Costco bans guns

Keepandbear arms.com ^ | ? | Mark A. Taff

[sig226]

Costco Bans Guns Fellow newslinks editor Bruce Kraft learned the hard way about Costco's gun ban. Below is his story.

Mark A. Taff

. . . We arrived at the registers, and got rung out. I paid, and as we are getting ready to head out, Brian came up and said that "for the comfort and safety" of their employees and guests, he asked that I leave my gun outside.

I said "No problem, sorry if I caused any fuss." I then asked if this was the policy of the Eden Prairie store, or a company-wide policy. He said it was company policy. I asked if I could get some sort of written statement or copy of the policy, because there were 35,000 permit holders in the state of Minnesota alone who were going to want to know about it.

Oh, and since they didn't want me in their store could they please return my groceries. Brian said "Oh, no, your perfectly welcome to shop here, we just" at which point I cut him off saying "You just asked me to leave, so obviously I am *not* welcome here, and neither is my money." (I have played out scenarios like this in my mind for several years, it was gratifying that he kept giving me all the right straight lines).

(snip)

Bruce continues:

"BTW, their letter is misleading, I never raised the issue of civil rights, because I firmly believe that companies have every right to ban whomever they please, I just think it is not fair for them to hide the fact."

You can read a pdf of the letter Costco sent to Bruce.

Call Costco at 1-800-774-2678 and give them your feedback on their gun ban policy.

[Scutter]

Good timing. My Costco membership was up for renewal. Now I can save myself the expense.

[Noumenon]

"what kind of a nut walks into a public place carrying a loaded weapon?"

When bad people do bad things, who is going to stop them? You?

You shouldn't be so quick to reveal your poverty of intellect and your moral bankruptcy. People will talk.

[Shooter 2.5]

I really dislike the website, Keepandbeararms. They have had a hatred for the NRA since they started. That said I haven't quite figured out the article. This guy was spotted carrying and told to leave after he had already checked out at the register. Where was he going if not out of the store? If he was so indignant toward the policy, why didn't he return for a full refund?

I don't shop where I'm not wanted. They are free to set a policy and I'm free not to shop there.

By the way, don't forget to put "bang list;" in the keywords.

[Ghengis]

OK, have him try this at Sam's Club and see what happens. If they have no problems with it then you've got a case.

I shop at Sam's Club and Wal-Mart all of the time. There is no prohibition against CCW in any of their Ohio stores that I have been in so far.

[Emmett McCarthy]

I had an off-duty cop who was working security at Wal-Mart stop me when he noticed a pistol on my hip (under a shirt that wasn't tucked in). He asked to see my permit and, as required by law, I showed it to him. He said that Wal-Mart only wanted guns carried on their premises by law enforcement. I replied that, if that's so, they are required to post a sign to that effect at each entrance to their store. That's the law here in Tennessee. When I got home later, I e-mailed Wal-Mart about the incident and their response was not only apologetic but quick. In addition to an e-mail relpy, I got a phone call from some kind of regional manager stating that the security guy was completely wrong and acting on his own. So, I suggest a follow up with Costco upper management.

[Erik Latranyi]

what kind of a nut walks into a public place carrying a loaded weapon?

Two types of people:

1) Criminals with malicious intent

2) Citizens who do not want to be victims of criminals with malicious intent

[rem22-250]

"Puppage"
"Did you read the article. The guy states that he had gone through this scenario in his mind numerous times. The guy was itching for a showdown. Personally the guy sounds like an idiot"


You may be right. I don’t know how the CCW law reads in MN, but here in Utah, Concealed carry is just that, CONCEALED. Here if you are caught in an open carry situation other than a legal game hunt or practice and have a CCW permit you can have your CCW revoked even though open carry is permitted by non-CCW holders. Same goes in your vehicle. You must have it concealed if you are a CCW holder and not in open view as a non-CCW holder may do. I’ve gone through 3 different CCW classes, one for me and sat through two with my daughters. All of them said the same thing, if you have a concealed permit, the firearm must remain concealed.

[tacticalogic]

Their policy informs any half wit bank robber that Costco is a place where the bad guys can do as they please. A robber will not stop at the door because a sign says, "No Handguns Allowed." While Costco may not give a whit about the lives of its employees, the customers who have undergone the process to obtain a concealed weapon permit ought to be able to protect themselves from an armed attack while shopping there.

Seems like most of the violent crimes that happen at shopping centers happen in the parking lot, on your way back to your car. The only way you'll have your gun with you on the way out is if you had it with you on your way in.

[On the Road to Serfdom]

No I cant,
In the non-smoking case the govenment is not giving the store the choice. That is the difference.
1.Anti-smokers have law passed forcing all stores to have a nonsmoking policy.
2. Pro-gun shoppers refuse to shop at Costco and spread the word.
That you refuse to see the difference is telling.
I believe that a store has a right to set their own policy be it smoking , non-smoking, no shoes no shirt or carrying guns. All the same to me, this is a private business that can set their own policies whether you or I agree with them or not.
You are arguing here with a staw man, not anyone on this thread.
This guy is doing more than stating an opinion. He clearly states that he was prepared for this type of confrontation and welcomed it.
I fail to see how the fact that he was prepared and eager to state his opinion is evidence that he was doing more than stating his opinion.
The title of this thread is Costco Bans Guns. It should read:
Guy does not like store policy
I disagree, the news here is Cosco Bans Guns. The fact that some disagree and refuse to shop at such a store is hardly news or headline worthy.

