium where will answer these questions and more.

We'll here from owner of Central Texas Gun Works, Michael Cargill. We'll take part in a firearms safety course from our good friend Stephen Sheftall. And we will hear from a panel of gun rights activists about the latest in the fight for firearms freedom in Texas.

And for a limited time only if you come in to Brave New Books safely open carrying a firearm, you can get 10% off anything in the store! That's right. We want to celebrate your decision to take security in to your own hands by giving you 10% off any product in the store for safely open carrying your firearm .

 The market supports freedom.  Even though most bookstores in Austin have closed their doors to people who dare to exercise their Second Amendment rights, one book store has not.  I predict that Brave New Books will gain customers from this move; I also predict that customers of the other book stores will be looking to alternatives such as ABE books and Amazon.

The experience of the 44 other states with open carry is that there are a few signs that go up when more freedom is achieved; then, as the propaganda from the disarmists dies down, nothing much happens.  The stores with the signs start getting complaints from would be customers who are offended that the store does not trust them.  Those complaints outnumber the disarmists many times over.  Then the stores take down the signs.  Again, nothing much happens.

Over time, the number of places with signs gradually dwindles, as managers and owners realize that putting up signage that offends half of potential customers, is a losing proposition.

The last signs to come down are from places that do not depend on the market, such as non-profits, and from government agencies, who do not have to worry about offending customers or making a profit, to stay in business.

Texas is in the early first stages of this process.

Brave New Books is showing common sense and a canny understanding of market forces.  When I am in Austin, it looks like a good place to visit.

Definition of  disarmist

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Link to Gun Watch

[marktwain]

Books and Guns just naturally go together. I have often thought that there would be more combination gun/book stores, but it is likely the nature of our regulatory state that mitigates against it.

Of course, books are now moving into the digital realm.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I would have a problem if it included concealed carrier.
No way I'm showing or producing my weapon just to get a discount on a book.
At that point, you might as well be open carrying.

[ThunderSleeps]

Oh man, I need coffee. When I first glanced at the title I thought it said “...offers discount for opera carriers.” I was thinking “Opera?! Walk in singing? Ha, I couldn’t carry a tune across the threshold in a bucket...”

[peyton randolph]

The bookstore should just let the customer show a CHL/LTC at checkout and assume the licensee is carrying without having to show the handgun.

[Bikkuri]

I miss Texas :/

[Hiddigeigei]

Open carry is either trying to make some sort of statement or showing off. The last thing I want is someone knowing that I am carrying.

[marktwain]

I carry for two reasons, first, defense of self and others.

The second reason is more important. The primary reason that I carry is for political purposes. As a member of the gun culture, of mature age and independent means, the chances of needing an EDC for defense of self and others are fairly low. The chances of needing to defend the Constitution from clear and present political dangers are everyday and common.

Carrying a firearm confirms the right of citizens to use force. It confirms that the ultimate sovereign is the individual citizen, not the State. It confirms that the federal and state constitutions mean something; are not infinitely malleable by the courts, and that government is limited by the rule of law.

Openly carried weapons visually and boldly declare that the Second Amendment is not merely faded ink on dusty parchment, and that the right to self defense is known and cherished. It is the equivalent of the rattle on the rattlesnake or the May Day military parade. It warns our enemies, foreign and domestic, “You do not want a piece of this!”