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Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Posted by Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive officer
Dear Fellow Americans,
Few topics in America generate a more polarized and emotional debate than guns. In recent months, Starbucks stores and our partners (employees) who work in our stores have been thrust unwillingly into the middle of this debate. That’s why I am writing today with a respectful request that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas.
From the beginning, our vision at Starbucks has been to create a “third place” between home and work where people can come together to enjoy the peace and pleasure of coffee and community. Our values have always centered on building community rather than dividing people, and our stores exist to give every customer a safe and comfortable respite from the concerns of daily life.
We appreciate that there is a highly sensitive balance of rights and responsibilities surrounding America’s gun laws, and we recognize the deep passion for and against the “open carry” laws adopted by many states. (In the United States, “open carry” is the term used for openly carrying a firearm in public.) For years we have listened carefully to input from our customers, partners, community leaders and voices on both sides of this complicated, highly charged issue.
Our company’s longstanding approach to “open carry” has been to follow local laws: we permit it in states where allowed and we prohibit it in states where these laws don’t exist. We have chosen this approach because we believe our store partners should not be put in the uncomfortable position of requiring customers to disarm or leave our stores. We believe that gun policy should be addressed by government and law enforcement—not by Starbucks and our store partners.
Recently, however, we’ve seen the “open carry” debate become increasingly uncivil and, in some cases, even threatening. Pro-gun activists have used our stores as a political stage for media events misleadingly called “Starbucks Appreciation Days” that disingenuously portray Starbucks as a champion of “open carry.” To be clear: we do not want these events in our stores. Some anti-gun activists have also played a role in ratcheting up the rhetoric and friction, including soliciting and confronting our customers and partners.
For these reasons, today we are respectfully requesting that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas—even in states where “open carry” is permitted—unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel.
I would like to clarify two points. First, this is a request and not an outright ban. Why? Because we want to give responsible gun owners the chance to respect our request—and also because enforcing a ban would potentially require our partners to confront armed customers, and that is not a role I am comfortable asking Starbucks partners to take on. Second, we know we cannot satisfy everyone. For those who oppose “open carry,” we believe the legislative and policy-making process is the proper arena for this debate, not our stores. For those who champion “open carry,” please respect that Starbucks stores are places where everyone should feel relaxed and comfortable. The presence of a weapon in our stores is unsettling and upsetting for many of our customers.
I am proud of our country and our heritage of civil discourse and debate. It is in this spirit that we make today’s request. Whatever your view, I encourage you to be responsible and respectful of each other as citizens and neighbors.
Sincerely,
Howard Schultz
Wow... didn’t see that one coming? This is ridiculous, reminds me of being ripped off by the 51st vote to stop obamacare. Liberals have no foundation, their belief is only in themselves and they will impose themselves upon you by being the bully. Making us laughingstocks for ever believing they tell the truth ever. I never believed Starbucks was genuine and I never went there. I support my local coffee shop.
No problem Howard.
Since I carry a firearm with me at all times, I guess I won’t be going into a Starbucks in the future.
Whatever their policy, I’m not paying $6.50 for a cup of double-coco-moco-vanilla-latte-frappe-choco-sprinkles-anything-and everything-you-can add-to-the-cup, coffee.
Well. He’s managed to piss off everyone on both sides of the issue. That takes some doing.
Wow.
CEO just created a whole bunch of gun free zones.
Some loon just made note of it.
What about knives? Are they next?
ATTENTION CRIMINALS:
Starbucks stores are now filled with unarmed customers who have larger than average amounts of cash on their persons.
Additionally, these stores have no security, other than cameras, so the money in the registers is unprotected.
Have a nice day!
Woolworth CEO circa 1952.
.....Maybe pressure from the Obama White House?
I stopped frequenting that company’s stores when they came out in support of gay marriage. That was a tough decision at the time, because they appeared to support the second amendment.
Thankfully though they’ve outted themselves as philosophically opposed to everything American, from guns to family, and now it appears that they’re opposed to making money as well since they’re trying to so hard to keep people from giving it to them.
So just ban guns on your property. It’s your right to do so. Stop being wishy-washy and just say what you mean.
Responsible gun owners will always respect property owner’s wishes.
You’ll just lose business, but it’s clearly business that you don’t want anyway.
So why can’t you just say what you mean?
re headline : No
“The presence of a weapon in our stores is unsettling and upsetting for many of our customers. “
Fifty years ago the customers said the same thing about blacks.
Win/Win.
I stopped going to Starbucks when they decided to join the smoke-nazi fight and prohibit it outside their stores. Not smoking inside I can abide, but prohibitions outside are ridiculous.
I carry my concealed handgun everywhere. I will not be going to their stores in any case. I only went there to buy bags of coffee beans. They no longer carry a good decaf. They stopped carrying decaf Verona and now don’t carry decaf Pike’s Place. This latest no guns ‘request’ makes it appear that they only want to appeal to a smaller demographic that does not include me.
Sgt. Schultz is giving an open invitation to armed thug stick-up men that they get a free ride at Starbucks. Way to go Sarge!
It is their right to ask. Let’s see if it turns out to be a wise business choice for them.
Starbucks has every right to not be used as a stage by either side of the issue. Their mission (quite rightly) is to make money for their owners, not to be political advocates.