[ExtremeUnction]

At our Costco stores, there is a sign before one enters which says no firearms allowed.

I see those signs everywhere. How many folks, whether they are carrying legally or not just ignore them? I mean, how does anyone know if someone is carrying?

[Ghengis]

Why? If Costco doesn't want guns in their stores it's their business. I've seen many a freeper bitch and moan about the nonsmoking laws in restaurants and the rallying cry that the restaurant is a private business and no one has the right to tell them how to run it.

Don't see how this is any different. If the guy doesn't like it maybe he should try to buy a ton of voting stock and change the rules. Other than that the guy sounds like a friggin liberal troublemaker.

He voted with his wallet. He is allowing other CCW holders to vote with their wallets. The policy did not seem to be publicy posted.

[Calamari]

I don't like the fresh meat products at our local WalMart Super Center not because they look old but because if you read the labels you will find that nearly all are injected with some form of flavor enhancing solution--mainly salt and water. I prefer to season my own meat and I don't like paying $3 to $5.00 per pound for salt water.

On the other hand,the meat at the Sam's Club I shop at is excellent. I usually buy the whole cryovac wrapped cut and cut it up at home. Most of their beef is USDA Choice.

[JNL]

That you refuse to see the difference is telling.

Telling of what, that I respect private enterprise and do not feel a overiding need to tell them how to run their business.

Sure gun owner can decide to not shop there, or they can respect the rights of a company to set their own policies.

Geez this is not a pro-gun or anti-gun issue. This is some busybody telling a company how to conduct their business. He had an agenda and thinks he was wronged, big deal.

I have a gun license, I also have something called respect for others.

[HairOfTheDog]

If I remember correctly, Minnesota's CC law is new, and they're going through the growing pains of a population that is getting used to the idea of concealed carry. We've seen it a lot here on the forum when states move to Concealed Carry where it hasn't been legal before. People get all nervous about guns, businesses start worrying about whether they should post signs, and in ten years, people will be a lot more used to the idea. Here in WA, where concealed carry has been the law for as long as I can remember, no one worries about it, and the only place you'll see signs posted is at bars, where they are prohibited. Never at malls, never at private businesses of other kinds.... I don't have a Costco membership so I don't know about them.

This guy screwed up by letting his gun be seen. The concealed gun makes no one nervous. The one we catch a glimpse of at the checkout counter makes people nervous. Rookie move.

[epow]

Costco sets it's own policy, and it's up to them to decide the right and wrong of it. Not you and not me.

It's Costco's right, up to a point, to decide policy on it's property and it's up to me to decide where I will spend my money. And I won't spend a dime of it at any commercial interest such as Costco which uses a part of that dime to support every liberal politician and every ultra-liberal, unconstitutional "cause" that comes along.

I would be astonished if Costco didn't ban lawfully carried guns in it's stores since it no doubt spent a ton of money lobbying against passage of the CCW law in MN and every other state where it does business. That's their right, and it's my right to tell them why I won't be patronizing their stores. What does suprise me is the amount of support shown here for the well known liberal slant of Costco's hippy-dippy liberal management people on a forum that was almost exclusively conservative when I found it 8 years ago. I can and do acknowledge the right of others to act in a manner that I disapprove as long as that act is within those rights protected by the Constitution, but I don't have to support those people or their acts with my commercial patronage.

To see where Costco's and it's competitors' political donations go check THIS out. If you don't have time here's a brief synopsis of contributions by a few major retailers:

Price Club/Costco donated $225K, of which 99% went to democrats;

WalMart, $467K, 97% to republicans;

K-Mart, $524K, 86% to republicans;

Home Depot, $298K, 89% to republicans;

Target, $226K, 70% to republicans;

Circuit City Stores, $261K, 95% to republicans;

Rite Aid, $517K, 60% to democrats;

[Mike Bates]

Freepers can see from the article that Costco welcomes their feedback.

My experience is Costco may well "welcome" feedback, but they ignore it.

[RFEngineer]

"I like shopping at Costco and they dont know I have a gun when I go there "

Comes in handy when you are reaching for that last 100-pack of twinkies at the same time as someone else.

Actually, I see this as a rational decision made by a private business, and this guy made it seem more rational than it otherwise would have truly been. Funny thing is, what did he really accomplish? He walked around in Costco for an hour, waited in the checkout line, made a dubious point about private property rights (they have a right to say 'no guns' he has a right not to shop there), and then he had to shop again somewhere else.

You have the correct approach - keep it concealed, and nobody will know or care.

[svxdave]

"If Mr. Gun Toter can't shop at Costco now, it is his loss, not Costco's ..."

Agreed.

C'mon guys and gals, have you ever been to Costo on Saturday? You can actually have your free lunch there with all the samples they offer. Also, according to Fortune Magazine, Costco is the only company with which Wall Mart can't keep up. There is a reason for this.

Also, Costco doesn't need a shopper with a chip on his shoulder. Maybe he should just take his chip somewhere else.

[On the Road to Serfdom]

Sure gun owner can decide to not shop there, or they can respect the rights of a company to set their own policies.

Wrong. A gun owner can decide to both respect that the company has a right to ban guns and refuse to shop at any such company. It is not either or.

I think I must give up on you. I can lead you to water but can't make you drink. Have a nice day.

[RFEngineer]

"they get 30% more groceries. The post gave incomplete numbers"

....which might mean that at least 25% of customers may have gotten 50% more groceries than they really need for an average week.